This is my workhorse sewing machine. I supplement her with my embroidery machine and my serger, but if I could only keep one machine, this is the one I’m keeping.

She’s a over 50 years old and I inherited her from my mom, who purchased her for $50 (cabinet included) at a garage sale.

This Consew sewing machine is a great investment for a sewer wanting to work on upholstery projects. It features a walking presser foot which works in conjunction with the feed dog system to move both the top and the bottom of heavy duty fabrics and multiple layers of fabric through the sewing machine without bunching or stretching. Get the best deals on Singer 503a Sewing Machine In Collectible Sewing Machines when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items Browse your favorite brands affordable prices.

Apr 21, 2015 - Right-click to download: Singer 500 and 503 Service Manual Note: If you are an eBay parasite who downloads free manuals and then sells $10 'electronic copies' of a file (you neither scanned, printed, or bound) to unsuspecting people, rest assured that Santa will hear about this. 1962 Singer 503A Slant O Matic Sewing Machine $ Singer 503A Sewing Machine Rocketeer Slant Needle AS-IS Parts Repair Works $75.00 VINTAGE SINGER 503A SEWING MACHINE PARTS (Free Shipping!) $9.99 Class 66 Metal Bobbins Fit Singer Models 401A, 403A, 404 500A, 503A (10 pack) $8.99 Genuine Singer Sewing Machine Oil 401 401A 404 500 500A. Love or hate it, the Singer 500a is easily one of the most iconic sewing machines ever made. Designed during the height of America's space craze with a full complement of futuristic style-lines accented by brown and gold, this retro sci-fi relic is aptly nicknamed 'Th.

In fact, I like her so much I have a backup model (not in a cabinet) that I got at a garage sale for $25.

She is a Singer 503 Slant-O-Matic, sometimes also referred to as a Rocketeer or a 503a.

So, why do I think you should hunt for and buy one of these old machines instead of a new one? Mostly because she can do pretty much everything a brand new machine twice (or more) her price can do and then some.

With the exception of electric motors and computerization, the mechanics of a sewing machine haven’t changed all that much since they were invented almost two hundred years ago. Now granted, she has attachments to achieve what newer machines use their computers to achieve, but I kind of prefer the mechanical attachments. They don’t give you error messages.

First, she’s all metal. Take a look at the inside:

There’s no plastic here, which means her parts don’t wear or break as easily.

See the thread path illustration on the left in the picture above? It’s more complicated than most of the new machines, and as a result I have very few tension issues. See, the more back and forth of the thread, the more loopers to put it through, the more opportunities to regulate the tension before it gets to the needle.

She comes with a variety of stitches, just like a new machine

The difference is that her stitches are tied to discs, not a computer. The disks look like this:

and they snap in and out here

The pattern of bumps around the edge of the disc translates to what the needle does, kind of like playing a record. Pretty cool, I think. These discs are the only plastic part in the machine.

Included in the cabinet when my mom bought her was the original manual and an assortment of feet and attachments.

My Rocketeer can do automatic buttonholes when I attach this piece

It goes on where the foot attaches. You take off the foot and attach this piece, press the pedal and the buttonhole sews out for you. It has metal disks in different sizes that you switch out to make different size buttonholes.

I was in college sewing on a new Brother machine before I learned how to make 4-step machine buttonholes because this attachment spoiled me.

She also came with two ruffler attachments. They’re both the same, one was just a spare I guess.

It doesn’t look too different from a modern day ruffler, does it? It works the same way; you attach it instead of the regular foot and she’ll ruffle away.

So, she straight stitches and zig-zags and does multiple other stitches with perfect tension, she can do automatic buttonholes and ruffle just by pressing the pedal. Why would I even think of replacing her?

Seriously, between my mom and I we own 5 of these older Singer machines (the 300 and 400 series machines were also great, these were made in the 1940s and 1950s). We can’t help but compulsively buy them when we see them, saying they’re for “spare parts”. But who needs spares when the originals don’t wear out? (OK, but don’t tell my dad or Hubby that. We need them to believe the spare parts argument in order to feed our vintage machine addiction).

Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviewer

If you ever see one in working condition, BUY IT. Unless I see it first, then back off.

Find the Perfect Match! MACHINE FINDER ACCESSORY FINDER See Details

Bonus Savings! Extra 20% Off $299 or 30% Off $499+ Orders. SHOP MACHINES ESSENTIALS UNDER $100 See Details

Singer 503a Sewing Machine Review

Find your perfect match!

Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviews

Not sure which machine is right for you, or which accessories are compatible with your machine? No problem. Our Machine Finder and Accessory Finder make it fast and easy.

Thanks for shopping SINGER

Buy More, Save & Sew More! Shop sitewide and get an Extra 20% Off $299 or 30% Off $449+ Orders. Discount will be automatically applied in your shopping cart. No promo code needed.

Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviewed

There's no better time to stock up on your Summer sewing essentials.