How much fun to read all your first sewing machine stories!
I don't know what machine my Mom used when she was young - all I know is it was a treadle. After she and my Dad started having kids, she'd go to Gramma's house to use her treadle to make baby clothes for my brother and me. I have looked everywhere for a photo of that treadle, but there are none. My mom's neighbor bought a Pfaff 130 brand new and couldn't make the $17 a month payment. Dad let Mom take the machine and take over making the payments. Mom had that machine until she died and I have it now. She used it almost every day to make everything you could think of.
My first machine, bought as a wedding gift, was an old Brother. I had nothing but problems with the tension on that machine so we bought a Pfaff 1222e - and we had to make payments! I grew up using Moms' Pfaff 130 so I wanted a Pfaff, but we couldn't afford it! I still have and still use the 1222e all the time along with about 50 other sewing machines!
Nancy