QBeth

Unfortunately, you're not alone in this. Mine was the same so I learned early on not to mention that I liked something or it would be given to someone else or thrown out. I did manage to get some bone china (that I loved!) that has been in the family for over 100 years.

I just happened to stop by my mother's one day to find the china sitting on a chair near the front door. Long story short, she was going to sell it for dirt cheap to a dealer! I offered her more money so it's mine now. And, no one can say anything (I'm from a large family) because I bought it.

As for vintage machines, I wasn't able to save my grandmother's hand crank Singer (my mother tossed it) so I bought one from a woman whose grandmother had just died; she was happy to have the machine go to someone who could truly appreciate it. Her machine (now mine!) looks exactly like my grandmother's!! I've been using it. Its wonderful to feel the gears & cogs working as I crank the machine and feed the fabric into it. _:-)_

Lucy90

I just bought a treadle machine as I have posted pictures on another forum.I plan on getting it working and cleaned up. I have it now in my garage and hope to be able to get to it. I also learned on a treadle and have the Singer machine bug. I hope I can get it going. I have been on the tutorial that Billy has and it has helped. Wish me luck on my new project.

CarrieAnne

UGH....my Mom tossed out one because she just thought it was junk, and nobody would want it. LOL, that was before my obsession with the old ones! I called her when I found my green one at a garage sale, she says, "ANOTHER one, CarrieAnne?"
I think Id really love to find a FW too, guess we can all dream about that!

JJs

I think I need to make a new list or something because I forget what I have - that may just be old age disease tho...

66 redeye treadle - so old it has back clamping feet and no reverse 1920
99-13 I need to get more work done on this one 1925
319w - this is what I've been using for everyday piecing - I love it. 1956
28k - hand crank - also no reverse 1908
306k 1958 we're hoping to get this set up as a treadle
185j - green! 1954 Last update to 28, 99 series
237 - late 60s, one of those 'found' things - not something I would go out and look for
401a - 1961 - not a very good one - I would love to find one in better condition
221 Featherweight 1956 'nuff said
301 black shortbed
301 beige longbed
15-90 1948 if you want a 15 - look for one that the feed dogs drop (not all do - the 15-90 does) great for free motion quilting - a real workhorse
66-18 godzilla 1948
Pfaff treadle 30/31 - a Singer 15 clone and a mondo cool setup
66 that had been made electric that I made into a handcrank 1927

Whenever someone asks, "how many machines do you need?" when I get another, I just say, "only one more"...

I've pretty much got all the ones on "my list" of wants although if better examples come along of something I already have I won't turn them down. I've seen some pretty ratty nasty machines that people seem to think are worth their weight in gold - and some of these machines are heeeeeeeeeeeavy.... if you see a crusty, rusty, froze up mess - pass it up, UNLESS you are getting it free or five dollars or something - you might be able to scrounge parts from it.

quilt addict

Katia,

I have gotten the bug too since the shop has opened. I did have a FW which I really enjoy taking to classes and friends houses for piecing.

I do not have a plan to my purchasing but realize that I need to come up with one or I will buy everything. I plan to use them after I clean them up. My first plan was to not spend more than $40. But now I see the error in that and that with selectivity I will get some nicer machines.

I hope to get something to do FMQ on eventually.

I am also making an organized list of what I have so I can be a better shopper.

Katia

Quilt Addict said "but realize that I need to come up with one or I will buy everything."

That is my point here exactly. I want them all, or at least one of each. But I nether have the room or the money to have every sewing machine I find on Ebay or Craigslist. I have already bought a multitude of working modern sewing machines at yardsales. I buy them and then give them away if they are not what I really want. So I have machines to sew on. But I just love the look and history of the old sewing machines and would enjoy sewing on them most of the time.

Yesterday I won a 301 and am so excited about that. I think she will be great to sew on, and I hear they are great machines.

I guess I need to talk my husband into building a studio/warehouse/museum out back to keep all the fun stuff I want to have. Hmmm, I wonder if he would go for that?

kapatt

I think there are certain Singers to stay away from but I think it also depends on what is important to you. The best person to find out about the Singer models is an older Singer sewing machine repairman. They can tell you which ones are good and which ones are not good.
I like each of my machines to be useable and to cause as little of problems as they can. I once bought a 127 handcrank for the novelty of having a handcrank. Later on, I realized that I would never use it because it used a shuttle type bobbin instead of a round one. That meant that I would have to handcrank the thread being wound on the shuttle instead of using one of my other bobbins (round ones) that were already wound from one of my electric machines. Sewing with a handcrank might be fun but I couldn't see anything fun about sitting there and handwinding thread on a bobbin so that I can sew. (A lot of people don't handwinding the shuttle.)
So, now my criteria is for the machine to use either a class 66 bobbin or a class 15 bobbin since I already have those bobbins for my other machines.

I've searched around on the internet and found that there seems to be some vintage machines that are very easy to work on or fix. Some of those are models 15-, 66, 99, 201, 301, 404 and of course the featherweight 221. (The above models are all straight stitch machines..some of them have the ability to do reverse stitching.) I wanted to add that the above list is not all inclusive. I'm sure that there are some other Singer machines that are great to have and to work with. The ones above are the ones that I've heard a lot of good things about.

I also love the Singer 401 and 403 models because you can position the needle both to the right and to the left side of the center. (That is a nice feature for the 1/4 inch seam.)

I love all of the above machines because they are all made out of metal gears, connecting rods and cams.

Singer, around the late 60's and early 70s started making machines with plastic gears. The "Touch and Sew" was known to many sewing machine repair guys as the "Touch and Swear" machines. That is because the gears were made of plastic and they could easily break.
Because of Singer going to plastic, I've stayed away from the machines that were made after the late 60's and 70s.


I also only buy sewing machines that use the regular 15x1 needles that you can buy in JoAnns and other sewing stores. I know that some people have bought vintage machines where you need to order special needles and some of those needles are not being manufactured today.

A couple of days ago, I bought a Singer Spartan for $22. at an auction. I have been looking for a Singer 99 to make into a handcrank. The 99 is a smaller version of the 66. (I wanted something that wasn't too big.)
In the last 2 years, the prices on Singer machines have gone up a lot. Where I paid $40. for a 99 three years ago, I would have to pay around $90-150 for the same machine today. The Spartan is suppose to be the 99 model but without the light. Since I want to take the motor off to make it into a handcrank, the light feature wouldn't work for me anyway. So, I will pick up the Spartan tomorrow at the auction center and later on, convert it to a handcrank.

I hope this helps you when you are looking for a vintage machine. A good website to learn more about these machines is at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/

kapatt

JJ wrote:

"Whenever someone asks, "how many machines do you need?" when I get another, I just say, "only one more"..."

I love your comment. I need to say the same thing.. t. I don't have as many machines that you have but I also don't have room for another one. (Dang...I want that 201.)

Lostn51

I know from the folks that have them myself included, think that sewing on a VS machine is the most wonderful soothing experience there is. Nothing beats listening to the sounds of the machine as you make a seam. And if you have a singer 27, 28, 127, 128 they all use the readily available 15x1 needles and the "Barbell" bobbins are available in the notions section at Hancock Fabrics.

Billy

kapatt

Thanks Billy. I think part of my problem is time. When I think about winding the shuttle, I feel as if I'm adding one more thing to my long list of things that I need to do. With the type of attitude that I have, I believe I would resent using the 127. It is a beautiful machine.