I love this machine:

Viking Sewing Machine 1970’s

I got my Viking 6430 sewing machine about 1975 (the old one with the cams) and it was a “used” machine when I got it!  It had been part of a group of machines placed in the public school systems’ home economics classes. (The hope of this program was it would acquaint the student seamstress with a sewing machine that would lead to a sale.  It was assumed the student would  want to buy a machine like the one upon which they had trained. )  I used this machine to make my clothes,  clothes for my daughters, home decorative pillows and the like, curtains for my windows, projects like “quiet books”, dance costumes, nativity costumes, Halloween costumes and grand baby crib sheets and nursery decor.  A few years ago it started to have trouble.  I took it to an authorized dealer and they told me it was too old…they could not fix it.  I loved this machine, we had history!  They tried to talk me into a “trade-in” on a new one…I just couldn’t do it.  I kept the old broken down machine.  It has sat in my basement for the last few years gathering dust…but I still could not get rid of it.

My son and  daughter-in-law moved to the Portland, Oregon area.  This turned out to be very fortuitous for me and my old Viking machine.  My daughter-in-law needed a heavy duty machine that could sew through heavy fabric.  She had a newer machine but needed something heavy duty to make her Treasure Buddies.  (I just blogged about these adorable children’s pillows with a hidden pouch for treasures.)  She came across an old Viking machine (newer than mine-but still old with the cams) and it fit the bill perfectly.  She found it at a place in Hillsboro, Oregon that repaired and restored old Viking sewing machines, Hillsboro Vac -N- Sew.   My old machine needed a lot of work…but I felt there was nothing to lose so it was packed up and sent off to Oregon.  Hillsboro Vac -N- Sew was able to do what the authorized dealer and repairman was unable to do!  My machine has been fully restored! It works like brand new!  It is like reconnecting with an old friend…it made me so happy!!  Funny how such a small thing can mean so much!