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Sometimes It Just Falls in Your Lap

Not often, but sometimes...

Earlier this summer, The Farmer confessed his weakness for antique circular sock knitting machines to a woman who works in antiques/estate sales. "Please keep your eyes open for me, will you?" he asked.

Friday, out of the blue, she left a message on our answering machine. "Call me if you get this message within the next 30 minutes or so," she said. "I may have found one." We were both listening to the messages at the same time, and when we heard this one, we looked at each other with chagrin (good word, eh?). It was well past the 30 minutes. The Farmer called her. She'd bought it without our call, just on a whim. Within 15 minutes, she was in our yard, unloading it...


Sweet! A little dirty, perhaps, but it looked like most of the parts were there. And the price was so low that if I print it here, sock knitters around the world will convulse. 


We paid her, thanked her profusely, and ate supper. Suddenly, the previously-scheduled "date night" was off. Two of the children helped take it all apart and clean it up our in the workshop.


Within a couple of hours it was much cleaner, had a new handle and new needles, and we had yarn on it!


A thing of beauty, isn't it? A Home Profit Master machine...made between 1924 and 1926, as nearly as we can tell. 


I wonder if that "date night" will ever be rescheduled...
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Comments

  1. ELSeptember 15, 2008 at 5:56 PM

    Shivers went through my body as I read that post. You are so lucky what a great find. Is that lady getting a lifetime supply of hand cranked sock now?!!?
    Congrats on the new addition!!
    (stand & all I'm so jealous!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. JulesSeptember 15, 2008 at 7:09 PM

    That is soooo cool!! Way to go! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 16, 2008 at 1:11 AM

    How exciting! I can't wait to see all the socks you create.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AlwenSeptember 17, 2008 at 10:51 AM

    CSMs are always a big draw at the Michigan Fiber Festival. Are you going to take it to your farm market booth?

    ReplyDelete
  5. LonaSeptember 17, 2008 at 11:15 AM

    el, she did go home with a very nice pair of ribbed socks. Honestly? She was almost as excited as we were. Nice to know people like that, eh?

    alwen, the only market we're scheduled to do is the Christmas market. And the weather determines our activities, as it's an outdoor market. One year, The Farmer spent a whole day spinning happily--it was 60 degrees. Last year he tried, but almost froze each time. I suspect he'll give it a go, though...

    ReplyDelete
  6. PamSeptember 18, 2008 at 9:53 PM

    Wow!! That is so cool Lona!!

    ReplyDelete

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