I blame a woman at a quilt retreat- she and a friend (new friend since I had just met her online up til the retreat) were sewing on 301s and this woman had a black one and asked if anyone wanted to buy it for $75 I think it was..I was intrigued and thought it was pretty cool. It went home with me- think this was in 2004. so I briefly got the fever and not sure of the exact order but went with this friend to a quilt retreat (hmm maybe a pattern here) and she has a friend there who was into treadles/handcranks- a few of us wanted to tour the goodies and one woman wanted this new home treadle (same one that caught my eye) think her grandmother had one like it or something but she didn't buy it...got home and I was telling friend I really liked that same treadle but thought the other woman would get it- well she said money talks but still..but the woman who was selling it (she had a huge collection and really wanted to focus on singers and the rarer stuff) said the other woman hadn't mentioned anything else to her (it had been over 2 weeks I think) so if I wanted it to come and get it...while there I had trouble using that one and she had 2 singers (could kick myself for not getting both or at least the RAF one instead of the sphinx but at the time I preferred sewing on the sphinx..) anyways both loaded up into my friend's roomy vehicle and away we went. this retreat met there 2x a year and the next one about 7 months later the other lady mentioned something about getting that treadle..sigh..I didn't say anything and friend didn't either...I don't think buying one 7 months before someone decide they want something is scooping it is it?! I sure hope not :-( but anyways I ended up wanting a redeye and fw and somehow I ended up with a yucky electric redeye where I paid more in shipping than the machine was probably worth(don't remember now) then found someone on a yahoo group who sold me some more machines- 201, another redyeye and a 66. added a 99 from ebay where they didn't pack it good and the spool pin got bent :-( then my mom didn't share my enthusiasm and they wre down a lot and well the machines sorta got put on display except for occasionaly sewing on a fw or 301 (oh and a beige 201 joined the herd about this time and my dad worked on it for me along with my friend)..well a couple of years later my mom decide the old machines were fun to buy- I didn't keep up with all her stuff but I felt like that was her thing then and not mine so I didn't really participate...I did hear about 15'91s being good for quilting and asked her to get me one if she saw it (didn't think she would actually find one) but she did! and she brought this huge desk with a 401 in it...would you believe they sat? I was too busy with work and dealing with other stuff to really play with them :-( then she brought me a bernina record 830...I admired some of her finds at their house and sewed on one once..then she died and about 3 yrs later If inally hauled the machines down to my house and have been slowly going through them and caught the fever again..sigh..I added some of the cute little kenmores (gave the one she found to a friend who had one as a teen then had to replace it..sigh...stopped at 3 since I dont have time to fiddle with them all) bought a queen anne looking cabinet fora 15-89? she had that I just loved (also had new wiring for it) and added a pink atlas, blue fleetwood clone, 128 handcrank, kenmore 48...antoher rockateer 500(was looking for a cabinet for the ones i had but who can pass up a deal?!) but my mom had several 301s thought no 2tone and no black longbed in good shape- the one she found was pretty dinged...2-3 rockateers(500/503) and the same with 401/403s, 2 328ks, a 99 pretty much identical to mine, a little greenish looking 3/4 machine(using that cabint now for her 99), some stylists, antoher bernina 930 I think..probably some other stuff as well..oh and I have the one she had all along sicne I was a kid- a fashion mate something or other can't reember the model but think 2something or 327? and I also had to get a 201 and 15-91 I knew were in good working order and shape - love 'em!
so dont' even think you're done! my own acquisitions were numerous enough but adding my mom's to the mix...hoo boy - and I STILL want some more like a hot pink morse, morse fotomatic, pretty handcrank/treadle with floral decals..sigh...