Buying Used Simple Machines?????
 

I belong to a small group of quilters and friends. There can be from 5-13 attending our 1x/month meeting (we enjoy so much we are considering 2x/month). We meet in one of the members basement. She has all the necessary tables and electric plugs fixed for us. Right now we each bring our machine. We have made preemie blankets, pillowcases for the troups, sometimes just UFO's. We really only need simple machines. Does anyone know of anywhere we could buy about 10-12 so we could leave them there and not have to bring our better ones? We just missed a school auction in Iowa. They went for $15.30 each. We were so upset we didn't know about it unitl about 8 hours after the auction was over.... boo hoo...

Wow.....sounds like you belong to the same group that I do! Same set up and everything. We call our group "Quilts for Giving". We don't have funds and just do everything out of our own pockets and most of us have pretty empty pockets right now. I bought a brand new simple Viking still in the box at Goodwill for $25 and took it to our workshop. That is how we get most of our machines. One lady noticed they were just about worn out and approached a sewing machine shop in a large city and asked about donating some used machines. They donated 4 brand new machines! I look at yard sales all summer long and when I explain what they are for the owners sometimes give them to us. We buy our fabric at yard/estate sales but usually have to chip in to buy a roll of batting. We use at least one roll a month and we are really in a bind right now. We donate all our quilts to the hospital pediatric ward and to our local hospice. We try to do at least 600 per year and there are 8 of us. If anyone has any ideas on how we can get a good deal on batting, please pm me. Right now we have no choice but JoAnn's and it is costing us approx. $100 per month.

Put an ad on Craigs List explaining your cause and need and price you'll pay and see what machines are offered to you?

Talk to your local LQS that also sells machines. Many have a machine trade in program and lots just trash the trade ins. I made some inquiries of mine when I was collecting information for a local kids club in a low income area that wanted to start giving sewing lessons. My store was more than willing to supply some.

i sure hope you find some, that sounds like a great group.

You have a local freecycle group? Post on there your want for good used machines for charity work. That is where we have received a lot of our machines.

Look at Goodwill, Salvation Army Habitat for Humanity Restore I have found machines at all these place. Our community also has a bunch of different Facebook Groups where people post things for sale or trade, try searching and see if you can find something like that in your area. Craigslist and Freecycle are also great places to look. Good Look!!!

Everytime I go to the Good Will in my area they always have sewing machines, many selling for $10.00. And most of them are the good old fashioned all metal machines!
If you do have free cycle in your area post an ad.. it costs nothing .. and you might be surprised at the response.

Try looking at www.shopgoodwill.com They even have some Featherweights on there.

I also have several ladies come over. Have purchased 5 machines from $5-40 at the highest. They are top of the line vintage machines and do a wonderful job of straight stitching. I found them at garage sales, craig's list and we have a local Bookoo site that lists.