Friends, do you believe in Christmas miracles? You don't? Well, read on -- you soon may!
Yesterday, Christmas Eve, we rented a car to drive down to southern New Jersey to visit Michael's parents. On our way to the garage, not two blocks from where we live on West 24th St., what do my eagle eyes spot atop a huge pile of trash on the curb, but a square folding table? And not just any folding table, readers -- this table had a rectangular hole in the top, a very suspicious hole in the top. Can you guess what it was?
I knew immediately! As soon as we picked up the car, we zipped right back to the garbage pile, and I kid you not: en route, we passed a NYC Sanitation truck approaching this very corner; we'd arrived not a moment too soon! I jumped out and threw the table in the trunk. We then continued on our way.
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| The pile of garbage where I found the table looked a lot like this one. |
This morning we're back from our trip -- Merry Christmas everybody! -- and that folding table is in the apartment. As you can see, Michael was delighted at the prospect of bringing this treasure into our home!
Behold!
While the table's surface could use refinishing, the table itself is sound and very stable. Surely by now you have guessed what this Christmas miracle trash find is.
A vintage Singer Featherweight table!
I think Santa meant to drop it down the chimney but got tuckered out and left it a block away. How else can you explain it? I mean, who throws out a Featherweight table on Christmas Eve?
This table is missing the insert that fills the hole when the machine's not in it, but to me this is unimportant since it's not like I'd use the table for anything other than sewing.
Wait. I know what you're thinking. I'm thinking it too:
Am I really going to use this sewing table (my fourth)?
Where am I going to store the table when I'm not using it?
Where am I going to put the table when I AM using it?
Details, details! Please -- it's Christmas, and this is a true Miracle on
Some things shouldn't be scrutinized too closely.
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| "Susan, from now on we'll visit Santa at the Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall." |
Anyway, folks, that's all the miracles from my corner of the world so far. The universe certainly works in mysterious ways is all I can say.
Meanwhile, we and the dogs had a lovely Christmas Eve, complete with canine presents.
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday, from our family to yours!
Now do you believe in Christmas miracles?
Posts
Amazing score! Merry Christmas to you!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery cool! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOh I wish I could go dumpster diving with you you have the most marvelous luck
ReplyDeleteWOW! Merry Christmas to you, Michael and your dogs!
ReplyDeleteYes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause! How could anyone question a find as fabulous as this one? Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI was cringing to think of you going back to find the trash had all been taken away. So glad for the happy miracle, and what's one more sewing machine table sitting in the middle of the room, anyway?
ReplyDeleteLove the photos of the family. Happy Holidays to all of you!
That is a Christmas miracle! Merry Christmas to you and yours! (Theresa & Prudence)
ReplyDeletePeter dearest! Lady Luck and Father Christmas have you high on their list! Love the find! If I can find a featherweight some day I will be ecstatic! The merriest Christmas ever and thanks for the daily lift you give us all each day!
ReplyDeleteWow what a find!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas Peter & Michael!
ReplyDeletethat is awesome!!!! God Jul as they say in Norway.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! That is rad! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! You have an eagle eye! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete"As soon as WE picked up the car..." I would have left one of us guarding that treasure!!! Congratulations on a fabulous score, and Happy Holidays to you! :)
ReplyDeleteIt was just a block from the garage and I figured, who's going to want a beat-up old table with a hole in the top in the next five minutes -- at 10 am?
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!! That's so amazing! Merry Christmas, indeed!
ReplyDeleteCurious -- I notice the cutout for the machine is set farther back from the edge than on a modern sewing table or cabinet. Any idea why that is? I'm thinking that a table like yours would give more support for a machine quilting project but I'm not sure there was enough machine quilting going on "back in the day" just for that purpose.
Also, where in South Jersey do Michael's parents live? My hubbly-bubbly is from Beverly NJ, near Burlington (Cherry Hill Mall) and I grew up in Manalapan (farther north, Freehold Raceway Mall).
