7.3.13

Miss Trissie

This is the real Miss Trissie. She was my grandmother and she was born in 1900. In this picture I think she about 15 years old. I love what she is wearing, and although it would seem otherwise she was born in Coventry in the UK. Perhaps this little bodice and shirt was the fashion then. Her name was Emily Beatrice and everyone called her Trissie.


Trissie loved to sew and when she was 18 years old she was given a sewing machine for her birthday. This wonderful Singer sewing machine has been looked after by her, then my Mum and then me and works really well. I love to use it and the sound it makes as it sews. I had it serviced a couple of years ago and it was given a tune up and a clean and it's just like new! Incredible for a machine that must be about 100 years old.


I use it all the time when I sew my cushion covers, one day it will be other things, but for now it's cushions. I have called this sewing machine Miss Trissie and I think she would like that.



Both Miss Trissie's sit happily with me in my craft room, one by the window and the other on my desk.


I do use an electric over-locker, which is a whizz of a thing and a new thing for me. Great for finishing off the seams.

One day I would like to try some free-style applique and also work out how to use the different feet that come with it. I must be brave and try them out!

How about you,
Are you using a sewing machine?
have you ever used an old Singer machine?

  

30 comments:

  1. What a lovely story Heather & how lucky are you to have Miss Trissie ♥ Your craft room is gorgeous. I have my husband's grandmothers old sewing table (no machine) in my studio which is really lovely, and use a Brother sewing machine.

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  2. ~ Such a lovely tale to tell, Heather and how pretty was your grandmother....Miss Trissie is a beauty too!~ I have my Mums singer vintage sewing machine ( I can remember her 'running us up ' pretty frocks on this )But I also have vintage one like Trissie, just for show.. ~ My daughter has the John Lewis mini pink sewing machine too. ~ Thanks for sharing with us all....Love Maria x

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  3. What a wonderful memory and lovely keepsake. Your grandmother is very beautiful Heather :) I do not have a machine :(( i wish i did, but the house we live in is not big enough and with 2 small kids i do not dare to have one in the open..so as of now, its my wish to own one as soon as i move back to my country! Oh, and i do envy your own craft room that too such a well done, organized and cozy personal space!

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    1. If I had another little one I don't think I would have the craft room! as I would have been all out of rooms! x

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  4. What a lovely story Heather ... your grandmother is a beauty ... I love your sewing machine and dream of finding one ... I have a fairly modern Singer but would love one like yours ... Miss Trissie is a great name ... Bee xx

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    1. if you do ever find one, have it serviced and probably it will work really well. They seem to go on and on! x

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  5. I adore seeing old photos like the one of dear Trissie. It's like being transported back in time. How amazing is that sewing machine? So loved by all 3 generations. I would love to learn how to use a sewing machine, it's high on my to-do-list. Thanks for sharing it with us :)

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  6. lovely memory!!!! I remember that I used to play with my gran-granmother's Singer!
    i have a little sewing machine from John Lewis, but I never use it.....I'm scared!!!
    xxxx Ale

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  7. This lovely that you use your Grandmas machine, as you know my Clarice is an old much loved machine too, I've just been given an old Gammages one too....the new machine still eludes me though! :) x

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  8. Hi Heather, I do have 2 old Singers, on their original Singer tables, but sadly neither of them are in working order. I keep them just because they're so old and beautiful! I would really love to have them restored but in our little corner of the world, there's more change of me falling pregnant!!!! and there's naught change of that!!!! I will take some photo's of them sometime and put them on my blog. I think it's wonderful that you know your Trissie's history and have something useful from way back then, still working today!!!
    Love
    AMarie

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  9. I love both Miss Trissies!
    I don't have a sewing machine any more, though I used to make all my children's clothes and before that I made a lot of my own dresses too! These days I prefer hand stitching - as sitting at a sewing machine tends to make my back ache (Though I did borrow my daughter's machine last year to make cushions for Poppy Cottage!)
    Your story reminded me of an old Singer treadle machine that my best friend's mum owned when we were children, and which my friend still uses! I always wanted one of those - one would look just perfect here in the old cottage too!
    Angie x

