Kenmore Model 158.902

   There's something I find irresistible about a vintage sewing machine. Especially if it's a novel color, like lavender. Luckily for me, apparently no one else in my area suffers from this affliction. I am able to feed my desire for classic machines quite inexpensively. The things I find alluring about the older machines are not valued by most folks in this day and age. The machines are heavy. The older they are, the heavier they will likely be. The progression was from cast iron, to steel, then aluminum and finally the plastic pieces of junk that are available today. The cabinets are heavy. Again, the older the cabinet, the heavier it will tend to be. Why? They used real wood. Wood is heavy. When your machine head, itself, weighs 40 lbs. you need a sturdy cabinet to house it. Flimsy particle board is not going to do the job. There's a reason those machines, from the 60's and before, are still around. They were quality. Let me introduce the latest addition to my sewing machine family, my new-to-me Kenmore model 158.902.

   This is a lilac & cream 40 lb. beast. We took the machine head out of the cabinet in order to transport it. I think the machine weighs as much as the cabinet does. I was not able to find the date of production but I am guessing early 60's. It came with this solid wood cabinet (maple?) and the sewing chair which has storage under the seat. The cabinet is in amazingly good condition. The chair has a few small rips to the vinyl from normal wear and tear.

   The machine also came with these accessories in their original lilac cases. There is a box with 2 layers of design cams, a buttonhole attachment, the original manual and a zipper foot. Even a lilac needle threader. Oddly it came with no other feet or bobbins but I have plenty of those floating around the sewing room. All of this cost a mere $20 and a trip to Tukwila. If this machine works well I will have to keep it and sell one of the other residents of the sewing room.