Today I have a review for you.  I love to do product reviews because many wonderful products are available for American Girl dolls and other 18 inch dolls.  This is a way for me to share a hands-on experience with a product so you can take a closer look at the details and quality.

For the past month of Friday’s I have shared a fashion related topic.  Today I am switching up the Friday schedule to share a fun product review.  It may not be fashion but in a way it is still related to fashion!

The Queen’s Treasures sent me this vintage style doll sewing machine to review.  Two things piqued my interest about this 1930’s American Style Sewing Machine.

I love that it is a historical piece and it will be fun to inspire historical scenes and play.  I also love the vintage style for today!  It will be so chic and fun in a modern doll sewing room!

We will take a look at the individual details of this vintage style doll sewing machine today and then next week Ivy will pull up a stool to give us a doll size demonstration.

The 1930’s American Style Sewing Machine

• Made by The Queen’s Treasures
• Cost: $129.99 (can be found on sale today for $84.49 on Amazon)
• Purchase online at The Queen’s Treasures and Amazon
• Comes with: Vintage style doll sewing machine, table and treadle with a, stool, scissors, 3 spools of thread, pincushion, measuring tape and swatch of fabric.

Wow, right out of the box it is obvious this is a sturdy piece of furniture made of solid wood.  There are many details top to bottom that are wonderful.

Doll Sewing Machine

The Queen’s Treasures named this machine the 1930’s American Style Sewing Machine.  After looking around on the internet at sewing machines from the era it looks like this set is most likely patterned after the Singer treadle machine, so popular at the time.

The doll sewing machine is painted black and silver to look like the cast iron machines from the 1930’s.  The machine is connected to the table.  The details of the doll sewing machine are wonderful and they are also sturdy and stationary (no moving parts).

Features:

• There are two posts on the top to hold the spools of thread that come with the set.
•  There is space under the “needle” to slip fabric under to sew.

There is an open spoke wheel on one side of the machine.  It was used on these treadle machines to start and stop sewing.

On the other end, above the needle, is a decorative plate.  Ornamentation was common on these old machines and that is what I think makes them so beautiful today!

The access plate is on the back of the machine.  It also has a nice pattern on it.

From the top view you can see the basic shape of the doll sewing machine.

Sewing Table

The sewing table has 5 working drawers.

It is connected to a base and has a moving treadle.

The treadle is made of wood and attached to the base on one side.  The other side is lifted up with an elastic chord attached under the table. 

The construction is really cool because the treadle can be pushed up and down like a working treadle.

The Stool

The stool has the same attention to detail with the design of the legs and top.

Sewing Accessories

The set also comes with a few sewing accessories.

Accessories:

• pincushion
• 3 spools of thread
• scissors
• measuring tape (not pictured)
• red and white fabric swatch (not pictured)

A tomato with a strawberry attached is a familiar looking pincushion today and from what I read was also used back in the 1930’s.  I tried a few pins in it and it seems to be a working pin cushion.

The three spools of thread come with yellow, green, and red thread.

The scissors are made of wood and open and close like real scissors.  They seem a little more fragile but work great.  I think an 8+ year old would have no problems taking care of them.  They seem vulnerable to breaking with a younger child.

Speaking of fragile my 3 year old made quick work of the paper measuring tape and it no longer exists.  It was a cute mini little strip of paper with all the markings of a measuring tape but alas, made of paper.  From my perspective a fabric measuring tape would have better matched the lasting quality of the rest of the piece.

I also mistakenly left the fabric swatch out of the pictures.  It is a swatch of red and white fabric and looks cute under the needle.  It is intended to get you started “sewing” but you can easily cut your own swatches or even stick some of your doll size sewing projects under the needle!

That being said I would encourage you to use thin fabric under the needle for play.  If you use something thick, like this skirt I used, take it out from under the needle with care.  The needle is stable but seems vulnerable if someone was yanking thick fabric out.   It potentially could get caught on the needle and break it.

The 1930’s American Style Sewing Machine is available on The Queen’s Treasure website here or it looks like it is on sale today on Amazon here.

I hope this review was helpful and that you enjoyed seeing all of the many wonderful details on this vintage style doll sewing machine by The Queen’s Treasures.

Thanks to The Queen’s Treasures for sending this doll sewing machine to review.  Everything I’ve seen from The Queen’s Treasures has been an excellent quality, with play in mind.  I am excited to see what they continue to make for doll play!

Next week Ivy is going to pull up a stool and show this vintage style doll sewing machine in action!

Have a great weekend!

-Anna

Here is the scoop on today’s post:

• Doll-Ivy is a retired Historical Character from American Girl.
• Outfit– Skirt is made with this tutorial.  Shirt is made by Anna.
• Scene– Backdrop is made from patterned paper.