My father was the sewer in the house when I was growing up, he learned to sew in his teens and worked in NYC garment trade sweatshops with his mother back in the early 1930's. He had his mothers sewing machine, black and probably a Singer, and it was in a big sewing cabinet. I remember he always had a circle of felt around the top somewhere for straight pins. It was a treadle machine and I could never get the hang of it. My brother Jim did as he made himself lots of little drawstring bags for his marbles.
Next machine I used was the one, note I said one, machine we had in sewing class when I was in 7th and 8th grade, around 1948-49. With only one machine in our class room it took us the whole year to make our outfits - pj's in 7th grade and our graduation dress in 8th.
Fast forward to the 1960's when my MIL bought herself a new Singer with lots of attachments and it sat in a lovely walnut desk. She gave me her old White that had a knee press to begin and stop sewing and I began sewing curtains for our new house and little cotton dresses for myself.
Machines that I've bought for myself, 1970's a Kenmore when I began a small craft business with my friends, 1999 an inexpensive Brother to bring to my week long Elderhostel quilting class and then a Pfaff when I wore out the Brother making quilts almost non stop. Brother really didn't wear out, just wasn't up to the amount of sewing I was doing and needed repairs every year that cost more than the machine itself. I've been happy with my first Pfaff and a few years ago upgraded to a new edtion and that's it for me although I do have a 1963 white Featheweight and a little Gem Gold for classes. .
Last edited by May in Jersey; 08-01-2012 at 11:38 AM.