frauhahn

I love all of my antique Singers-they sew straight seams, are easy to maintain and are so pretty! I have a treadle (if we are ever without electricity, I'm still in business!) a 15-91 (good heavy-duty machine, will sew threw almost anything) and 2 featherweights-a 1949 and a 1951. The centennial model is just a show-piece-but I love her because we are the same age!

irishrose

No FW here, but I do have a 301. It sews any speed I want as I am the speed control. It can sew very fast. A straight stitch machine has a just that - a straight stitch. A ZZ machine sews a little less so. My 301 is a great FMQ machine. No tension problems, no nests and because a vertical bobbin feeds straight to the needle and doesn't have to make any turns, it likes to FMQ. Easy to service and a little workhorse. I also have several other vintage machines. Give me steel any day. I know the 301 is cast aluminum outside, but the inside are steel.

Teacup

This weekend my DH and I are working to bring my mom's old Singer 201 back into working order. It's not been used much since I was in high school. When I learned on the board here that you can FMQ on them, I insisted on digging it out of the garage where it's been for 25 years. I've been so anxious to try FMQ, I don't have enough throat space on my Brother, but didn't want to spend a fortune on a new machie with a bigger harp. Plus I love old machines.

Then last weekend I ran into a beautiful Singer 99 that's in great condition, including a nice bentwood case. We're going to give it some oil and check the wires and see how it runs...I've read they make a great stitch as well. I'll keep using my Brother for many things, but I look forward to getting my old Singers into action.

1000projects

Took a couple o quilting classes recently. Ladies brought their berninas and Pfaffs to do fmq. $5000 in a machine and they take it on the road! (i felt a little poor with my viking sapphire, $1300 lol) With a featherweight you can go to class with a $300++ machine which is much lighter and stitches great.

My singer 15-91 is a workhorse and has a huge class 15 bobbin. I am loving piecing on it!

cmrenno

My featherweight used to belong to my great aunt. She used to make me clothes on it. I love to use and and remember my aunt. And it sews like a dream.

Kristin in ME

Not a featherweight, but I have a Singer 301a. I've had it for 11 years and it's the only machine I've ever known. I have never, ever had a problem with it- pretty much idiot proof, I think. I always remember my mom sewing when I was a kid (on a modern machine, don't know what it was), it alway seemed like she spent more time trying to fix something than actually sewing. Same with my MIL and her machine today. Hope my 301 lasts forever!

Shelbie

My Featherweight sews a straight even stitch and is easy to cart to classes. It is the machine I learned to sew on when I was nine. I've literally sewed miles on my Featherweight and can thread it, change the needle and wind the bobbin effortlessly as it is so familiar. I also have a 201 that is smooth and powerful. It powers through several layers of denim and duck and does not growl and complain and break needles at thicker seam junctions lke my Janome 6500. The biggest advantage was the price. I paid $2000 for my Janome and my 201 was free and only needed to be re-wired and cleaned for a $70 service charge.

irishrose

My 301 is tan and not a pretty machine. She did get some looks when we arrived at a class. The instructor, who is a Bernina fan, had never seen one and wasn't impressed. AnnieRose changed the instructor's mind when Miss AR did so well. Other machines were making nests and messy stitches while FMQ. Not the homely one.