MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (WGHP) — Kathy Jones knows all about the heart of a sewing machine.

“Welcome to the iron heart of the foothills,” she said. “This was the heart of the home.”

These mechanical marvels were once an important part of everyday life for millions of families all over the world.

“That’s how their children got clothes. There were no real clothing stores,” she said. ‘They often made it out of feed sacks.”

Kathy’s collection includes almost 250 sewing machines, some dating back to before the Civil War. Sewing Machines were a needed jewel for families, and you were never too young to start learning the essential craft.  

“They would put it in cover wagons and go across the country with it, and they treated it like gold,” said Jones, who finds joy in restoring these historic threads of life. “They really knew what they were doing back then. People took pride in using them.”

She can be contacted via email at joneskathy240@yahoo.com.