Originally Posted by johans

I was lucky to find a Featherweight that was "born" when I was, and for under $200. These machines can be totally maintained by regular people. No need for a repair person unless you break something major. They're quiet, dependable, and sew almost everything. My regular machine is a Bernina -- which I LOVE! But it is heavy to lug to quilting meetings. It stays in my sewing room, while the Featherweight happily travels along with me. There are Featherweight sites where you can buy maintenance manuals, parts, carrying cases, etc.