Originally Posted by
miriam
If this were my DG I would give her a Singer 401, 403, 500 or 503. Since you are afraid she will lose the cams then you need the 401 or the 500. I say this for a couple reasons. First, those machines are relatively light weight it might be a bit easier to get the machine up and down in the table. Second, if you sit in front them and compare how well you can see you will notice you can see what you are doing a whole lot better on those model Singers. The tension and the nose get in the way on many machines. I had two Necchi machines for awhile. One I liked and used a lot, the other I hated. I also hated my Janome. One day my daughter and I were making something and using the two Necchi machines... she commented that she could not see past the nose on the one I hated without craning her neck. We started looking at machines a bit different after that. Can you see without craning your neck or hunching over? How is the light? I would prefer a Singer 403 or 503 to the 401 - I know what stitch I am getting every time. The 401 drives me up the walls unless I have a manual right there. Being able to see may be why I like the Singer 15 or a clone for FM so much. I can see real good. Nothing in the way.
Thank you Chris, Irishrose, Candace, and Miriam for your input! I would like to have the Necchi - just for kicks, but Candace and Miriam are probably right - the kids would rather have the 401 - it looks more 'modern!'
Miriam, I never thought about the nose and being able to see what you are working on!!!!! What a great little tidbit of knowledge! So that is why I don't like certain machines and love others! I never thought about it before you brought that information forward! I have a blue Morse like Charlee's new Morse - I tried to sew with that machine and hated it! Charlee let us know how you feel after trying to piece or do something involved with that machine - maybe it was just me!
Thanks again everyone - I will just fix the cabinet up that the 401 came in and give that to the kids. I have two granddaughters (sisters) who sew. They both have a portable plastic wonder, but one lost her foot pedal (go figure), and the other one has no place to put the machine up unless it is on the dinning room table - which her Dad doesn't appreciate!
Nancy