Backup sewing machines are a good thing!
 

I recently had my niece and nephew over, and they fell in love with sewing. So naturally, I gave them my backup sewing machine.

Yesterday I dropped my main machine off at the shop for a standard cleaning and some minor repair. Things happen when 8 & 12 year olds sew and you're lax with paying attention, lol.

But I was not leaving myself without a machine! Several months I had bought an older Pfaff while drinking wine and shopping on ebay (big mistake, I don't recommend this). I took it, untested, to the local Pfaff dealer and asked them to pick it over, let me know if it works, and if it does work to give it a lube and cleaning. When I picked it up they told me it works great and just needed some lube. I finally plugged it in today so I could do some piecing and it doesn't work at ALL. It makes horrible grinding noises and smells like burning electronics. Angrily I unplugged it and pulled my service documents (which I foolishly didn't read previously, I just talked to the guy at the counter) and I see it's marked clearly as not working. (But they charged me to clean and oil it anyway, which all together means I will NOT be going back to that particular dealer ever again! Thankfully not the dealer my main machine goes to.)

So in essence, I have gone through 3 machines in a week.

Fortunately, I have one more backup machine. My original, basic, bottom-of-the-line Kenmore I had bought when I was still a teenager and had just moved out on my own. This poor machine has been neglected, abused, and neglected some more. I pulled her out of her case, plugged her in, threaded her up and...what do you know, she runs juuuust fine. I had been thinking about giving this machine away because I thought I'd never use it again. I was wrong! I need to give her some grease or something because she's squeaky but other than that she's in fine working shape.

If anything happens to this one, though, I'm in trouble. I probably should pick up a couple more sewing machines, just to be on the safe side. Like maybe that awesome Slant-o-matic I saw when I was dropping off my main machine.... ;)

It's good to have a stash...of fabric, of bobbins, and of machines! LOL

I have a Walmart Singer Simple that I bought for about $ 100 - its a great back-up machine - I love it - in fact it was my main machine when I first started - I wore the first one out when I purchased my good Husqvarna/Viking - so I went ahead and purchased another Singer Simple machine as backup - it works great and since I don't use it often its holding up well.

My featherweight is my current back up. Sooner or later, I'll get the 66 Redeye up and running as another back up. Would love to get at 301 for yet another back up but waiting for the right price on that! Back up machines are GOOD things!

I too have a Featherweight back-up which is just great for piecing. Unfortunately I "traded in" my Singer Slant O Matic when I got my new Bernina. That was a nice sturdy machine I got for $25 at an auction. I gave my other Bernina to my daughter as she had a pretty undependable machine. I'm thinking I could use more machines!

By the way, terrible way to be treated by a dealer.

I can not manage with one machine I have three all Bernina's love them all . Cathy

My Bernina is in the shop for its annual servicing and I'm using my backup, a Featherweight. Actually, I use that Featherweight for all my piecing so my Bernina is more like my backup. I do use the Bernina for FMQ and machine appliqué; but I so love that little Featherweight. If I had a larger sewing room, I'd like another machine or two. As it is, I couldn't ask for two better machines than those I have.

I have so many backup machines. 3 Vikings and an old Singer that was my mothers. I will also get her Kenmore soon so with my newest Viking 960Q that makes 6. I hope to never need all of them and want to see one of my granddaughters learn to sew. Gave my first all metal Royal to my daughter and she managed to totally kill it. I'm very careful who I let sew on any of them now.

I, too have many backup machines.... With age comes wisdom..... that's a good thing. When I started sewing over 60 years ago we had one machine. When a new wife, I thought I needed a fancy $$$$ machine. Now, I still have a couple of the fancy ones but my trusted vintage machines are my go-to favorites. And the fact that I can fix them and keep them running so beautifully makes each one a special one. I think I have 14-15 machines, the oldest dating back into the 1870s. With that many machines I can have one set up with a walking foot, one with a darning foot, one just for binding..... etc. Yes, backup machines are a must.

Just used my backup machine yesterday -- my granddaughter was over to sew and that's the machine she loves to use! It is a Bernina 350 -- what a little work horse!

Now I know what to tell DH when he says I have too many machines. I have 4, two were free. They are backups.