Yes, tell him. I thought it was hilarious!
Wow, how did he know trapunto? You better be careful if he starts getting interested in quilting- if he's anything like my husband we'd be headed to divorce court hahaha
My sweet man is a maniac. My sister said she never saw anyone go through coffee grinders, microwaves, you name it the way we do. He is a fabulous cook but makes disasters everywhere lol I don't want him anywhere near my sewing room. :)

Rush for sewing machines ?
 

Local news interviewed a Sewing Machine Sales & Service person in our city and this was reported : Suddenly people are dragging sewing machines out of closets & basements & every single day he’s getting 10-12 a day for repair and/or service !!! Sewing machines also selling at a pretty good clip for the purpose of sewing masks and hobby use. Who would’ve guessed this. ??? It would be good if their children can learn a little from it because it’s no longer taught in school here.

Some people are using this to sell off old machines. It's not easy to purchase a new one. Some of the prices I see advertised are outrageous. Hope buyers beware.

I got my two machines that need help to the shop last week, they had been closed for awhile but applied for and got an essential service exemption. Many other shops are staying closed so they are "busy enough!" and will be bringing back their vacuum machine repair specialist because of the demand.

Those of us who have multiple machines are vindicated!

Maybe I better go see if I can get a job doing what we do to all the old ones, lol. That way the "real" techs can use their valuable time on timing issues and the computerized ones we don't touch. The sad thing is, they probably wouldn't want to pay me as much as I'm making on unemployment.

I have had an old Singer for years and only for hobby sewing..curtains, hems, little crafts. I started masks and found it just was not working right and justified an updated machine. I had a very difficult time finding one, and if you search certain sites more than once, they start raising the price. I ordered a Singer and it got cancelled, inventory issue. Then found a Brother SE600 that was actually available. The price kept jumping on it everytime I looked at it so I almost didn't order. It went up $150.00 in one day. I let it sit 2 days and the price went back down. Terrible online games. However, the machine is computerized and so much nicer...I was able to get 3x as much work done. I am very happy to have it; I will probably do more sewing now that I can also embroider. I want to learn about some basic quilitng so I can use some old fabrics I have saved from family...Hoping I can incorportate them.

Hmmmm. Interesting topic. This topic has sealed my decision about sewing/quilting from now on.

Shop just called, the Bernina requires a part so I'll wait and see if the dealership opens up as planned May 1 or May 5 when our restrictions are lightened.

Am getting a new foot pedal and a servicing for my vintage machine, she's an old gal and I do most of the maintenance myself but might as well give her some love while in the shop :)

I'm thinking that all who sew need a bulletproof vintage machine for backup when the hi-tech ones fail us. We have three. My favorite is my Grandmothers 1937 cabinet Singer.

Jim

I cannot bring myself to part with the Kenmore machine I bought in high school. Have acquired numerous attachments over the years and it is definitely my back-up machine when something is awry with my new ones.

Almost all of my sewing supplies are in storage, awaiting my postponed move. I did keep one out of storage, so I sewed masks with my 1949 Singer 15-91, but it started having some issues. Of course my oil is in storage! My daughter rummaged in her craft closet & pulled out a Brother she used strictly for craft projects. I put in a new needle & away I went! I've made several masks & pieces 2 baby quilt tops! Sewing has relieved some of my boredom, for sure.

With my two favorite machines down, I've been using a bottom of the line Brother for all my sewing since just after the Bonnie Hunter project started. As reported earlier, I got both of my machines into the shop. The vintage Remington is back now with a new foot pedal and all nicely professional cleaned and adjusted. The Bernina shop is open for drop off now. Hooray!

I miss my bells and whistles, I miss the sturdy steady reliability, but cheap or not, working beats non-working every day of the week! It's chugging along just fine for masks and such.

