Vintage sewing machines are unique and often overlooked. The Elna Supermatic is one of those beauties and can sew through just about anything. Unlike modern day sewing machines, her durability is state of the art. Not many people are lucky enough to find these little gems, so if you ever come across one, buy it immediately!
When my husband came home with an ugly green metal box, I didn’t know what to think. I had no idea what it was, and thought perhaps it was an old tool he bought at an auction sale.
Well it wasn’t.
Little did I know it was a beautiful diamond in the rough.
It was an Elna Supermatic.
At first I didn’t know what would ever possess him to buy that! It looked ugly to me. It was a homely looking green color and resembled a grasshopper.
History
A quick history lesson told me the first Elna was actually called the ‘grasshopper’ because of its unique design. There was no foot pedal. Instead, a metal bar in the shape of a grasshopper leg was inserted on the side allowing your thigh to press against it, to move the machine along. Very creative.
The Elna Supermatic was actually the world’s first automatic sewing machine. The very first model was said to have its first prototype made in Swizerland in the 30’s before World War II.
There were several models made, the first being the Elna 1.
The particular model my husband brought home was the Elna 2, made between 1956 – 1958. It’s a two tone green color, with a Cam/Disc ejection button incorporated.
Design
What makes the Elna Supermatic interesting is that the sewing case resembles an ammo box. Perhaps because it was designed during war time. The box even converts into a table that wraps around the machine for quilting.
The Elna is also unique with its many round discs. These discs are for different stitches.
You can actually change a disc and sew a different design. This was unheard of back then.
If you want to sew a beautiful scalloped edge on a bridal netting, all you have to do is pop open the the Cam/Disc ejection button, slide on a black metal ring with a scallop diagram, and away you go.
Today, all you have to do on modern-day sewing machines is push a button. Sure, it’s easy enough, but there is something to be said about good old-fashioned mechanics.
Computerized sewing machines are great, but I like to know how things work. I like to see it work. When you push a button, it gets the project done, but there’s no understanding of the process.
I guess I’m nostalgic. For me, there is nothing as beautiful as seeing the process unfold before your eyes, and putting these stitch Cam’s in, and watching the process, is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced with a sewing machine.
It really makes me appreciate the work.
Pay It Forward
When I first started to use my Elna 2, it was loud and obnoxious. We sent it away to be serviced, and it came back like the perfect beauty that it is.
I knew I wasn’t keeping the machine when we sent it away to be serviced, because it was supposed to be a gift for our daughter, but when we got it back, I fell in love with it.
I got to play with it, and even though I’ve worked on many different types of sewing machine in the last 30 years, I had never experienced so much joy when sewing with this Elna. It was so incredibly unique.
I wanted to keep it, but away it went to our daughter. A precious gift from her daddy.
However, she had gotten a computerized machine and didn’t need the Elna anymore.
About five years later, the precious beauty ended up in my arms again.
Like most vintage sewing machines, they take on a life of their own, like a real person. The intentions of my daughter giving the machine back to me, was purely for me to fix it up and pay it forward in kindness to someone else who needed it. Most especially to someone who would appreciate its unique qualities.
Now, by that time, the Elna had sit for years not being used. It had to be serviced all over again. This time, I decided to service it myself. I had serviced 10 threader machines in my day, so I figured I knew enough sewing machine maintenance to give it a go.
Sure enough, like a dream, the old Elna roared to life.
Now, when my daughter used it, some operational problems lingered. It was my job to solve those problems. And solve them I did.
When pressing the thigh pedal, the machine just revved, but didn’t sew anything. I quickly realized it was just stuck in bobbin mode. I couldn’t believe the problem was that simple.
As soon as I tightened the hand wheel, (really tight) the feed dogs started working again, advancing the presser foot as I sewed my sample.
So, really, there was nothing wrong with the machine. It did sound like a tractor again when I sewed, so I oiled it up and it soon purred like a kitten.
Tension had to be adjusted, and then she worked like a dream again.
Time to pay it forward. I think I know the perfect person who will love it unconditionally.
I often wonder who owned this little gem before us. How many hands held it? What kind of garments were sewn on my little green grasshopper?
As I said, I’m nostalgic.
I love history, and I love things that mean something. Did a woman in Switzerland sew a quilt for her war hero husband? Did she sew her first baby quilt with it?
Perhaps this little Elna 2 was given as a gift many times throughout history.
Maybe it sewed bridal gowns, maybe psychedelic hippy outfits that were worn at Woodstock. Maybe it stitched a shirt worn by a young man who fought in Vietnam and never came home. We just don’t know the stories, but we can imagine them.
That’s what gives it value.
Vintage sewing machines are not just machines, they represent stories. They represent the rich sentiment of people’s lives who touched this machine.
You can never duplicate that with a brand new one.
Never!
So, as much as I want to keep this little green machine, I will pay it forward as my daughter had intended. We will all pay it forward on a new adventure, to create a new history, adding to the mysterious life of our little Elna.
Beauty
If you’ve never used a vintage sewing machine before, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. It isn’t that it’s prettier, or fancier than the competition.
Brand new computerized sewing machines are fancy indeed.
Aesthetically they are beyond measure.
The ugly old vintage models don’t even compare when it comes to beauty, but that’s not the beauty we’re talking about when we admire vintage machines.
What makes vintage machines beautiful can’t even be put into words, but I’ll try.
When you lift the Elna Supermatic up, it’s heavy. That’s a good thing. You know it’s made of quality. I don’t know how many machines I’ve had that are lightweight and complete junk.
I’ve pulled out my hair screaming, when using junky machines. I’ve had tension problems. New machines have skipped stitches. They can’t go through even a couple layers of material without getting stuck, having thread ball up, and breaking.
But with an Elna Supermatic, I’ve been able to sew through at least seven layers of felt. I could have probably done more, but I didn’t want to wreck the machine. I don’t think it would have, but because it wasn’t going to be mine, I didn’t want to wreck it for the new owner.
You should have seen her though.
Little Miss Elna Supermatic just purred along as I brutally forced layer upon layer of thick bulky fabric through her feed dogs. It’s something my little modern-day single needle machine can’t do.
I was amazed.
Imagine the quilts you can make with this baby. Imagine the leather jackets you can sew without much of an effort.
Yes, this machine is a beauty. Like I said, it’s a rare gem, and not one you find often.
If you ever come across and Elna 1 or 2, you absolutely MUST buy it!
Why?
Because she’s BEAUTIFUL!
Tutorials
One thing about vintage sewing machines is finding instruction books on how to use them properly. For the Elna Supermatic, I’ve found a few good tutorials which I will link at the end of the article.
I’ve also made a few Youtube videos to help with understanding about the machine.
I will post them below.
Overall, I hope that you will find the value of the vintage sewing machine as I have, and will use it in your everyday sewing. They can still work even after many years. All you need to do is service them properly, and get the old gal going.
When you do, you will find you have something that you can never ever put a value on.
She’s priceless!
To read my full Elna review click Elna Review.
How-To Videos
Loading The Bobbin Into The Elna
Durability Of The Elna Supermatic
Sewing Scalloped Edges With The Cam/Discs
Resources for this article
History of Elna Sewing Machines
Below is a picture gallery of my vintage Elna.
What a beauty! 
Hi there,
I have a supermatic that my late mom bought new way back when. Everything works fine except the that the hand wheel seems as tight as it can get but the dog feeds do not move.
Is there supposed to be a washer of sorts between the dog wheel and the shaft it drives? This one was serviced recently and the tight hand wheel is a new problem, I was wondering whether a part went missing that the technician didn’t know about seeing it is such an old model….