Painting an Old Metal Sewing Machine

Give a Used Sewing Machine a Makeover

When I received an old sewing machine cabinet for free, it also included a Kenmore sewing machine. I love old, used sewing machines and use them regularly (yes, “them” meaning I have several). I gave the sewing machine cabinet a makeover so I thought I’d give one to the machine itself. Painting an old metal sewing machine is really quite easy!

This is what it looked like before:

Once I removed the machine from the cabinet, I taped off the areas where I did not want paint – the throat plate, the needle and foot shaft, the presser foot lever, as well as the controls on the front. I also removed the belt from the handwheel and motor.

I applied a coat of rusty metal primer (<– affiliate link!) to the entire body of the machine, then applied two light coats of spray paint in a color I like to call “Obnoxious Pink”.

I also taped off the cord to the foot pedal and painted it as well.

I removed the tape then reinstalled the machine in the cabinet. This is not the original machine to the cabinet (even though I received it this way). Still, the color combo is fantastic!

Here are a few tips on painting an old metal sewing machine:

• Cover up the parts you don’t want painted with painter’s tape
• Use cotton balls to plug holes such as grease holes (for lubricating the inner parts in older machines) and the holes in the motor housing
• Always use a spray primer, especially on metal
• Apply the paint after priming according to the directions on the can – in my case, I could paint within an hour of priming and had to apply any subsequent coats of paint within an hour as well
• Pick a color that suits you!

To me, painting this old metal sewing machine was a good choice… It came out great and I love it! Now I can’t wait to sew something fabulous with it!

Originally posted 2016-07-05 08:00:50.