Welcome to
Sewalot

For collectors & enthusiasts of antique sewing machines 

'Never be scared of a sewing machine.
The worst you can do is break it.
 But you may create something magnificent'.
Alex Askaroff

Antique Sewing Machines For Sale

It's official! Sewalot is the No1 antique sewing machine website

ALEX HAS HAD A MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, SEE WHY!

Sewing machine servicing & repairs, East Sussex

 

 

Sewing machine servicing & repairs, East Sussex

 

 

 

 GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

A day in the life,

 
with Alex Askaroff

 

 

Elias Howe

 

Inventions that changed the world.

 

 

Have I Got A Story For You by Alex Askaroff

 

Alex' you are educating new generations, in the history, care, and use of vintage sewing machines!

Becky Rice Ware
Charlotte NC

 

 

Guild Master Craftsmen

 

 

The history of sewing thread and cotton reels by Alex Askaroff

 


Genius! ML USA

 

Collier Sewing Machines

 

GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

S

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H

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Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

THE MAGIC SEWING MACHINE

 BY

 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

Amazon

 GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

 

 

Books by Alex Askaroff

 

End of Empire

By


Alex Askaroff

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Luton Hat Trade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The history of the sewing machine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essex sewing machines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elias Howe inventor of the sewing machine

Or was he? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's book

Skylark

Country
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SKYLARK COUNTRY

Random Threads

 Vol II

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ideal Sewing machine
not what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Why Write, why not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's books
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 HIGH STREETS & HEDGEROWS

Random Threads 

Vol III

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Mott Wanzer

The Hamilton Giant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The history of the sewing machine.Or the long and winding road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jones sewing machines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smith & Egge little comfort sewing machine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Askaroff Family Crest

  weird but true!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essex Sewing Machines

 

My first toy sewing machine 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Singer through the ages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frister & Rossmann

German giants

 

 

 

 

Books by

 Alex

 Askaroff

 

 

 

 

 

Willcox & Gibbs

How a farmer became a millionaire without a lottery ticket 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starley Queen of Hearts

One of the rarest machines in the world

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grover & Baker

Pioneers or profiteers?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheeler & Wilson

Inventor of the four motion feed, maybe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's books

 

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 Main Sewalot Site Index  Main Sewalot Site Index

Patches of
Heaven
OUT NOW!

Alex's books

PATCHES OF HEAVEN 

Random Threads

 Vol I

Reviews

 

 

 

A day in the life,

 
with Alex Askaroff

 

 

End of Empire

By


Alex Askaroff

 

See Alex Askaroff on Youtube:

 

 A day in the life,

 
with Alex Askaroff

 

Sewalot Site

 Index

 

THE MAGIC SEWING MACHINE

 BY

 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

Skylark
Country

OUT NOW!

 

 

Sewalot Site

 Index

 

High Streets

&

Hedgerows

OUT NOW!
 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site

 Index

 

 

 

 

 

 NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE AS AN INSTANT DOWNLOAD

 

 

Isaac Singer

The First
Capitalist

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site

 Index

 

 

 

GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

Guild of

Master Craftsmen

&

Alex Askaroff

 

 

Collier Sewing

Machines

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

THE MAGIC SEWING MACHINE

 BY

 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

S

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Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

News Flash!

Alex's fairytale is now available

 

 

 

 

Books by Alex Askaroff

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

Elias Howe

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

Isaac Singer

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

History of cotton

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

Edward Ward

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

Walter Hunt

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

Wheeler & Wilson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willcox & Gibbs

 

 

GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

Grover
&
 Baker

 

 

 

 

 

The history of the sewing machine.Or the long and winding road.

 

 

 

 

Books by Alex Askaroff

 

 

 

 

Collier & Sons Sewing Machines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Isaac singer

The legend his six wives and his 24 children. Henry VIII eat your heart out.

