Finding a 301A
 

Hi I am new to this site and you all have inspired me to purchase a vintage Singer machine. I think I would be most happy with a 301A (black is my first choice,but not picky). I have seen the FW, but unfortunately my pocketbook will not stretch that far at this time. I have recently retired and am sewing alot of donation quilts for my local church. It has been said many times the 301As are the best for piecing.
Where would be the best place to look for one? My husband is very mechanically inclined and may be able to do some minor repairs. I have not seen any on Craigslist in my area (Northern Wisconsin). Ebay has some, but there again not sure if that is a good idea. Any suggestions?

I have found 2 on Craigslist but it took awhile. I have 2 FW as well and both are workhorses. I have not bought anything on Ebay, but I know that others have and had good luck. Keep an eye on their history. People who are unhappy are very vocal! If you travel, keep your eye out at antique and thrift shops. One person I bought a 301 from finds his machines and refurbishes them. Hope you find what you are looking for!

Craigslist. You eliminate all the shipping costs and attendant problems and you can try the machine yourself.
I found a 301 at the Goodwill, all I wanted was the table so gave the 301 to a member here in exchange for a bit of fabric.

The 301 and 400 series (I LOVE my 404) are highly recommend because they were aluminum machines so make great carry alongs, they are under 20 pounds.

If you don't plan on doing any classes the field is wide open in vintage machines :)

good luck with the search. I looked for about a year on craigslist before a found my 404, there were some prior to that but condition and price were part of my watchlist.

I found all three of my on Craigslist in the town that I live in. The last one I purchased was a black one for $150~perfect condition~perfect running order~ with the original case and attachments. It was about 3 years ago. Happy hunting. The other two each came with their own original sewing cabinet and bench and were under $75.

Give it some time. Find out if there is a local newspaper for your area (usually a weekly, usually free) and check the ads in that and in any other local newspapers. Regularly check out thrift stores in your area. If you have the time, check out garage sales and estate sales -- especially those that advertise sewing items for sale. There should be a few estate sale organizations in your area that have online listings. These are very helpful as you can look through the photos posted prior to the sale and see if there are any sewing machines in the pictures. Here is one website where you can sign up to be notified of estate sales in your area: http://www.estatesales.net/ .

You could also join the SewItsForSale group at groups.yahoo.com . Every once in awhile someone posts a vintage machine for sale. I think it's okay to purchase from eBay *if* the seller has a stellar track record (check their feedback history) and routinely sells vintage machines on eBay. People who don't routinely sell sewing machines on eBay often don't understand whether they actually work or not, and also often do not package them correctly for shipment, resulting in damage when they arrive.

Good luck with your search. I piece quilt top for my church group too. Have fun and enjoy the pleasure of giving.

Thank you! Both of your suggestions are great!

Also, if you belong to a guild or sewing group, or frequent a specific quilt shop so they know you, put out the word that you're looking for one. Sometimes someone will have a vintage machine in a closet they don't use and would be willing to pass on to a new owner.

Cari

Purchased mine over e-bay (2 different ones, 2 different transactions). I may not have gotten the "bargain" that lots of folks have, but I got two very good working machines. Both were well packed and arrived in fine shape. I keep one at the cabin and use it regularly. The one at home is my main piecing and fmq machine. They are 16 lbs, easy to maintain, and consistent. Hang in there, you'll find your's. Mine are both the two tone beige.

Another good suggestion! Thank you!