It has been wonderful reading about all of your old sewing machines. I am so glad that the old machines are used, loved and appreciated here! I love old sewing machines and have several myself.
In fact the newest machine I have is now 41 years old. I love it and I use it all the time!
I do have a story to share about my machine though. Two years ago I was in a nice quilt shop in Ohio, and I paused my fabric browsing to watch an employee demonstrate to someone else a beautiful new machine with all of the bells and whistles on it. As she finished talking to the one person she asked me if I was interested in trying out the machine. I told her – no thanks. I was happy with my machine that I have. She asked me what kind of machine I used and I (rather proudly) told her that I still use the Singer that my parents bought me for high school graduation 38 years ago. She got a SHOCKED look on her face and yelled (yes – YELLED!) across the store at another employee – “She is still using a sewing machine she got in high school!!!!! She then turned to me and in a condescending tone said – “You simply MUST get a NEW machine!!! I just can’t imagine that you are still using a machine THAT old!”
I suppose she was trying to embarrass me into getting a new sewing machine, but I thought at the time that, even if I was in the market for buying a new sewing machine, that woman would have been the LAST person I would have bought one from. She was rude, rude, rude!!!!!