I am so impressed with this thread. Interesting to know all this. I do not have any of the machines I once had. I realize now that I got rid of them due to ignorance and lack of role models. I had a Singer when I turned 15 but never had "Home Ec".I did start sewing lessons from a local store but was threatened by someone as I walked home from a lesson late in the evening. I don't know what happened to that machine. I got a Singer soon after I married and my then husband used to read the patterns to me very slowly while I sewed. Got rid of that machine probably because I
couldn't figure out and was intimidated by the tension. I then got a lower priced Kenmore and got rid of that probably for the same reason. I still have the featherweight that I bought in the 90's in AZ. I attempted to have it fitted to a treadle base I bought as a piece of furniture, that was unsuccessful. I now have a Viking Designer that was out for service for 6 months two years ago. During that time I bought a Janome Horizon. I realize that I still have large gaps in my experience with all these machines. I love the needle down feature, the knee lift (which for a long time tried to use to make the machine go), the big throat, thread cutter, table, push button instead of pedal. I do not like the fact that I cannot enlarge the alphabet and the fact that the needle threader doesn't work anymore. I wish I could go to a place and list all the things that I find very important and that I want in a machine and do without all the other stuff. I guess I am showing my ignorance.