sewTinker

I have my grandmother's treadle - a Singer - 1907, I believe, but need to look it up. Although I have happy memories of her using it, I never have, and I've had it since 1976! hahaha... It's a decorative piece in my living room. It's a beautiful machine in a 3 drawer (each side) table. Reading all the posts here about actually Using them, has inspired me to try. It needs a new belt, for sure. Don't know what else. But when I'm ready (after the holidays) I will research it and try to figure it out. Wouldn't That be so fun? to sew on my gr'ma's treadle? hahahaha...

I have a bernina virtuosa 160 that I bought in 2000 (I keep saying it's a 180, but it Isn't! I'm such a dork.) I also have a featherweight from 1953.

Up North

I played with my Grandmas treadle machine as a child she had it electrified later and I now have it it is a Singer Red Eye, and My mom gave me a treadle she bought from my aunt. My husband bought me a sewing machine for our 1st Christmas from Aldens catalog I still have it packed away then I bought a Kenmore used with cams and thought I had everything!! Used it up until about 3 years ago and found a Kenmore in a cabinet at Salvation Army for $40.00 so bought that, a year and a half ago I bought myself a Brother SE 350 so I could embroider. I would like to put Grandma's machine back in a cabinet some day.

Patty Patches

Used grandmas old treadle machine,she was an out of this world quilter.Wish I had paid attention instead of playing under the quilt frame.My mom is a quilter and has two machines.I have bought two machines a janome and a brother

tweetee

My Grandma taught me to quilt when I bought my Janome excell about 15 years ago, that was my first machine. I upgraded to a Janome 4900QC a year ago, and gave my ole faithful to my mum, as hers had died. She loves it.
Earlier this year I got a 1952 featherweight which is a dream to use, and just last week, picked up a 1956 99k with cabinet and stool from Ebay for $60. I also have a Janome 300E embroidery machine that I have had for about a year, after upgrading from the 200E, wich I only had for 6 months!. So currently I have 3 sewing machines, and an embroidery machine, and I love them all

maryel

I started sewing on a Singer "Futura" machine, [bought with bond money my Grandma had saved for me], when my oldest daughter was 6. I had 3 girls to sew for and wanted them to have nice clothing! It had the {cams} to insert and really did a nice job with regular stitching and basic sewing. Sewed many garments on it. When I retired, I upgraded and treated myself to a Viking D1 embroidery machine which I love and also bought a Viking Lily for basic sewing. Also have the Brother Disney Machine which is a great machine for the money. I love them all and am thinking about a Serger someday...

wolfkitty

Before I was married, I used my grandmother's Featherweight. My much older sister, who was married and had two machines, one of which came from my other grandmother. I didn't especially care for the second g'mtr's machine, but couldn't understand why my sister needed 2, so I complained mightily, to no avail. However, for a wedding present, from my sister and BIL, I was surprised with a new JCPenney machine, which was plenty until tonight, when I bought a new Brother from Wal-Mart. It does 80 different stitches, including buttonholes, has stop/start button that I didn't hear of until I got on this board, and it FMQ's! Wow. That's plenty for me. So, after 36 years, I got my second machine.

Shelbie

I started sewing on my mom's 1948 featherweight when I was 9 which she bought as her first machine. At 15 I bought an almost new Singer Touch and Sew and used that until I graduated from University. I then bought a demonstrator Bernina 830 Record and used it until five years ago when I bought my Janome 6500. I'm now considering buying the new Janome Horizon. My take to class machine is a Husqavaran/Viking Prelude 350. I also have a Brother and an older Singer that I use with my 4-H group and four featherweights. Can you tell that I love sewing machines?

donac

My mother has been sewing all my life. I have pictures of Easters where we all have the same outfit. One year she even made my dad and bother sports coats to match our capes and the lining of the capes matched our dresses and berets.

I learned to sew when I was about 10 but I had to share the machin with my mother all my 4 sisters. When I first started working ( worked as a janitor during a summer and cleaned a school) My first income tax refund bought my first singer sewing machine. we all bought Singers. Before I got married we had 6 sewing machines in the house. everyone had their own. I think I am the only one who still sews consistently.

I had that about 16 years. When my son was a baby I bought a Kenmore. I had that 10 years when I bought an Elna. I had that for 15 years and loved it to death. It didn't even go in reverse when I traded it in for a new Elna last year.

I often think I would love my grandmothers's machine but someone else got it. I would love a featherweight but I don't think that is in the cards either.

There are also times I wish I could spend mega bucks to buy the top of the line machine but I am too practical of a person to that. I do love my Elna and I am using it more since I have found this inspirational site.

Kitsapquilter

I learned to sew at an early age on my Mom's treadle Singer. She had it a cabinet with the drawers to one side of it. We lost all of our belongings in a house fire when I was about 12 yrs. old. So that was the end of the old treadle machine. But lo & behold after the ashes cooled so we could dig and search we found some of the silver dollars that my Mom had stashed in the drawers of her sewing cabinet.
My first machine of my own was a Dressmaker won by doing a puzzle...just like Candlequilter! Then in a few years I graduated to a Singer. I have had several different machines since then, a New Home and a Viking. Then finally a Baby Lock Esante (I still have it) and my favorite one that I use the most is a Bernina 160. I do all my quilting on it. The Baby Lock has the embroidery attachment that I haven't used in quite some time but reading things on this board makes me think I should get back to using that more!
Linda aka Kitsapquilter

BRenea

Like many others, I learned to sew at a very young age. I don't remember the exact model of the machine my mom has, but it was a Singer bought in the late sixties or early seventies. My mom still uses that machine, although she doesn't sew much anymore. I bought myself an inexpensive Brother machine when I got married, but soon caught the quilting bug and traded it toward a Viking 500 computerized machine. I love that machine and still use it often, in fifteen years it has not given me one bit of trouble! I came upon my Bernina Artista 730 when I visited a quilt shop that was going out of business. They had one machine left in their inventory, so I called my hubby because even on sale it was a lot of money. He said go for it! I knew there was a reason I love that man! :wink: