Those crazy ads!

Late at night when the house is quiet and the day is nearly done, I'll sit for a spell in front of a screen. It's not really a place I prefer because I'd rather be active, moving and getting something accomplished. I'm sure it's just one of my own odd quirks, but staring at a screen is hard for me to do. Yes, that does mean that doing a blog isn't exactly relaxing for me.

What makes it bearable is the trill of the hunt. After two years of accepting any sewing machine that I stumbled upon, I've begun to actually seek out particular models and cabinets. That search is more for me than anyone else. and the hunt has it's moments.

I never expected this New Home advertisement...

And yet here in this age I've seen ads that were amusing, and some that were frustrating. The latter usually involve the mystery machine. Hide away cabinets are apparently terribly complicated contraptions for a certain percentage of the population - and I don't mean that to be insulting. Every sewing person I know once had their first experience with a flip-up machine and I can't fault those people who have never been taught how the machine rolls up.

It is a little telling though. If I see an ad where the machine is still down and has been photographed from above...  then chances are the advertiser doesn't sew. It's not 'their' machine. To their credit, at least they tried. I can't count the number of ads I've seen suggesting a sewing machine for sale and showing a lone photograph of a closed cabinet.

If you had a car for sale, would you post a photograph 

of your closed garage door? I just don't get it.

Here's a few 'guess the machine within' pictures that have stumped me. The best I could do is identify an era. I'll go ahead and number them if anyone else might be able to identify the machine within, please feel free to comment.

Unknown 1

Unknown 2

Unknown 3

Unknown 4

*I may have a guess on this one, but only by the case lining.

Unknown 5

 Unknown 6

Unknown 7

Did you know that some people consider the word Singer a synonym for sewing machine? 

It's like Kleenex versus tissue. I had no idea!

Hilton does have six letters...

Then, there are the ads that proclaim the sellers naivete in text instead of photographs: 

To be fair, this last one above might be an honest mistake.

I can almost imagine how the treadle motion of your feet 

might appear similar to kicking a Touch & Sew...

Then there are the misspellings. This is something I do myself. I have to be constantly vigilant and read and re-read, and edit, and re-read again because I can make a real mess of the English language. Verb tense is apparently my favorite to foul.  My last two posts need serious corrections.

Probably a very useful item... for hog farmers.

No, it can't blind stitch.

I don't want to know. 

I may even avoid that part of the country.

 I would have jumped at this one - if it had only been all-seeing.

Finally, I want to share this one.

The ad was up for about 45 minutes. 

I can't say why it was taken down so quickly. 

I have often wondered.

I bet there's a funny story there...

Searching various online classifieds have opened my eyes to many different levels of familiarity when it comes to sewing machines.  The next time I post an ad to sell a machine... I may get really descriptive and mention how well it runs: like a well oiled Honda Civic, or Toro riding mower, or Triumph motorbike.  I doubt any one would get it.

It's also made me double check my own postings, and even then, I know I'll make more mistakes.  =)