Don't think I mentioned it here, but have now found out there is a freezer shortage. If we order one now we should get it between end of Memorial Day and Labor Day. Maybe. Don't expect any big sales on them this year either :p

DH bought another large freezer at an online estate sale two weeks ago too cheap to pass up to put in the garage. So check out the online sales near you. He went and picked it up the next day. It was very clean and much newer then we thought.

That's our next step, Onebyone, we have a small truck and we want a medium sized chest freezer so we should be able to lift and transport it.

The upright type units are still purchasable to some extent.

I'm rather sensitive to the humming noises and would really like to hear a plugged in one to make my final decisions.

This would be a good time to sell some of my machines and just keep the four in the family room.
I ordered a foot pedal for my Singer 404. My fragile feet don't like the button type. It didn't arrive - I finally checked tracking - it was delivered April 14. Whoops! It's not here.
I also had to order a presser foot for my 1973 Elna. One of my cats collects shiny things - I took it from her once, but she got it again and I have no idea where it's at. The embroidery foot wasn't working for mask making. Luckily, the 301s are good mask makers. One is set up for FMQ and one for mask making. That way I don't get bored.

https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/thumbup.pngYay!!!!!! I was hoping you would get it back quickly.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Quick story: I had to go the OSMG today just to pick up a small part, and he said that the shop just took in their 200th repair today, for this year (during this time). They are a shop that's been in business for three generations. since the 1920's. He was the grandson to the business and he said they never been this busy. Most of their display models had 'sold' sign on them. Cherish your little charmers, I know I do and mine are all vintage models.

Stay safe everyone

cherry

I ordered a Eversewn on April 3 from SewingMachinesPlus. Said it was in stock and i paid an extra 11 to have it arrive in 3-5 days. Got a call from shop that it was actually out of stock. I finally got the machine on April 22 or so. Also got an email from the shop on April 21, apologizing. Said they were short staffed and where they normally handle 10,000 calls per month so far they had over 42,000. Holy moly! And they are a staff of 16. While i was disappointed in the time frame i was not mad and didn’t fight with them on anything. These are just different times.

On a different note, the machine was for my granddaughter. I had given them and older Singer that i had (not a neat older, just old!) and now i think she doesn't want to use the Eversewn. Heavy Sigh. The Singer had lots of decorative stitches and she is so happy to just sew with those. She is flying through the thread! She is 7 and I am not able to help her at all so who knows what it will be like when we can get together!!!

My local sewing machine dealer has no machines for sale under $2500!! They are a Babylock, Janome, Pfaff, etc. dealer. Also, our repair guy that works there is so backed up with orders that he stopped taking in new repairs in April and was supposed to be back open in July. The lady in the shop last week said he might not be caught up until August. They probably won't get restocked until September. Yikes.

Wouldn't you know my Brother cx155LA seized up 2 weeks ago. Luckily, I have some back up machines, my Fashion Mate 237 Singer and my Janome jw5622, both mechanical machines. Glad I hung on to them. My Singer I've had since college in the late 60's. They both work great as long as I clean and oil them. So, like others have said, hug the machine you have.

Here in Southern CA many dealers have good deals on machines. I decided my 30 year old Juki serger could be replaced. It was a workhorse, but threading was complicated. Gave it to a friend who was delighted and I'm delighted with my new Babylock Celebrity.

I have 3 sewing machines. A Janome 15000 and Juki HZL-H600 are both needing repairs. I have a Singer 301 that is 65 years old that is my go to machine. I oiled it and it is sewing like a champ. I wouldn't trade it for any newer machine.

The only shortage I've seen here is at Walmart and Joann's. The Brother dealer is out of the Luminaire machines. Sold all she had and those are the most expensive being around $15,000 now. And the trade ins for the new ones are high end machines to begin with and they are for sale at very reduced costs. Said her shop has made more profit in the last few months then all of last year.

She had a delivery of low priced machines come in right before the shutdown, getting ready for summer classes for beginner sewers. . She quickly bundled them with a mask making kit to make 25 masks. All those machines sold in a matter of days.

