Vintage Sewing Machines
Instructions: Test your knowledge of the sewing machines that helped families make and mend their clothes
- 1.
Which sewing machine brand, founded by Isaac Singer in 1851, became the most recognized name in home sewing?
APfaffBSingerCBrotherDBernina - 2.
What powered early treadle sewing machines before electricity was common in homes?
AA foot-operated pedal and rocking plateBA water wheelCA hand crankDA spring mechanism - 3.
What was the Singer Featherweight, model 221, especially prized for when it was introduced in 1933?
AIts speedBIts lightweight portabilityCIts low priceDIts decorative stitches - 4.
What piece of furniture was a sewing machine commonly built into, with a fold-down top that concealed the machine?
AA bookcaseBA sewing cabinet or tableCA dresserDA desk - 5.
What did many women make at home using a sewing machine and paper patterns from companies like McCall's and Simplicity?
AQuilts onlyBTheir family's clothingCCurtains onlyDUpholstery - 6.
What feature, added to sewing machines in the 1950s, allowed for decorative stitches like zigzag patterns?
AA bobbin winderBA buttonhole footCA thread cutterDA zigzag stitch mechanism - 7.
What tool was essential for removing stitching mistakes when sewing?
AA bobbinBA thimbleCA seam ripperDA pin cushion - 8.
What small, spool-shaped component holds the lower thread inside the sewing machine?
AThe spindleBThe shuttleCThe spool pinDThe bobbin - 9.
What pattern company, founded in 1863, was known for its illustrated pattern envelopes showing fashionable designs?
AVogue PatternsBMcCall'sCSimplicityDButterick - 10.
What was the common term for the foot-controlled speed regulator on an electric sewing machine?
AA speed dialBA hand wheelCA stitch regulatorDA foot pedal or foot controller - 11.
What sewing accessory, worn on the finger, protected against needle pricks when hand-sewing?
AA sewing ringBA finger guardCA thimbleDA finger cap - 12.
What Singer innovation allowed women to buy expensive sewing machines through small weekly payments, one of the first installment plans?
AThe Singer savings clubBThe Singer credit cardCThe layaway programDThe hire-purchase (installment) plan - 13.
What European sewing machine brand, founded in Switzerland in 1893, became known for its precision engineering and durability?
ABerninaBElnaCPfaffDHusqvarna - 14.
What fabric store chain, founded in 1943, became the go-to destination for home sewers buying patterns, fabric, and notions?
AJo-Ann FabricsBHancock FabricsCSinger Sewing CentersDCloth World - 15.
What was the decorative gold or black scrollwork design found on many vintage Singer sewing machines called?
AJapanningBDecal ornamentationCGilt workDFiligree