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    1. really if you can find one second hand and have it serviced, the chances are it can be restored quite easily. That's if you can find someone who does servicing in your area! x

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  10. Just like my Granny's sewing machine! She's 97 (also in the Midlands!) but until a couple of years ago she was still using this hand-driven machine regularly, as she had done all her life for herself, my mom and me, as well as for friends and toys for other people. She occasionally cussed it, although she's usually very ladylike and mild mannered, but it is a good solid machine. I hope to inherit it and pass it on to my daughter, who is now doing a 3yr apprenticeship as a seamstress :)

    I might write a post about how I wore dirndls as a child, when I was out of school uniform... maybe Miss Trissie knew someone who brought this outfit back from an Alpine trip, as it looks very typical of this area?! Isn't she pretty, looks so confident! On the old photos I have of my German great-aunts at this age they are looking very grim on their confirmation pics.

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    1. I'm just thinking it was the custom not to smile in photos then wasn't it!

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  11. What a lovely storey. I have a beautiful singer sewing machine that belonged to my great grandmother.

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  12. Simply wonderful! So many ladies use these old machines and just love them. How lucky to have one handed down by women you have loved. Elizabeth

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  13. Thats so amazing that you have your grandmothers sewing machine, I had my Mums for ages but it was hopeless and very ugly!! Miss trissie is positively gleaming she is so loved xx

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  14. My mother had a machine like that. She got it from her mother. My grandmother used to sew my dresses (the particular fabric patterns and textures I remember well). My mother would curse (well not badly) and yell at the machine and I bet to this day she still says she can't sew. I think because I witnessed that, and because I am rotten at measuring, I do not sew.
    My mother-in-law was appalled that I did not own a machine, so she bought me one. When I moved abroad, I lent (gave) it to her daughter who is an A-1 seamstress. She was thrilled.

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  15. What a beautiful photo of your Grandma. I learnt to sew on my Mum's Singer sewing machine, which she was given for her 21st birthday in 1949. It was only put into retirement about a dozen years ago, but is still about. On my Mum's model you sewed not with a foot pedal, but an arm that came out of the front of the machine that you would set going with your leg!! It looks almost exactly the same as yours!! xx

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  16. My grandmother had a sewing machine just like that one.

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  17. Pleased to meet both Miss Trissies. That is a wonderful photograph of your grandmother.

    I've used an ancient Singer in the past and would love to come by another :)

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  18. That sewing machine is wonderful. And that photo! Your grandmother was beautiful. I bet she'd love that you use it now.

    I have a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine, not helped by the fact that it lives behind the sofa and has to be dragged out and set up on the dining room table when I want to use it, only to be packed away again an hour later when we need to eat. One day I will have a crafting room, one day...

    Gillian x

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  19. I will buy a Singer and learn how to sew. I can remember my dear mother and her sewing machine, in the begining without any motor, because we were very poor. She used to sew for an industry of bags, to make ours ends meet... Sweet memories.

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  20. It's so cool that you use her sewing machine. Hope you have a great day.

    http://heidiswanderings.blogspot.com/

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  21. What a beautiful post! I think both Miss Trissies are very pretty! I've been hankering after a similar Singer for a while now. I have a Singer too although it is 'only' twenty five years old and not as attractive as your loyal companion.

    I wish you a happy week.

    Stephanie

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  22. What a lovely story. I love looking at old photos, it's like taking a peek into the past.

    Nina x

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  23. My mum has the very same Singer, inherited from my Nan! I know exactly the sound you mean, I used to love listening to that whirring, so comforting and pleasing, a real sound from my childhood! How wonderful Trissie looks and so nice to name your machine after her. x

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  24. What a beautiful photograph...how amazing that you have Miss Trissies machine and are using it. I think that is so wonderful that it brought a tear to my eye. Lovely story. I have an old singer machine, but with no knowledge of its past. I use it as an ornament as its so pretty. I;d like to think that it once upon a time belonged to young girl with creative sewing ambitions and dreams? Thankyou for sharing. Karen x

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  25. What a beauty. (both of the Trissies) How very cool to be able to sew on the same machine as your foremothers. My machine is about 30 years old, and was top of the line when I bought it. Maybe one day my granddaughter will own it. What a nice thought.

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