Jul 16, 2011

The Return of Rain


Readers, I'm a nice person and I'm always up for doing a friend a favor.  But like everyone, I have my limits.

Who do I hear from yesterday but Rain.  Surely you remember Rain, the man who restored my Singer 15-91 to like-new condition and correctly diagnosed the problem with my Featherweight hook assembly, helping me to get it working this winter?



While not a formal quid pro quo, I certainly felt like by gifting him my Singer 15-90 (a machine identical to the 15-91 but with a regular external motor and belt as opposed to the 15-91's "potted" motor), I had more than compensated him for his work, don't you?

So -- get this -- it turns out Rain now has a blog.


And he emails me yesterday -- ostensibly to tell me his email address has changed -- and just happens to mention the blog as if he weren't expecting I'd broadcast the news to MPB readers near and far.

Talk about chutzpah!

Here's the thing about Nicholas (Oops, I mean Rain).  Every time he contacts me, he has to throw in a little line about the health of my Singer machines -- like the town mortician asking about the health of your 102-year-old Aunt Babs, in the nursing home with pneumonia.  It's creepy.


Don't believe me?  These are direct quotes from two separate emails yesterday:

Are all your Singers running well?

(Hoping they AREN'T, Rain...???)

If one of your Singers gets sick, drop a line.

Friends, I'm over it.  If you must visit Rain's little blog, or follow it, just keep it to yourself, please. 

Can we change the subject?

Let's talk about YOUR blog!

P.S. -- Here's what Rain claims he did to my Singer 15-91.  What a show-off!

Motor leads replaced. New 18 AWG wiring soldered in, joint covered with heat-shrink insulation, leads tied into underwriter's knot prior to exiting housing (as per original Singer assembly) to provide strain relief. New ring connectors crimped on on the terminal end.
Commutator cleaned.
Brush tubes cleaned.
Worm degreased (old, cruddy grease removed inside and out) and repacked with fresh grease.
Grease pots degreased and repacked with fresh grease.
Grease wicks replaced.
Handwheel worm gear degreased and regreased.
Needlebar and presser bar cleaned and re-oiled.
Needlebar felt wick replaced.
Presser bar rotated for correct presser foot alignment (so needle is centered).
Presser bar height set to factory-specified 19/64".
Faceplate and inspection plate polished.
Light fixture wiring re-wrapped (not replaced, wiring was fine, spring contacts and connections were good).
Light fixture wiring terminals clipped and replaced with new ring connectors.
Stop motion wheel set screw replaced.
Tension assembly disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt.
Bobbin winder assembly rebuilt.
Bobbin winder large spring replaced (original was broken).
Bobbin winder stop latch re-bent for proper alignment during bobbin winding.
Bobbin winder tension assembly (on bed of machine) cleaned.
Stitch Length lever tension adjusted.
Stitch Length indicator plate numbers restored with gold paint.
Feed dogs cleaned.
Lint removed from underneath feed dog.


Happy weekend, everybody!

How about that Rain guy.....and aren't blogs so 2010?

36 comments:

  1. LOL! Well, your blog is popular, while his is unknown. I can sorta empathize with that because my blog has a grand total of 3 followers, though I keep blogging, anyway. http://lauradsews.blogspot.com/ It's vintage sewing and sewing for the kiddies mostly.

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  2. Are you asking for shameless self-promotion? ;) My sewing blog is http://sewessentiallysew.blogspot.com

    I love to sew and once upon a time I use to be good at it. I have dusted off the sewing machines and started back at sewing, basically my blog has been about my sewing bloopers and bragging that I know how to sew a button!

    Actually, I started blogging even though it is so 2010 because I enjoy connecting in a small way with others that like to sew. Hope you forget about Rain and have a fabulous sewing day!

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  3. I'm trying to think of when I started mine.. I think it was 2009. I started it to keep track of all the inspiration I find online and it turned into my online portfolio and recording and discussing current issues as well. Found at: http://kristenelmer.com

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  4. hahah! I love it!

    Now you can't blogfight with Elaine/Selfish you're posting with faux indignation about another blogger :-) blogfight with ME Petter!! haha it'll do wonders for my traffic!!

    (I do like a good soap opera in blogland)

    and now you've got commentators shamelessly promoting their (terribly out of fashion) blogs in your comments I'm going to join in too!!

    www.geekysweetheart.blogspot.com.

    And I'm going to follow Rain's blog... and the blogs of the 2 bloggers who've commented above.

    (how'd ya like them apples!)

    <3 GS

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  5. Hey, you got to get out there however you can! Just like I'm about to do! Www.onemargaritaatatime.blogspot.com. You know, all the regular stuff is blogged about, sewing, kids, recipes, makeup, hair. My total of 5 followers are avid readers! Besos!!

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  6. Keep it coming, kids, anything to get my mind off Rain!

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  7. We all know you are a closet sweetheart! I just wish I lived close enough to Rain that he could work on my vintage Singer.
    Thanks, Peter for always bringing so much humor and thought-provoking ideas to a tiny burg in Idaho!

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  8. Somehow I do not think he will be making the same type of blog you have, as he does not have Cathy and her magnificent dresses.
    I have a blog too: http://silkmothsewing.blogspot.com/
    I started it when I found that many of the weird stuff I use for sewing have little or no instructions or information out there. These topics were not quite right for my website due to the general public's lack of interest, but they seem to fit right in with many people who sew. I'll be heading over to all of the ones above too.