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

Guild Master Craftsmen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moldacot

The smallest bobbin in the world

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site

 Index

 

 

 

 

Main site Index

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

Walter Hunt
The forgotten genius

 

 

 

Why Write? by Alex Askaroff

 

 

 

Sub Index

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

Arm & Platform the first domestic free-arm sewing machine in London.

 

 

 

The most beautiful sewing machine in the world and a Goddess, Agenoria.
 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

Elias Howe Genius or fraud?

 

 

 

Remington
 The sewing machines that went bang.

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

Vickers
From weapons to sewing machines

 

 

 

 

New Home Little Worker sewing machine
No snow white involved

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

Raymond & Weir New England sewing machines

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

Sewalot Site Index

 

 

 

 

 

ALEX HAS HAD A MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, SEE WHY!

 

Alex Askaroff
The Sewing Machine Guru

Internationally renowned, Alex Askaroff has written extensively for trade magazines, radio, television, books and publications worldwide. You may have seen him on the BBC show, The Great British Sewing Bee with Claudia Winkleman or How The Victorians Built Britain with Michael Buerk. Alex has had Nine No1 New Releases on Amazon!

Writer and Master Craftsman Alex Askaroff has spent a lifetime in the sewing industry and is considered one of the foremost experts of pioneering machines and their inventors. His 'Sewing Machine Pioneer Series' on Amazon has been a bestseller with Eleven No1 One New releases.

 

"Hello, my site has millions of visitors and many pages. It is a large site that has taken many years to build so take your time and save it for future visits. If there is anything you need to ask just drop me a line: alexsussex@aol.com

 

Follow Alex Askaroff on Facebook today!

 

I must add a little note to thank the thousands of people, who, over the last three decades, have helped build this educational site with their information, pictures, documents and photos.

 

The site falls into several sections. There is my antique sewing machine collection plus sewing hints. There is the super book section which has 'Alex's sewing stories' history, information and fun stuff. And of course 'Alex's story pages' full of true sewing stories and laughter. The Main Site Index has everything else, even sewing poetry.

 

Scroll down and enjoy this page.

 

 


I've enjoyed this book more than any I have ever read. Paul Marlow SA
 

Looking for something that is easy to wrap and ideal for family and friends? Why not try one of my books. Check out the review pages and see why thousands of people from all over the world have bought them.

 


See the last Sewing Machine Millennium Calendar

See Alex Askaroff on YouTube
A day in the life of a sewing machine engineer.

 

 

 

Isaac Singer The First Capitalist

 

Most of us know the name Singer but few are aware of his amazing life story, his rags to riches journey from a little runaway to one of the richest men of his age. The story of Isaac Merritt Singer will blow your mind, his wives and lovers his castles and palaces all built on the back of one of the greatest inventions of the 19th century. For the first time the most complete story of a forgotten giant is brought to you by Alex Askaroff.

The genius of Elias Howe and his invention that changed our world


A smile from start to finish, J Vincent Horam Sussex
Have I Got A Story For You

Alex,
Your site is the best, literally.
 No wonder they call you 'The Sewing Machine Guru'.
Thanks for your work. 
Carole
Indiana, USA

 

THE MAGIC SEWING MACHINE

 BY

 ALEX ASKAROFF

 


Enchanting from start to finish. I am 80 and read it to my great grandchildren. Now they won't go to bed unless I read it! Alice Bishop, Can.


See Alex Askaroff on Youtube talking about


Glory Days
 

 

Main Site Index

 

 

Sewing machine tension

TENSION DRIVING YOU MAD!

Try Al's solutions

One of Alex's stories.

Have  a few moments to spare? Then take a journey with me to my part of the world.
Sample stories

Alex Askaroff's sewing machine collection

Off The Beaten Track
By
Alex Askaroff
(released Autumn 2020)


Usually FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
 Available in all formats on all electronic devices
 with the Amazon Reading App

Mail me for details: alexsussex@aol.com

If this doesn't touch your heart!
The Emerald Ring

Alex Askaroff's stories.


