Originally Posted by athomenow
I'm rather new to quilting although I have sewn at the beginner to intermediate level for the kids and grandkids. I have two machines but I need to know what the attraction is for the really old machines. Everyone seems so excited when they get these machines and I just have to know why?? What is it they do that others (newer ones) won't? Thanks for indulging me.
Years ago, I thought the vintage straight stitch only machines were a fad. But then a friend who had one showed me two lines of stitching about a quarter inch apart on the same piece of fabric.
One was from her top-of-the-line Pfaff and the other was from her pre-1900 Singer. One line of stitching was noticeably straighter than the other. She explained that no machine that has a needle made to move side to side can stitch as straight as the old straight stitch machines.
Ever since then, I have toyed with the idea of getting a vintage machine. Haven't done it yet because I do the vast majority of my sewing (and all my quilting) by hand. But every now and then I cast an eye to the machine age side... <G>