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The day has come! I’m the proud owner of my grandmother’s sewing machine.

KelseyAnn | Posted in Sewing Machines & Sergers on

Not many people have experienced the excitement i am currently feeling. I am now the (very) proud owner of my grandmothers old industrial sewing machine. She taught me how to use it very very briefly many years ago when i was only a teenager. Being the middle child of her 20 grand and great-grand children, I always prayed the machine would go to me. I am the only one of all of us whom she taught to use it. I am grateful to still have her in my life. We are Portuguese and sewing and crocheting is her specialty where she worked in a factory for over 30 years when coming to the US. That being said, i need to brush up on my very very basic skills (if any skill at all haha). The machine is a Juki DDL-555. If anyone knows where i can go to learn the machine more itd be greatly appreciated. I plan on having my grandmother teach me some more but her being elderly, and COVID times on top it, its not very easy for her. Any input would be lovely.
With love,
Kelsey Ann (Luisa’s Granddaughter) ♥

Replies

  1. carolfresia | | #1

    Hi, Kelsey Ann,
    You're very fortunate to get this machine from your grandmother! You can do a Google search on the machine model and you are likely to find the owner's manual as well as some videos on operating the machine. I suspect this industrial model can sew pretty fast, so be sure to spend time getting used to the speed. Projects with long, relatively straight seams might be good to start with--e.g. curtains, table linens, and the like.
    Have a good time learning the machine, and report back on your progress!
    Carol Fresia, Threads Senior Technical Editor

    1. User avater
      KelseyAnn | | #2

      Hi Carol,
      Thank you so much for the suggestions. Im currently watching your series of videos for beginners. Cant wait to start my first project.
      Stay healthy!

  2. mulch52 | | #3

    KelseyAnn, I found some manuals for your machine (and variants?) at http://www.manualslib.com [when I input "Juki DDL 555" about a dozen hits came back, so you may need to scout them a bit]. NOTE: the quality of the images can be variable, so here's a pdf of one of the clearer manuals (my first time trying to respond in this forum, so bear with me!)

  3. user-6936878 | | #4

    How lucky you are! Probably the first thing to do is take it to a GOOD shop to get serviced (if you have one.) They can clean off all the old oil, check the belts, set timing if needed, and give it a good test drive. You might be able to do this yourself, if you can see how to take it apart sufficiently. Read the manual carefully, and oil where it says to do so. Be sure to thread exactly by the manual! Good luck, and fun sewing.

    1. User avater
      KelseyAnn | | #5

      I've watched so many youtube videos in the last few days on how to service the machine. Fingers crossed everything goes well. Thank you for the suggestions.

  4. User avater
    riot203 | | #6

    Congratulations!

  5. user-6998382 | | #8

    I took my old machine that had been put in storage for a long time to a most-advised sewing machine repairman,and he fixed it so well it was like new.Sometimes they get so dirty in storage the insides won;'t move without good cleaning. I wish I could get an old industrial machine, but it's not the easy to find stuff like that in ORegon. My grandmother started oil painting in her 80;'s. heh heh. STARTED. She lived to 103 but I do not intend to do that . Not unless I have a REALLY good reaSON.All your friends and family die. --Everyone is GONE. MOST of my friends and family died early and I';m a "survivor".

    So far,I do not have any burning radical cause I can see. The worst problems, like the Homeless, and climate control. would involve killing off certain countries we cannot stop from big pollution of the planet. Oh brother. No other countries are willing to stop the big polluters. --No one wants to take responsibility. But do not be surprised if big time war,and more disease crops up.Yeah, living a long long time does not look GOOD TO ME. bEING 103 is not fun unless you are Karl Lagerfeld. And even he had to make all new friends cause the old ones all died. :[

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