Alex Askaroff, Founder of Sewalot.com, Master Craftsman, writer and pioneering sewing machine enthusiast and looking very young! That's the trouble with having the same site for 30 years!

Glory Days by Alex Askaroff

See Alex Askaroff talking about Glory Days

The Sewalot site is run by Alex Askaroff. The enterprise was founded on service, quality and genuine enthusiasm for sewing machines. Alex is a long term member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen. 

Alex grew up in the sewing industry and as a teenager undertook a four- year engineering course, qualifying in 1976, yeah he's no spring chicken. After qualifying he was trained by further experts from Jaeger and the sewing trade then spent 10 years on the factory floor at the family firm before founding his own business.

Alex has around 35,000 customers in his area from schools to businesses, factories to farms, hotels to hospitals, just about anywhere there are sewing machines, from boot-patchers to sailmakers, plus all those happy quilters and patchworkers.

One of Alex's hobbies has always been collecting early sewing machines after trying to rescue six from a skip as a child. He now owns one of the finest collections of early 19th century machines. Alex has also carried on the family tradition of writing children's classics first started by James Planché and Matilda Mackarness his 19th Century grandparents.


Set in the black hills of Ireland where the pixies still play with the leprechaun's, the tale of Gizzleink is a classic for all ages. WARNING suitable for kids who love to laugh!

Main Site Index

Alex has had work published across the world from Australia to America and is considered one of the few experts in early pioneering machines and their inventors. Alex has used his expertise to guide and inform museums and charities around the world as well as the film and television industry.

Fancy watching a video of Alex Askaroff, the sewing machine guru...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NVWFkm0sA&list=UL

Alex Askaroff's Biography

This is the great bit.

Through popular request (okay pestering over many years) many of Alex's most popular stories have been put together into a trilogy of sewing books. They are much in the same theme as James Herriot on his travels around the Yorkshire Dales. They have sold in there thousands all over the world. Stunning reviews.

Ready to have a laugh? Read a few of his stories online now!

 Sample stories by Alex Askaroff

I LOVE your stories... so beautifully told... so full of life and truth of humble observation.  The fact that you tell it "like it is" without apologies or flamboyant explanations.  Not only are you a master of understanding human frailties, you give dignity to the experience of living life.
Thank you so very much for sharing.
Marie USA

Main Site Index

THE MAGIC SEWING MACHINE

 BY

 ALEX ASKAROFF

 


Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. How wonderful to read a tale completely new and inspiring. Sylko the one-eyed dog made me cry. Pauline Waters, NZ.

 

TENSION DRIVING YOU MAD!
 

Try Alex's simple solutions

Sewing machine Tension Problems! SOLVED

 

See Alex Askaroff on Youtube: A day in the life of a sewing machine engineer
 

 

As a new collector I have found your site has increased my knowledge in a short time  to a degree  that I couldn't have imagined.

Thank you again for all the useful information you give freely to us beginners.

Kind regards

Brenda P

 

Amazon

 GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

 

 

Dear Alex,
I go to a Montessori school and I am doing a project on fashion. Your articles on sewing machines are absolutely brilliant!
Thanks so much
Kaya

 

Alex, In a sea of bland, boring sewing machine websites, Sewalot stands head and shoulders above the rest, with real stories, history, information and tales. Keep it up.  Regards    A. B.

 

  The genius of Elias Howe and his invention that changed our world

I went to your website expecting to find the typical, sterile, format and instead found your art. What a wonderful surprise.
Thank you and regards,


Richard F. B
SMC Corporation of America

Hello there!
Thank you for this wonderful information.
I absolutely love your sewing poetry.
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your humor.
You have a good one, and keep on writing.
Thank you so much for your time..............Cindy Heagy

 

Hi Alex,
I've read your research. Thank you very much. It was very helpful.
Well done Alex...
best regards,
Maria Jasmine

Hi Alex: I had been looking for information about my Singer. I was so excited to find your site. Thank you for all the information!
I also enjoyed reading about your collection.
Best regards,
Janis Walker Marsh

Hi Alex
 

Just a few lines to thank you for your excellent article on Elias Howe.

