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Post by jelv on Jan 26, 2011 13:41:52 GMT
A friend of my wife who was a very keen dressmaker died recently. Her husband has asked Janet (my wife) to help him clear out all of her sewing things, including an Elna Lotus ZZ sewing machine. We believe it was originally purchased by her mother in 1976. Click the thumbnail for a full sized pictureFor anyone not familiar with these machines, they are very compact although pretty basic in terms of variety of stitches (straight, zig zag, forwards and backwards only). They were manufactured in Switzerland. Her husband has said that any money raised will be given to St Peter & St James Hospice who provided wonderful care for his wife. As an indication of the sort of donation, World of Sewing in Tunbridge Wells has already agreed to make a £40 donation without having seen the machine. Janet has tried the machine out and it is working fine - just one limitation - there is only the one bobbin in the machine as she didn't find any more when helping to clear out. Is anyone interested?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2011 10:56:07 GMT
IF you still have this John I would be interested in seeing it, perhaps at the BKF Spirit workshop next weekend in two weeks time? Let me know.
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Post by mr pirate on Feb 5, 2011 12:56:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2011 14:17:49 GMT
Thanks Paul, I think I may have picked up mad cow disease in India? Since returning I have been working 14hr days, six days a week trying to catch up on a back log of work, then spending a lot money on kites, and only just getting my body clock back to normal....or so I thought.....if not for you spotting this I would have lost a whole week as I thought the workshop was next weekend!
Also this morning it was pointed out to me via e-mail from BJ that the Sumners week I booked will also clash with Merton on the second week to Brenzett....I had booked for both of those with him but NOBODY put anything on here or the Calendar, and as I (and Bonefish/Mitch) try to collate information, any information not collated for everyone to access 24/7 can go by the way side, and forgotten, ANYONE can add an event to the calendar, I was not (mad cow disease) fully aware of all these dates as it was not made as clear as the horns on my head?
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Post by jelv on Feb 6, 2011 13:22:57 GMT
The sewing machine hasn't gone yet - we'll take it to the workshop to give people the chance to have a close look/ try out.
It's not until you get your hands on these machines that you realise what a superb engineering job they are - not a piece of plastic to be seen anywhere!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2011 18:54:56 GMT
What a sweet, classy, clever, simple yet sophisticated (as only the Swiss can produce) bit of kit! The size was what I particularly liked to begin with, 10” wide, 9” tall and 5” deep with its casing folding down to form a platform leading up/down to the needle.
I did some sewing with it for the fist time this evening and its actually so good it would take pages to describe just how nice this is to sew with, runs like Rolls Royce, Way, way too classy for a tyke like me!
Thanks Jelv and Janet for putting it up here, it’s better than you described! To my GOOD FRIEND who was also interested but did not want to out bid me, sorry buddy …. I think I am in love with her after this first date, and she is 20 years younger than me!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2012 21:58:16 GMT
Cannot believe I have had this for machine for over twenty months now, time flys! At the time of the Frog workshop this year it was making horrible noises so stopped using it and just last weekend dropped it into Steels of Brighton for a full service. Never occurred to me to first ask on the Forum for advice and information, and wondered if £77.40 I was charged is a middle-of-the-road figure for this sort of thing?
As it is now ready for collection in SHOREHAM …. Is there anyone local / passing by that can pick it up saving me a long round trip?
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Post by greenman on Sept 6, 2012 22:08:42 GMT
Collin, Send me the address, I will pick it up over the weekend.
Greenman
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Post by norfolkdick on Sept 7, 2012 6:45:47 GMT
Greetings
Sadly I would say that that price is not too far out, I asked in my local sewing machine shop the cost of a service and was told 60 pounds plus any spares.
I then found out the name of the chap they used, who advertised in the yellow pages and took it direct to him, he charged me 40 and said the difference was what the shop added as their 'commission'
This was 18 months ago so your price would be about right.
Regards Dick.
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Post by jelv on Sept 7, 2012 8:27:05 GMT
If anyone needs a sewing machines serviced we'd recommend you go direct to Alan Davies who used to own Steeles. He lives in Riverside on Shoreham Beach - is this where it went Collin?
Alan is our sort of guy, outside is a large camper van and he used to ride a Harley. He's an excellent sewing machine engineer.
Janet is going to look out his details which I'll post later.
Edit: It's just occurred to Janet that Alan would definitely have been the last person who serviced that machine as that was who her friend always used.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2012 8:56:01 GMT
YES, Alan Davies serviced it. I phoned the ‘Steels of Brighton’ telephone number I got off the sticker on the side of the machine and it transferred my call to his house where he now works from. Very knowledgeable and amicable chap who was extremely helpful. I left the machine with him on Monday after the Shoreham air show and he called Thursday to say it was done, looking forward to taking it for a test drive now as he said it runs like new!
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Post by jelv on Sept 7, 2012 10:38:59 GMT
Oh good - he will have done an excellent job and charged you a fair price.
To anyone reading this who needs a machine serviced DON'T go to the Brighton Sewing Centre on North Road Brighton as that is now nothing to do with Alan.
Collin - perhaps you could post the telephone number as Janet can't immediately find it
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