Singer 401A - Good for quilting?
I was in a thrift store yesterday and ran across a 401A Singer in a wood cabinet. Both are in great condition. I had one of the employees plug the machine in and it purred like a kitten. There were no cams or other accessories with it, other than a brush and one bobbin (still with thread in it) in the bobbin area. I downloaded the manual from web. Further research reveals it was manufactured in Anderson, SC between 1959 and 1961. I see that the cams and accessories seem to be readily available on eBay. The throat plate on it now is for the zigzag stitch. Since everything in the store was 1/2 price, I paid $49.95 for the machine and cabinet. It was so nice I couldn't pass it up, although I have 3 other machines. My question is: Does this machine stitch a true straight stitch for quilting like some of the much older ones, i.e. featherweights, and do you think I made a wise purchase or not?