I didn't start out collecting machines...or rather "to collect" machines. When I was growing up my mother made all my dresses, and all my costumes. I never owned a storebought dress until I was in high school, and she continued to make all the costumes I wore until I was an adult (I literally grew up on the stage as a singer/dancer/actress) and they were all made on the Singer 301 I now have. She got a new singer in the 80s and then got a Bernina in the late 90s. As she got new machines she passed down the older ones to me, simply because she didn't have any place to keep them. When I had my first daughter in 1998 I self-taught myself quilting on that 80s singer. Since that time I also acquired my grandmother's rocketeer 500A, and the Bernina when she upgraded to a Designer I. I just keep taking the hand me downs and then I got really interested in finding a treadle to learn on after hearing people rave about sewing on them. I swear old machines are like crack must be to an addict. You can't stop once you get just one! People need to quit selling them for such steals...I'm so glad I'm married to someone who doesn't have a problem with my newest addiction. Considering that I've acquired 7 of my 15 machines in the last 45 days...and I'll be picking up another one tomorrow!