Some people are known for taking in stray dogs and cats. I think I could become known for taking in stray sewing machines. I say this because a few weeks ago, one of my colleagues, Bangor Daily News photographer Kevin Bennett, stopped by my desk to tell me that he had found a sewing machine, complete with cabinet, on the side of the road where it had been left for the trash collector. Knowing the machine was headed for the landfill, he loaded it into the trunk of his car. He’s a good citizen who believes in recycling. “Do you want it?” he asked. “It’s a Singer. And it runs.”

I have to say that I hesitated. I live in a small house and I already have three sewing machines – an 1887 vintage New Home treadle machine, a 1966 vintage Singer portable and my new Singer portable. I have no room or use for another sewing machine.

So, of course, I said, “Yes,” and Kevin loaded the sewing machine into the back of my car.

My son helped me lug the machine into my house. We deposited it in the dining room where we took a good look at it. The cabinet was in good shape structurally, but it had endured a close encounter with water of an apparently vicious kind and that had not been a good experience. The finish was flaking off. The rest of the wood looked as if it had spent a long hot season in the Sahara Desert in the company of camels.

Judging from the style of the cabinet I judged the machine to be from the 1960s.

We opened the cabinet, pulled the machine into an upright position and assessed it. The Stylist, it said in script letters. Model 457. It was made in Great Britain. It had a built-in control for two different zigzag stitches and a lever that allows left, center and right needle position stitching.

I noticed tiny specks of rust on the throat plate and other parts of the machine, but it was nothing that a bit of fine steel wool wouldn’t cure.

I plugged the machine into an electrical outlet, stepped on the foot pedal and was pleased to note that the motor worked just fine, just as Kevin had said. But after I figured out how to thread the machine and tried pulling up the bobbin thread, I saw that the shuttle under the bobbin case did not move. Clearly, there was a mechanical problem that would have to be fixed if the machine was to be of use to anyone. That meant a visit to a sewing machine repair service.

The Yellow Pages of the telephone book list three sewing machine repair services in the Bangor area: Williamson Sewing Machine Repair in Orrington, Hill’s Sewing Machine Service in Bangor and A Straight Stitch in Brewer.

I chose Hill’s because it was handy for me to get to. I wasn’t sure it would be worth it to have the machine repaired, but I figured it made sense to get an estimate. Turns out that a gear under the bobbin shuttle was broken and could be fixed easily. The estimate was $45 and that included oiling and a bit of cleaning. I had the machine fixed and it is now in excellent running condition.

In the meantime, I discovered a threading and bobbin winding diagram for the machine at www.sewusa.com, which confirmed that I had done those tasks correctly. If you own an old machine and can’t remember or don’t know how to thread it, the SewUSA Web site is the place to go.

I learned at http://en.allexperts.com /Sewing-3237/Singer-dating-questions.htm that the Stylist machine was manufactured in 1968-1972.

At www.singerco.com I discovered I can buy a photocopy of the user’s manual for the machine.

I sanded the damaged finish on the cabinet and rubbed the entire piece with a Minwax stain – big improvement.

I tried sewing with the machine after it was fixed and was pleased with the result. It felt solid and stable and the stitch quality was good. I was tempted to keep it, but I really don’t have room for it.

I donated the machine to the Bangor High School art department, which has within its curriculum the making of quilts as a component of a textile design course open to students in the senior class. Or the machine may be put into service when costumes need to be sewn for theater productions staged by the school’s music department.

It’s nice to know that the sewing machine has a good home and will continue to be of use despite the fact that it’s nearly 40 years old and has seen a few hard times.

Snippets

The Bagaduce Summer Fair sponsored by the Castine Women’s Club is set for 10 a.m-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Emerson Hall, Court Street, in Castine. Look for handmade items, including hooked rugs, quilts and bags, created by 25 local artists and artisans. The event benefits the club’s scholarship program. More information is available by calling Charleen Wiseman at 326-4105 or Kathy Eaton, 326-4916.

Call Ardeana Hamlin at 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.