I recently bought a Singer 15-91, which is in mint condition, but secretly covet a 201. (guess it's not a secret anymore!) I love the charm and durability of the older machines. My sewing machine repairman told me that he hates the newer machines with the plastic heads that are split in half -- that eats a lot of the labor charge, because they are easy to take apart, but not fun to put back together --- very labor intensive.

I have several reasons for buying my vintage singers. First off, I like Singers since it is easy to find the needles, bobbins and parts for them. I finally realized that my obsession with black Singers was because of watching my Grandmother sew dresses for me on her old singer when I was around five years old. I enjoy fixing and working on these workhorses but they very seldom have problems so I don't get to work on them very much. (I end up buying broken ones in the 2nd hand stores so that I can tinker with them.)

I love the Singer models 401 and 403s because I can move the needle both to the right and left. (I have 3 of these machines. I have one down at my neighbors for when we quilt together. I have another one in my sewing/guest room and one in the dining room for when the sewing/guest room is being used.)
These two models help me to get the perfect 1/4 seam without using a special 1/4 foot. (I have several 1/4 feet for my newer machines but I can never seem to get a good 1/4 seam when I use them.)

I have two featherweights (one was my mothers and I bought the other one for sewing classes before I received my mothers). I very seldom use them even though I have the 1/4 foot for them. I like my 401s and 403 better.

I have two 301s that I also never use anymore and will probably give them away. I wanted my son to take one because it is a good sturdy machine. I hoped to trade him the 301 for the model 99 that I gave him in earlier years. The stinker wanted to trade for one of my featherweights instead and we couldn't come to an agreement. :lol:

I have a Singer treadle model 15 that does a great stitch and I enjoy treadling on it. Right now I'm making a log cabin quilt on it.

I bought another model 99 that I plan on making into a handcrank. It is small and I can put it away in a carrying case.
I have a model 66 that I am saving for when my husband wants to work on canvas things. (It keeps him away from my other machines.) It is a good working sewing machine and I've thought about putting it back into a cabinet but first I have to find the cabinet and find a place to put the cabinet.

I also have a handcrank model 127 that uses the boat shape type of bobbin. It was my first vintage singer that I had ever bought and I only had to pay about $35 for it. (This was about 15 years ago.) I do need to decide what I want to do with it, and I was going to sale it at a yard sale until I handcranked a few seams to make sure it worked properly. It was a dream to handcrank. It was very smooth and worked great. (I didn't put it up for sale as I had planned.) :roll:

I finally decided that I don't want to buy anymore Singers but I have to admit that I've heard very good things about the 201 that I decided I would pick up "ONE" more if I ever find one.
:lol:

Featherweights will sew anything! I have sewn leather/w velcro and my new machine gave me problems. My FW came thru! I love it. Who doesn't like to sew on a beautiful machine. You can also repair them and parts are available!

My mom prefers a 301 to a featherweight bc she feels it has more power for various garment sewing. I' ve not actually sewed a stitch on a fw but I used a 301 - straight seams were so nice, quarter inch mark on the plate - it sewed like a dream.

I've got the same question. I found a Singer, dated 1908, but I don't think it's a featherweight? Should I buy it?

Actually, I didn't buy my Featherweight. Rather, I asked for my mother's and she gave it to me. She had attachments and the wooden card table it fits into for a sewing table. A piece lifts out of the table to accommodate the machine. I did have to have some work done on it as well as replace the cords.

I learned to sew on that machine. It's like working with an old friend!

Mom's father gave her a dowry cow in 1941. For those who might not understand, it was an old English tradition to give a daughter a dowry when she married so she didn't go empty handed to her husband.

This cow was brindle colored. I sat on her when my dad milked it.

When I was 4 years old, electricity came into southern Iowa. My dad, trained after serving in WWII, wired electricity into our home. Mom was so excited! The first appliance she bought was a refrigerator to replace the ice box.

Then, Mom decided to sell that cow to pay for an electric sewing machine so she could make my school clothes, and be able to have the advantage of using a butonholer. The old treadle machine did not do that.

I cried and threw a fit at the thought of selling that cow! I thought there would be no more milk at the table. My dad discussed the issue with me and I sort of accepted the idea when he told me there were other cows on that ranch, and we would still have milk. However, those cows were not tame enough for met to sit upon while being milked.

Mom chose the Featherweight because of the storage case, and being able to put it away when not in use, which was hardly ever the case. Also, she felt that since they moved alot, it would be easy to move.

Oh yes, I have memories of that machine. I can remember Mom patching my dad's canvas overalls using it. I made doll clothes with it.

Since it came to my home, I have taken it to quilting retreats as well as other sewing at home. Also, we've used the card table for playing cards or working puzzles as my mother did.

When in my teens, I discovered I could set the buttonholer on a long length, using the largest buttonhole cam, and make zig zag stitches. Leave it to a kid!

I feel I inherited a tradition in this machine. Thanks, Mom!

A lot of people like to collect them.
If I were looking for a machine I 'd want a machine with more options.

I have a Singer Featherweight (born in 1955) and a Pfaff Expression 2038 and a Bernina 440 QE. Will admit that the Featherweight does not get as much use as the two "modern machines", but I just love "Fern" (Featherweight) for her simplicity (not much can go wrong with these old machines), her outward beauty (I happen to like antiques that connect me with the past) and the perfect straight stitch I can always count on getting when I use my Featherweight for piecing. I like to bring Fern to quilt guild workshops/classes when I know that all I will be doing is straight stitching. Nothing like the soothing "hum" of a Featherweight, in comparison to the noise that modern sewing machines produce ....... sometimes it is just the therapy I need when I feel stressed.

I have always had Singer's. I love the 301 it's a work horse. The featherweight has such a nice comforting sound, not to mention they stitch great and easy to carry around. It's a machine that you can work on and maintain your self.
But I have a little gem that I got at a garage sale for $5. It's a Elna Lotus SP. It is soo cute and I use it more now than my featherweight. It has it's "own" case that's enclosed in. It also zig zags. I get a lot of looks at classes when I bring. I also have a 15 year old Janome Memory Craft 9000. So everybody has their special machines they like. I don't own a Bernina. I have an old Viking. I've been sewing since I was a little girl, hence my avatar. Pam

and the repair bill is cheaper they have less moving parts so they live longer my newer singer is going to cost 145.00 to fix so I"ll wait /save for a new one