Well I don't have one that was "fixed" poorly ... but I do have one that the guy claimed "worked well". Take a look at the electric and tell me if you would DARE to plug it in to find out if was working.

I would have to agree, there are some people who should not work on sewing machines. You all know who you are. Find someone who is a bit more handy and pay them - save a machine in the process. Then again I have seen machines that were worked over by Authorized service technicians... :mad:

Some of the worst machines I have cleaned up have turned out to be real keepers. It is hard to tell what is what though until you get into them.

Oh MAN! The scary part is -he- may have plugged that in to test to see if it worked. I certainly wouldn't. I sparkled (as mizkaki calls it) once recently, I'm not that interested in doing it again anytime soon.
I've gone to see machines that had wiring maybe not that bad, but still quite bad, and when they offer to plug it in, I say "No,... no that's OK, thanks, I don't want to set your house on fire." That usually makes them think. :)

I'd definitely call that a "what were they thinking", to think there's a good chance someone was using it with the wiring like that. I wonder if they had any tingling sensations...


Those machines that get worked over by authorized techs really get me. One of the local shops is hiring right now, "they'll train". Possibly one of the worst shops that I've dealt with, and who's crap I've had to clean up a bunch of times. They're the ones who "serviced" that Bernina that I'm still fighting with, in fact.

I agree, sometimes it's the diamonds in the rough (or grunge in this case) that shine the best. The 301 above is a great machine, and the 401 cleaned up really nicely (after the cat pee removal of course.)

301s are going to be the next hot thing like the FWs. They have already gone up in price. I haul mine to quilting classes rather than wear on the FW. I like sewing on it better anyway. Don't have to worry about it. Mine was nasty too when it arrived. I have become quite attached to it. They are still quite affordable, but going up every day.

Yeah, you're right about the 301s. I bought two last year, and am just now getting around to using one of them, and I love it. Such a pretty, even stitch; and I didn't have to do anything to the machine to get it running. I am like you, I think I'll start carrying it instead of a FW; the ladies treat you like a show-off when you bring in your little FW that you're so proud of. I'm going to give them a chance to see how many recognize a 301. Can you tell I have a mean streak.....

I think that big thing is more than taking its time to reach here. I can't sell them for anything, and these are spotless and tuned up.

Ha! I joined a quilt guild about 2 months ago. I don't know that more than 1 or 2 of them recognised my 222 as being a featherweight, when I took it in at the last meeting... never mind a "Rare" Open arm one. They all talk about their Pfaffs and Long arms. It's not a mean streak, it's important education. :)

I agree it is important education. I was very surprised one time when I took a Featherweight to a class of experienced quilters (a prerequisite for the class) and people asked me what that machine was. They weren't all that impressed until they discovered that the Featherweight could sew the precise seams needed and their new, computerized machines couldn't, even after lots of fiddling and resetting. When I need to do precision piecing, I pull out the Singer 221 Featherweight.

That's the part that makes me laugh. In this guild I've just joined, I've had ladies say "my new <insert name of high zoot machine here> doesn't do X well." I usually think, "funny, my 60 year old machine doesn't have a bit of problem with that. " Not to mention my machines may be heavier (FW not withstanding of course) but they travel better. I have heard of more than one "new" machine that misbehaves when it goes for car rides.

I think I'm going to keep taking vintage machines there til they drum me out. ;)

Here's another "wiring wizardry" entry. I'm certainly not about to test it out to see if it runs!

Holy Cow! I love it when they start adding all sorts of colors! :D And Marettes too! Good grief, back when you could buy that lamp cord, I bet the replacement wires weren't more than $10.

I've noticed though, there seems to be some group of people who like to fix first, then see if the proper replacements are available, or maybe not. They're usually the ones with the huge stock of used lamp wire and like marettes too.

I'm fine with marettes for things that don't move, like connecting a ceiling light fixture. I'm not so good with them, unwrapped yet, on a cord that will be wrapped and unwrapped on a presumably regular basis (otherwise why not wait til you can get a new cord?)

Good add mom-6 :)