Most books on invention devote only a few pages at most to the inventor of this marvelous Machine.


Your article is the most comprehensive I have ever read on this topic. Also you have a very relaxed writing style along with a delightful sense of fun.
Thanks again for your efforts.

Wayne McVittie
Stouffville, Ont. Canada

Alex,
Your site is fantastic. You have no rivals. Everything I need to know, you have.
Carole
USA, Indiana

Oh my God! How I enjoyed your website! Thank you! Charlie.

Main Site Index

Hi Alex,

Your website oozes with love.  One of the best I've ever come across.

Cheers and more power to you!

Flo

Hi Alex,

I am in awe of your knowledge regarding sewing machines from our past.

thanks so much for all you do to promote the preservation and history of these wonderful artifacts.

Stephen V
Abilene, Texas

Instantly available worldwide now

Isaac Singer
The First Capitalist

Most of us know the name Singer but few are aware of his amazing life story, his rags to riches journey from a little runaway to one of the richest men of his age. The story of Isaac Merritt Singer will blow your mind, his wives and lovers his castles and palaces all built on the back of one of the greatest inventions of the 19th century. For the first time the most complete story of a forgotten giant is brought to you by Alex Askaroff.

Dear Alex, 

I'd like to say what a wonderful website you have. It's full of beautiful pictures and photographs and all kinds of juicy information! It holds a lot more information than most of the other sewing-machine websites/blogs out there and covers so many more things in greater detail.
Yours
Shahan Cheong

Main Site Index

 Watch Alex Askaroff, the sewing machine guru...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NVWFkm0sA&list=UL

Oh my goodness, thank you very much! All the time you put into your site is very appreciated. It is a precious gift that you have given thousands and thousands of people with your research.
Sincerely,
Melanie Vanni

Good day Alex
 
Let me tell you, your sites are awesome. I have been enthralled with all the history and information you have available. Many, many accolades to you.
 
Merle Sager
Johannesburg
South Africa

Hello Alex,


I'm very pleased to have found your sewalot-site on the sewing machine.
It is amazing and I believe you have put over 30 years of study in it.
It helped me very much in my study.
Thanks and regards,
Dirk-Jan List


Hartung Kunzli 1938

Books by Alex Askaroff

Sewalot is run by Alex Askaroff: alexsussex@aol.com

See Alex Askaroff on Youtube: A day in the life of a sewing machine engineer

Now available as an instant download on Amazon, click on book.

 

Sometime ago I came across Alex Askaroff’s website Sewalot. I think it is the best sewing machine website I’ve seen. Alex has an obvious passion for sewing machines, especially of the antique variety.
 One word of warning… Alex has filled every page with so many interesting gems of information – viewing his site becomes an addiction!!!

S L Beauchamp SA

Alex,
I read your site.  Yes, the whole thing, every page in your index and some pages twice!  I have also watched your youtube videos.  I just might have to become a collector!
Thank you very much for sharing your life's work with the world.
Jared M
Utah, USA

Alex: I love all your pages and I have seen them many times. I wish you were in the USA as I would love to see your collection. I also loved your YouTube for the W&G and will continue to see some of the others. I'm sure they will be as perfect as those on your Site. Thanks for passing on such information to those like me that love older things, not only sewing machines.
From a member of ISMACS,
Elvira in South Carolina.

 

Amazon

 GLORY DAYS
 BY
 ALEX ASKAROFF

Please note that every reasonable effort has been made to trace copyright holders, however if there are any errors or omissions we will be delighted to insert the appropriate acknowledgement where needed.