I'd bought a Viking-back in '95. Wasn't liking how the 1/4" seam was, and other things. The salesman was not fun to deal with either. I traded it for a Pfaff 7500 series, and I love it! In later years, I've gotten a Featherweight, 301A, and a New Home treadle in a parlor cabinet. Still need to find some info on the NH, and learn to clean and service it, etc. I do enjoy the older machines for their great stitches!

Well, each to his or her own!
I just moved my Janome into a L shaped setup in the corner for easier quilting. Now I can't look out the window so have decided to set the FW up facing the window for piecing. Best of both worlds, as far as I'm concerned. And that F W is just so darn cute.

My mechanical Bernina hardly gets used any more but both of my Berninas were born in the 90s so they don't have all the latest gizmos because I have never felt I needed a thread cutter or a laser light. I think you are lucky to have a featherweight that is easy to transported to classes and in traveling in your RV. :)

"Each to his own" the old lady said as she kissed the cow!

My MIL had a Singer featherweight that she absolutely hated and never used if she could help it! When it became mine it had the first bobbin full of thread ever inserted in it-yes, 30+ years old and brand new. I had it reconditioned by a technician because of sitting so long without use. I love it for what it does-easy to carry places (classes and camper). I piece with it and love the stitch and accuracy. When I am at home I enjoy the technology in my BERNINA machines which I use to piece, craft, and quilt. I also have a Singer 401A that I bought new in 1959 and love to use it-for what it does.

I bought a nine-year old, never used Singer to take to classes, etc. because it was very light (meant to replace the FW). However, it made so much noise that even after having it serviced, I didn't like using it. Now it lives at someone else's house for me to use when I'm there. Back to the 1949 FW for portability.

My piecing machine is a 1995 mechanical Bernina 930 Record which absolutely hums along; I FMQ small quilts on a Juki 2010Q and I have a Pfaff Grand Quilter on an Inspira frame for the larger quilts. Each has it uses and does their job beautifully.

I'm really enjoying hearing everyone's responses. I do plan to keep my little FW jewel and use her in the RV for piecing. Perhaps we will bond eventually and she will become a go to machine for classes too. But for now I am looking forward to working on my newer machines. Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me. It's nice to know it is not just me and to those who sew on Vintage machines thank you for sharing how much you love them.

I can identify with that. I used a computer at work for years and I love to get away from it whenever I can and just sew and relax.

Back when I'd put my entire sewing room into storage to sell the house I didn't realize it would take 3 years to sell due to the selling market at the time. So went out to purchase another simple machine and found a Janome one with the basic stitches plus the fancy stitches. Never could get the feel for it though it should have been a good machine. I finally gave it away to a friend that was looking into buying a machine. She in turn gave it to the fellow I'm teaching about making a quilt. He couldn't seem to get the hang of it either. Now I wanted a simple machine I could add borders and binding to my larger quilts, one I could set on one end of my cutting table and then move to the floor when I needed the entire cutting table to trim the quilt. I love this machine, a Brother XR3140 with a table. I haven't gone back to my old faithful D1 since. I liked it so much I ordered another one for the fellow I'm teaching. He loves his too so I guess I got lucky here and plus spent less than $200 for each of them. The Janome is back in its box in a corner.....forgotten.

OH MY GOSH. Add me to the list of "I thought I was the only one" folks! I finally broke down and bought a Featherweight a couple of years ago, from someone that I know, who claims to be a restoration expert. Well, I think she figured that because she gave me a little better price than some of the other Featherweights she has sold, she didn't have to touch this machine. Because I see her all the time, I just didn't feel comfortable backing out of the transaction (my fault totally). Anyway, I ended up with this stinky awful disgusting scratched up mess of a machine. I have put hours and hours of time into it myself, reading every single restoration article online (or so it seems). I still have the god-awful case for it wrapped up in trash bags in my basement, because the stench is so overwhelming I can't have it inside my condo or the whole place stinks.

Anyway, because of all of the above, I really just have not "bonded" with that Featherweight. I think I might resent it a little....LOL... not really but who knows?! Every once in a while I take her out and do a little piecing on her, just so she doesn't feel bad. :)