I don't think it took 2 hours to commute from Long Island back in 1947, but I have to agree with you about giving up that Central Park West apartment!
Nice find! I'm very glad you were there to rescue it.
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious. I have the same question as Rebecca Grace. It seems like you would have to lean over at an uncomfortable angle to sew with this table, but there must be a reason for it. Do tell.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Perhaps it's Michael's gift to you that he allowed you to bring another piece of sewing furniture home.
You are WAY too lucky when it comes to finding sewing stuff. I'm jealous and I don't even have a featherweight. Merry Christmas to you, Michael and the boys.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting: the machine is actually only 6.5" from the table's edge (my Pfaff table has the machine 5.5" from the edge -- not a big difference). But the FW table is only 27" high, whereas my Pfaff table is 30" high, so if you're sitting in a normal height chair you feel much more on top of the machine and closer to your work.
ReplyDeleteThe square shape of the table does create the illusion that the machine sits considerably farther from the edge.
Wow, what a great "miracle". I love your chihuahuas. We had two, Billy and Petey, who lived to be 16 and 17 years before passing on. They were our children. How can you not love those little dogs!!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and look forward to following your blog onto in the new year.
Wow, what a great score! Hope you had the merriest of Christmases!
ReplyDeleteToo stinking wonderfull and obviously meant to be! I would have felt like a little kid who just got a present from Santa that I never expected to get!
ReplyDeleteWow, you really know how to score. Sitting here listening to my Doris Day CD that was a surprise.
ReplyDeleteI had some neighbors that would just boast about their amazing finds, and they would always start off their conversation with "you are not going to believe what we found". It was always lying on the side of the road, or in the dumpster, or out in the middle of nowhere dumped in the desert.
We were all jealous! Great find.
A total Christmas blessing for you! Sweets to the sweet.
ReplyDeleteHappiest New Year ever, Peter.
Peter,
ReplyDeleteEither Lady Luck has her eyes on you, or Michael is destined to slowly drown in sewing paraphernalia.
Which ever the case may be, it all works for you.
Congratulations!
Wow! Congrats. That is a really amazing find. I soooooo jealous of all the great stuff you find in NY.
ReplyDeleteI can't get over your luck with freebies and cheapies!!! I am so envious i can barely stand it. Since it's Christmas i guess i should tuck my envy away and feel only good thoughts for you. LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post!
ReplyDeleteI have a Singer Featherweight--I haven't checked what year it was made yet--that my mother bought for me when I was 14, some 30 *mumble* years ago.
I had absolutely no idea that there had ever been a table of this type to go with the Featherweight. Now I know, I can watch for one--not that I'm expecting to run across one, mind you, but still.
Sounds like you had a lovely Christmas.
wow! lucky you! enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Adithis Amma Sews
Happy holidays to you, Peter! Wish you even more luck in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas Peter and congratulations! A lower work table is great for one's back. My 30 inch high portable sewing cabinet saves space and an adjustable office chair helps, but my idea of a Christmas sewing miracle would be for the house to grow an extra room.
ReplyDeleteFate, karma - either way it was clearly meant to be!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas
You may have to start dropping by this same pile on garbage day to see what accesories you can cull!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes the universe just sends us a miracle! Happy Holidays to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that you managed to find a featherweight table in the trash! The old owners may have thought that someone ruined a perfectly good card table by cutting a hole in it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find and I just the love your post about it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas & A Happy New Year!
Cheers
I think the miracle is that you and Michael were there just in nick of time to rescue that table. Who would throw out such a gem? That table is very lucky to have found a good home where it will be appreciated. It was a Merry Christmas after all!
ReplyDeleteNY "dumpster" diving is ART..Luv it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. I also have a featherweight (inherited) and didn't know about the table.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter, I just found your blog last week and I've been devouring it since then. I love your posts and will be using them as reference for my own projects. So far, it been mainly bags and accessories, but I'm starting pants this week. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Michael. Pace yourself! ;)
ReplyDeleteThose are the best kind of finds! Congrats!
ReplyDelete