I was in thrift shops today looking for fabric (no joy) but I did find and buy an old Necchi sewing machine. The owner's manual says 1951. The owner of the thrift shop assured me it works fine and it has the box of attachments. I paid $25 for it. I have never heard of a Necchi before. Is anyone familiar with it? A Singer Featherweight, it definitely is not...more like a heavyweight. But maybe that means it is built to last.

My Mom had one and it was a work horse. I loved it, my sister took it to Alaska. :cry:

My first sewing machine was a Necchi. I don't know about other's experiences, but it was probably made in the '70's and it didn't last long for me:< Clunked out and was cheaper to get a new machine than fix. I think the older ones like what you purchased would be better built(as the older ones all seem to be).

The old Necchi's are supposed to be very good. Sounds like you got a good deal.

I bought one in 1980. Great machine. I recently gave it to my daughter and I am regretting it. Might ask for it back.

I used my mom's Necchi when I was in high school, mid '60s. Had cams that you would insert for fancy stitching. it was a heavy metal machine in a cabinet. My mom gave it to me years later and, like a fool, I gave it away. wish I had it back (:

Thanks, I'll post a photo if I can. I figured for the money I couldn't go too far wrong. If I don't use it I can pass it on to someone else.

I have a Necchi, I love that thing!

Is it a new one or an old one?

My mom traded in her FW for a 1955 Necchi. It was a workhorse. I used it until my DH dropped it on the floor and cracked the housing. Forced me to by the Janome 6500 :P

I bought one at a yard sale for 3.00! I love it, works great. Its probaly from the early 80s.

My mother bought a Necchi in the mid 60's and made all her and my clothes for years, no decades, on it. It still runs. Great machine!

Hi,

I have a Necchi that my parents bought for me in the 60's. Can't remember the exact year, sorry. It is in a cabinet, has all the cams. I like it a lot and plan on keeping it.

I bought a newer computerized portable machine that I could take to quilt meetings and classes. It is a Euro Pro. I got it on sale at half price with a payment plan and really like all the bells and whistles that it has.

They are very well built machines and will last a long time as the inside parts are made with metal which is why they are so heavy. The newer lighter machines are made of plastic which has the potential for wearing out and breaking after a period of time.

You made a good find and a wise purchase.

Pam

I have my old Necchi. It seems to be all metal. It is still a workhorse. I made clothes for us on it and it has a maximum power level for doing upholstery. I still use it for heavy upholstery work. It has moved quite a fair bit and is like new.

You got a good deal.

ali

That's what we used in our home ec class in high school a million years ago.

I have a friend with a Necchi about that age and she loves it.

Congratulations on your find. Is this your first vintage machine? If you are interested there is a Necchi Yahoo group. You will be able to learn lots of info from the members.

It is my first vintage machine! That would be great, I have to figure out how to use it and I'm sure I need lots of info.
My mom died on March 2. Though she never quilted, she made beautiful clothing on her old Singer. I told my dad NOT to get rid of it. I think she got it back in the late forties or early fifties. I don't know how I'll get it here from Texas, but I'll manage somehow. It's amazing what she did with just a straight stitch. I miss her every day.

Necchi's Rock. They are Italian Made I believe and my mother swears they are one of the best machines she has ever used. I have a Necchi story.

Found a Necchi on CL. There was a phone so I called. Left two messages over 2 days, no response. Hmmm. I was bummed. It said it was a brand new Necchi never used for only $150.00 and was 10 years old.

A gal calls me the third day and says I have been leaving messages on her machine about a sewing machine I want to buy, but she doesn't have one for sale. Hmmm...

So, I decided to email the person that posted it cause apparently they had mistyped their phone number for contact.

I email and the phone rings that night.

It is an 80 year old man that still has the machine. Mind you in the meantime I had done my homework and found many of this brand and model number online are 899-1000 buckeroos.

I asked him where he got it and why it was never used.

"I bought it for my wife about 10 years ago in Arizona. A new college was opening and when some of their funding got cut, the sewing program got cut. But they already bought the machines and decided to sell them brand new, never opened in the box for 1/2 price."

He said the original price was somewhere around $900. He bought it for $450. His wife never knew how to sew and they kept saying they would send her a video and never did so she never learned to sew on it. It sat in the box in a closet for 10 years. I told him I wanted to buy it.

I drove the next day, picked it up and it was so brand new, that the little piece of paper that they put under the foot when they ship was still there. The bag of tools that was sealed when a machine arrives had never been opened. It was in its original box, all the tools, in perfect condition. Needed a good oiling and I was off.

So, I got a $900 Necchi for $150 bucks brand new. It sews like a DREAM.

Hope this helps:

http://www.necchisewingmachines.org/...-machines.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,890021,00.html

Some of those vintage Necchi sewing machines were considered the Maytags of the sewing world!

That is an awesome story!!!!

Plain Jane....come on over to the Vintage Sewing Machine Shop. It's in the Virtual Section of this forum. Here is the link:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/virtual...jsp?vsnum=1013

You need to be aware, though, that once you get your first vintage machine it will not be your last :twisted: There is some sort of illness that is very contagious, called SMAD (sewing machine addiction disorder) that you will soon find yourself afflicted with....hahaha!!!

So sad. Just tried to use my "new" machine and the needle didn't budge. :( So much for the assurance that it worked great. I'll try to get my money back from the thrift shop tomorrow.

I would not take it back. It probably just needs some oil since it has been sitting so long. The oil has dried up in places. Billie in the vintage machine store that was posted above will give you all the help you need to get the machine running. It should be very easy.

Does the needle move if you turn the hand wheel? Or is the machine completely frozen?

I have 3 of the 1951 Necchis and use them every day. They will run forever, you cant kill em! Best machine Ive had.... original price was $550, that was alot of money in 1951. I will never part with mine and if I see any in yard sales, they will come home with me for sure!!
Awesome machine

It doesn't move even when I turn the hand wheel. The rubber belt turns, but nothing on the machine moves. There is some visible rust on it, so I guess it could be rusted up inside.

Thanks, I'll see what Billie has to say. I'd love to get it running, but I know nothing at all about repairs. The owners manual doesn't have a trouble shooting guide!

Sounds to me like a broken shaft inside. I love vintage machines, but a repair like that would be outside of my willingness and expertise.

have you opened up the top to look inside? that might tell you alot............ dont give up on it yet......... oil can do miraculous things, in the right places