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  9. http://thedistracteddomestic.blogspot.com/
    okay, you want the shameless plug, you got it!!
    Blogfight...that is funny!
    I even have a fololower'sgiveaway going on my blog.
    I sew, I have two featherweights, one could use Rain's work but I can do it myself when I set aside the time.
    I sew, more for others than myself and I love making period costumes. Major *gasp* trekkie.
    My one year blogoversary is the 19th of this month! Sooooo 2010! LOL
    Happy blogging, sewing, snarking, funning and such!

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  10. Well Peter, you know who I am (Remember? The exceptionally hardworking Professional ShirtMaker and Interfacing Empress? ;) ...and even though I am not in your blogroll (an oversight, I'm sure, lol)...you know you can always find me where I've been blogging since 2005...

    Off The Cuff ~Sewing Style~

    Toodles, ~Pam

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  11. Okay, I'll join in the shameless blog self-promotion:

    http://mamamademine.blogspot.com/

    I blog about all different kinds of sewing - for kids (boys & the girl), for hubby, for the house, and for me of course.

    I can't wait to see what other blogs I discover while hanging out on this thread.

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  12. Shameless self promotion has always frightened me...so thanks, Peter, for giving me a safe environment in which to plug my sad little blog! http://kandertdesign.weebly.com/blog.html
    It's attached to my website, so I have NO followers! And, I also wish for a Rain in my life, now that I have a fabulous New Home treadle........

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  13. Too funny! I love the way you put everything.

    Mine is www.sweetwatercloth.com
    I have chickens, recipes, kids and lots of sewing!

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  14. I don't own a vintage sewing machine, but I do love how machines work, so thanks for passing along his blog.

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  15. It took me a few minutes to realize that top photo is YOU. I'm so used to your happy smiling (and handsome) face that I didn't even recognize crabby Peter.

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  16. Debbie, that's my neutral expression.

    I do look a bit like Charles Laughton...

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  17. proud to say that i was one of Rain's first followers! my blog chronicles my obsession with vintage sewing machines, and anything else sew-y that is going on in my life. No drama. No relatives. No moaning. Promise.
    http://dragonpoodle.blogspot.com/

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  18. He is handsome, isn't he, Debbie? :-D

    Well Peter, I think you should cut Rain some slack. You of all people (as a famous hockey player yourself) must appreciate that Rain is a pretty busy guy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_(entertainer)

    And he fixes sewing machines, too? Pretty cool I would say.

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  19. Don't let him Rain on your Parade!!

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  20. Unbelievable. The guy not only has balls (& Singers with worms), but apparently there is some sort of mojo/black magic thing going on. I don't know how it happened, but I somehow found myself actually looking at his blog, & by the time I left, I realized that somehow I had also become a Follower.

    Scary. What's his secret?

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  21. Aw, you two have quite the bromance, its adorable. And if you can use 'chutzpah', I can use bromance. :)

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  22. My blog isn't so 2010 .... it's 2011 and it's about patterns ... the ones I sell; yep, another Promo.
    http://todaystreasureshoptalk.blogspot.com

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  23. :D You've got to appreciate the drama of blogfights - and making a plug loads more interesting than "hey, gals, check that out!". :) Ok, selfpromo-time: I blog at http://farben-freude.blogspot.com (and even though the title is scary German, the posts are English...)

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  24. Oh dear, if only for Michael's sake we must keep you cheerful!

    Off to wander new avenues of blogland...

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  25. I started my blog right before your jeans sew-a-long, for many reasons but one was so I could chart my progress. So I can honestly say it's ALL YOUR FAULT. I'm at http://lazysubculturalgirl.wordpress.com/. Mostly sewing, a bit of cranky humor and everyone gets treated to my bizarre musical taste on Friday and science fiction reviews on Sunday.

    I see your sly blog wars for the shameless plugs they are. Hah!

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  26. Lol, a little bit jealous are we Peter that someone is taking some limelight? Rain isn't really doing that as he's just spouting about what he's good at, same as you do. Being a new blogger, as well, he's probably putting anything applicable on the blog so he can one day have the amount of followers you have!
    I don't have a vintage Singer so I'll still be looking in at what you're up to and keeping away from Rain's blog.
    Cheers,
    Robyn

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  27. I smile at all the people who say Rain is a new blogger. I had commented several months ago how I used to read Rain's other blog from many years ago...

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  28. I'm one of those sneaky people who don't blog. I could do anything, and no one will ever know! (Or does that mean it never really happened?) Vintage Singers are out of my reach in so many ways - I don't dare look at Rain's blog.

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  29. Oh, Peter, really? I'll throw my sewing blog info. in right now!!

    My blog teaches beginner sewing step-by-step through tutorials and sew-a-longs. Something new added almost every day!

    http://www.learnhowtosewnow.com

    Also, lots of sewing discussion and sewing related fun. Come visit.

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  30. Kind of a Mr. MaGoo face, Peter.

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  31. I am too lazy to blog, and really have nothing interesting to say. However, I do love reading some blogs. All my family have blogs to keep everyone in the know and post pics, of which I am grateful.

    Now I will have to check out some of these blogs mentioned.

    Josette

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  32. Cripes! Before reading this I tended to think 'old sewing machines are so reliable because they were so simple' until I read 'Rain's' list. Obviously I was wrong! You should tend him carefully as he is clearly a (extremely rare) sewing machine artiste. Are the photos at the end the before and after pics? Amazing.

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  33. It sounds a bit as if Mr Pattern Boldness turned into Mr Selfish... Standing in for Her One And Only Selfishness, no doubt.
    And His Rainishness obviously deserves the plug. Even if it's totally a Selfish plug.

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  34. I'm *always* late to the party. So sorry. I have a blog, this is my update for today. http://www.dynamitethreads.com/2011/07/little-black-dress.html

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