Thanks Sally, I can certainly use greater skill at the machine. I do like the primitive machines, but I concede the value of the reverse option. The 301 is probably my most used machine. I have three. I’d sell one of them but every time I sit at each, they are just so cool I can’t. One of my treadle machine is a 15 and it does have reverse. I mentioned above that I really like the early shuttle machines. Two treadle mounted the others hand crank.
The one 221 I have left is an exemplary example, I purchased it from an older woman who was it’s only owner, I happily paid her what she wanted, it came with the card table. I meet her sister at a tractor show, who was selling off her 221 and card table, I was on the Harley so I couldn’t purchase her’s. I have meet a lot of quilters, many are good friends. It started off with me working on their older machines, mostly the 221. Modern machines seem fragile by comparison, and like the high tech Ventilators and other life support technology I used to work on, are often board swapping and calibration. Some of the board used in the modern machines cost nearly as much as the machine. The old ones, rarely need parts.