The Marathon County Historical Society will present “Vintage Toy Sewing Machines and Their History” as its next History Speaks topic at 2 pm Saturday, January 14, 2017, at the Woodson History Center, 410 McIndoe St., Wausau. Mary Wilke of Sew Smart Creative Sewing Center in Rib Mountain is the presenter.

Toy sewing machines became available right along with full-size machines, beginning in the mid-1880s. Using visuals from her extensive collection, Mary Wilke will discuss the development of toy sewing machines, their popularity, and the joys and pitfalls of collecting them.

Mary has been collecting vintage sewing machines of all styles for most of her life. She displays much of her collection at Sew Smart, the sewing store she owns at 2675 Rib Mountain Drive, Rib Mountain, where she eagerly shares her encyclopedic knowledge of the sewing world. Sew Smart sells sewing machines, parts, cabinets, fabrics and threads, and services all makes of sewing machine.

There is no admission fee for History Speaks presentations, and registration is not required. Donations are appreciated.

The Historical Society is grateful to Janke Book Store and to Compass Properties for their sponsorship of the History Speaks series, and to Sew Smart for its sponsorship of the current exhibit, Pieces of the Past: Quilts Tell a Story, in the Woodson History Center.

Visitors might also enjoy visiting our free exhibit halls. Our Stories: The History of Marathon County features reminiscences of how people arrived in this area, and how they worked and played in days gone by. Pieces of the Past: Quilts Tell a Story features 15 antique quilts with local ties that highlight friendships, compassion, economy, creativity and artistry of women whose stories might otherwise go untold.

For more information, please call the Marathon County Historical Society at 715-842-5750.