Kenmore 1340

FWIW, Ron answered me by email. It's nothing special, just a fair machine.

Just adding my 2c worth, but a Kenmore just doesn't hold it's re-sale value. You can check on e-bay for a value and shipping costs. Barbara in SC

I went to Ebay before posting; there were no completed sales of this machine.

I did send pics of it to Ron, who advised me of its marginal value, so I'm going to pass on it.

Just because it doesn't hold a resale value doesn't mean that it wouldn't be a good-quality machine to use.

The little Kenmore I bought for $115 in 1979 when I came back from Guam and gave to my daughter a number of years ago is still going strong and is a little work horse.

I have a 1960's Kenmore that I sew with and it makes a pretty stitch and has many decorative cams to go with it. I may put it in a yard sale in a few months for $30 or less. I recently got a machine that has the stitches built in and is much easier to use. Barbara in SC

In 1986, I bought a basic little Kenmore for $89 to leave at one DD's house for me to use when visiting her. She didn't want me to leave it, she insisted I take it with me the day I left.

Since I was on my way to New Orleans from her home. I took it to one of my sister's home. She immediately asked to "borrow" it for a few months, since her old one, bought at Western Auto in 1959, was not working well.

To make a long story short, she was still using the Kenmore till her recent accidents. That's 23-years; although she doesn't sew as much as I do, she has quilted, put appliques on costumes, and sewed so many things. Now one of her DGD's has moved into her home to care for her, and she told me this week, if she could use the machine to make her children's some clothes. She has a 2-YO and one due in mid-January. "I'll take good care of it." When I said, she could, she replied, "I'm so tickled to be able to use it, you gave it to Granny when I was a baby and she made me lots of things."

I told her I'd taught her older sister and a cousin to sew when they were very young, using it as well. She is thrilled about it, so that is one good, inexpensive Kenmore. But I have forgotten which company made them in the '80s; I want to say Janome, but I am not certain.

-- Emily

First, I do have a very nice modern, electronic machine that I love. I wanted a portable as a backup or to do topstitching while my main machine was set up for something else.

Ok, this one isn't it. Not only is it only a six-stitch machine, it has been lying in a box, uncovered and unused for 15 to 20 years, and all of the accessories have disappeared.

Since the oil has turned to gum, it would take an enormous amount of dirty work to clean and oil, and then I'd have to find feet (etc) for it.

Considering that Ron said that the build quality on it is just "fair" for Kenmores of that vintage, and that I've just learned that clean ones sell on craigslist for about $20, it's not worth the trouble. Not all old mechanical machines are worthwhile, IMO.

You are right that this would not exactly be a good choice, that there are lots of no-name brand machines made in the 50s that run wonderfully that it's not worth the time to spend on fixing one up that is in bad shape. But I didn't know that when I said what I did before.

Yeah, you can just get yourself one of the $20 ones (and check thrift stores, too -- I have found lots of lovely machines there) that works fine and it will be grateful for life.

That's one priceless little $89 sewing machine. :) Marvelous story, Emily. Thank you for sharing it.

Sharon