Two weeks ago I decided it was time to take seriously the "real" number of SMs I need around here. The decision was one of those "I need to lighten the herd," followed by "OMG ... where do I start!"

The decision-making process, for me anyway, is akin to standing at the edge of a forest and trying to decide which tree in the middle of it goes to the woodpile first.

My wife is the quilter and I am the one with the out-of-control hobby of finding machines and working on them so they sew again.

My wife's all-time favorite is her 1936 featherweight, so I know that one stays. I also have three treadles here that are for my wife and two daughters. There are two more treadles that I would like to keep for me, a badged Delaware and a badged Pennsylvania. I grew up in PA and now live in DE.

The hard part is looking at all these machines -- somewhere around 100 -- and[forcing] myself to let go. Yesterday was spent digging through my garage. I found a Singer 201 and a 15-91.
I also found a white and a Necchi Supernova. I think I can part with these machines, but there are many more to go before I head to the main stash in the basement... sigh.

If I were to make a suggestion to anyone who has been bitten by the old sewing machine bug it would be to get some salve on that bite before it spreads, else you are doomed to these beauties multiplying almost unabated!

P.S. Our goal is to move back to PA after our youngest graduates from college in 1-1/2 years. Can't take tons of SMs with me!

My favorite machine is, without a doubt, a singer 401A and the Singer 500. I did find out that it is much easier to do paper piecing on the FW -- wife made me try it -- than on the big guys!

I'm sorry you feel you have to let some go..Please do not cut off your arm to much in the process... Hard thing your doing, my admiration to you...

Holy cow!!!!!!! You really have that many???
Thanks, I feel better now knowing I only have 7 :D

I only have a few machines and couldn't imagine parting with any of them. You have some really hard decisions to make. Those machines do seem to multiply don't they.

have you ever thought of selling them to good homes? It would bring in money, and keep the bunnies from multiplying too fast. plus you could keep with your hobby of fixing and finding new machines. just have to start selling them. try ebay or maybe craigslist.

You have my deepest sympathy. I collect beat, battered, ugly and unfinished quilt tops and orphan blocks AND abandoned naked baby dolls. I was garage saling(saleing ?) and an older lady gave a naked baby doll and told me to take it home and make it some clothes. I can't stop! I pickup the dolls and immediately make them diapers. I can't bare(HA-HA) to pass them up. They look so pitiful I can't help myself. I understand, so if you need a home for a pitiful machine let me know. :lol: :lol:

It's hard to "let go" when you are so attached! Good Luck.

I know the feeling. I will buy one fix it clean and polish. Then I set down to sew and Help, I love this one too. So few of them get sold. I do sell featherweights. I keep my three favorites and let go of the rest. Good luck in your endever.

And my friends tease me because I have 12 SMs and 2 sergers.

Good luck with your downsizing. I know it won't be easy.

Currently I have 9 machines at my house and two more at my mom's. If I had room for them, they would be here too. I wish you the best in trying to decide which ones to part with. My collection of machines began when my first machine died on me. This left me without anything to sew on, and that just didn't set well with me. From that point on I decided it would never happen again and thus began my small collection.

In your case, it sounds wonderful that you are saving these wonderful machines. They are wonderful people out there who would love these machines as much as you, so try selling some of them to "good homes" where they will be appreciated. It's a good cause...