Dumpster Diving for Sewing Machines

Ok, not really , but I saw this lovely item shoved into some landscaping around the side of a fabric store today! I took it to the repair shop and bought a power cord/ foot pedal and a few feet (piping, Teflon, invisible zip, between $6-$10 each) and it's good to go! Nice stitch definition, hums along powerfully, and the repair guy gave it a quick free once-over. It's a Singer Merritt 3314 and seems to be of the late 80s/early 90s oeuvre.

I'm especially thrilled, as I had an appointment to look at a vintage Bernina later on today, which I promptly canceled. It seemed a pretty clear message from above, right?! When the powers that be pop a handsome cast iron, made in Brazil, fully functional machine in your way, you take it and run!

Call me crazy, but I'm thinking of painting it a nice robin's egg blue...

Also, while in the repair shop, I saw an ADORABLE Singer Genie. Have you seen these things? Here are some images I found on eBay, below.

So perfectly 70s, its case just slides right on from the side. Groovy baby, yeah! I sure don't need another machine, but let's just say I'll be eyeing the bushes by JoAnn's with vigor, hoping the ghost of Isaac Singer sees fit to drop one of those babies my way!