3 Creatives Uses For A Wood Sewing Machine Cover

Way back in the day, sewing machines were fancy. I’m talking capital F fancy. Some sewing machines were housed in ornate pieces of furniture that were prominent fixtures in homes. Later, as sewing machines became more portable but were still made of metal, not plastic, they didn’t stop being stylish. Not at all. That’s where the wood sewing machine cover comes onto the scene.

In 1884, the Singer Sewing Machine Company introduced a bentwood sewing machine cover. This was a big technological achievement. In essence, Singer and their competitor, Wheeler and Wilson, figured out how to make plywood.

Then, after much trial and error, the Singer Sewing Machine Company discovered that if you wrung the moisture out of cheap gumwood you could use steam to bend it into a shape suitable for a fancy-looking wood sewing machine cover. And the rest is history.

I glossed over a lot of industrial drama in this story. If you think Apple and Microsoft are competitive, you don’t know about sewing machine manufacturers of the 1800s! Sounds like they could give the Real Housewives a run for their money in the drama department. You can read more about it here.

Alas, all good things must come to an end and that is what happened to the wood sewing machine cover courtesy of a little thing we call progress. Sewing machines, in general, were modernized with things like electricity, plastics, and computer chips.

Today, unless you are an active sewing enthusiast or run a business that involves sewing, most people tuck their sewing machines away to be used on rare occasions when they have the urge to make something. This usually involves some cursing because they’ve forgotten how to thread the bobbin, but a YouTube video can usually save the day when it comes to brushing up on rusty sewing skills.

See? Progress for the win.

What happened to all of those old sewing machines and wood sewing machine covers? They were probably all thrown away, sent to a museum, or left to collect dust in grandma’s attic.

Or! You just might get lucky and find one at a thrift shop or antique store. A quick search on eBay right now shows that these covers run between $5 and $300!

If you do find one of these treasures, here’s the key part: If you flip that wood sewing machine cover upside down, it’s no longer a cover. It’s a box. A gorgeous, detailed wood box. And we all know boxes have endless uses!

Here are 3 creative uses for a wood sewing machine cover that I came up with. Please add your own ideas in the comments section.

Wood Sewing Machine Cover Idea #1: Use it as a Christmas tree stand.

A wood sewing machine cover can double as a Christmas tree stand for a small faux Christmas tree.

If your Christmas tree doesn’t have an adjustable base as mine does that allows it to fit inside the wood sewing machine cover, you could weigh the tree in place sans stand with something heavy.

I have this particular 5-foot pencil tree. The wood bead snowflake ornaments were a DIY. You can read about them here.

Wood Sewing Machine Cover Idea #2: Use it to hold books or magazines.

Instead of using a basket to hold books or magazines, how about a wood sewing machine cover? After all, it’s much fancier and sturdier than a basket.

What else could you put in your wood sewing machine cover? Well, anything that you might toss in a basket such as throw blankets, towels, toilet paper, yarn, hats and mittens, etc.

I don’t think it would be too much of a sacrilege if you wanted to add handles to your “basket” either. That would really take it to the next level.

Wood Sewing Machine Cover Idea #3: Stick a plant in it.

Part of the fun of having plants is having cute containers to stick the plants in!

Leave the plant in its original container or grow pot before sticking it inside the sewing machine cover. Make sure there’s a drip tray under the plant. Additionally, you may want to line the inside of the wood sewing machine cover with something to protect the wood if water does leak out.

Similar to the handle idea, you could also add small wood feet to your “plant stand” to raise it up off the ground a little. Wouldn’t that look unique?

Well, what did you think of my creative uses for a wood sewing machine cover? Have you ever run across one of these at a thrift store or in a relative’s attic? Do you have any other ways you’d use a wood sewing machine cover?

I’d love to know! You can always comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via Instagram or Facebook.

Happy decorating and may the thrifting odds be ever in your favor!

Thanks for reading today’s blog post! If one just wasn’t enough, I have another you can read. Try one of these:

My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 4

My Thrifted Painting Is Worth How Much?

Sink Skirt Hack If You Don’t Own A Sewing Machine

Mountain-Themed Pool Ball Rack Art

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