Being a baby boomer, either my mother or I made all my clothing, including winter coats, with a straight stitch machine. People seem to forget that it isn't the machine that you use, it is the skill of the seamstress that determines the outcome when sewing clothing or quilts. When you look at vintage quilts made by machine or by hand, the damage on them isn't usually because the seams gave way, it is because the fabric disintegrated!!!