Tell him to look on YouTube for the Quilting Marine.

Tell him to look on YouTube for the Quilting Marine.

Sounds like perhaps a regional issue. Our sewing centers here have plenty of machines available and sales all the time. Even our Joannes has a good supply of machines.

Regional shortage
 

You are probably correct. I live in AZ. Our big box stores have been wiped out of sewing machines, fabric, notions for 2 months. Luckily we have a couple of quilt shops that still have fabric. They say it's getting harder to order certain lines and colors though. Crazy times. Good thing my stash is holding up. ;)

It's not just a shortage for machines, what is available have some insane markup prices. I've been keeping an eye on a Brother (CS6000i) on Amazon for a while, when I checked it at the beginning of December, it was only $160, when I checked just last week, it is now listed for $430 with the newer CS7000i listed at $425 and they're not the only ones that did a huge increase. I'm actually afraid to look at the Singer I've been keeping an eye on.

The last time I was physically out in public was December 10th, that was to pick up some groceries and finally pick up my Dressmaker from my service guy. I've got it and a mini-machine that I switch back and forth on, depending on my mood, but when I saw the pandemic coming down the pipe, I picked up some extra brushes for cleaning my machines and I'm waiting for new needles, bobbins, a snap-on foot adapter and an open toe embroidery foot for the Dressmaker, they'll be here Monday. I also finally found a manual for my Dressmaker, I'll get that in the middle of the month, but the only thing I forgot to pick up was an extra bottle of oil. At least now that I'll have a manual for my main machine, I can finally start correctly cleaning and oiling it when it comes time.

I'm glad I've got the machines that I do and I'm doubly glad I picked up some extra supplies. A few months from now when people need needles, bobbins, thread, etc. to maintain their machines, my gut says the prices will go up on those items, too. I'm not going to hoard sewing machine supplies, but I do intend on picking up what I can and will continue to do so until the prices go up. New silk pins, more needles and thread for general supplies, then a couple of rulers, a new cutting mat and maybe the templates for the mini double wedding ring for quilting are already on my shopping list for next month.

Have to look at it this way, ladies, we may be in a sewing machine shortage now, but when this pandemic is over (and they always end), there are going to be garage sales again and you can bet, some will have sewing machines, especially when they find out just what it is going to entail to get them serviced. Until then, make extra efforts to clean, oil and love on our machines, troubleshoot our own problems, continue to quilt and just hold on.

My LQS seemed to have plenty of Janomes when I was there recently.

I wonder if any of my vintage machines would sell now? Marketplace, here I come.

Waving ..long time no chat-hope all is well aka dee fox :)

Meh, it's here too (NS, Canada). Sewing machines, deep freezers, generators, etc.

It's just stupid humans being......well, stupid humans. If there's one thing you can always bank on, it's that the human animal is always going to be panicky, greedy and egocentric when things go "T's" up.

My 6 domestic vintage machines (Kenmore 1580, 60's White rotary, Singer 319W/328K, an early 70's Kenmore free arm and a "plastic era" Singer 247) and my one vintage industrial (singer 331k105) are quite happy sitting in my nice, warm clean office/craft room. Not much one of the new computerized plastic fantastics can do that I can't using these old hacks. Or at least, nothing that I need/want/care to do....

I always have a little giggle when I see someone tuck one of those new plastic wonders under their arm and headed to the cashier. Overpriced and under engineered. My 50/60's machines just keep humming right along and it helps that I paid less all together for my 99% metal vintage machines than I would for something made of 90% plastic. Also doesn't hurt that anyone can work and time my old vintage machines (I do my own work) when they slip or come out of time.

What a interesting thread!! I know last April when I went to a Walmart in central Illinois, I was shocked to see how little fabric there was on the shelf, and no elastic in site! And now I am reading how sewing machines are becoming scarce! The explosion of art that will come out of this mess!! I have made a ton of mask, as well as other projects in the 2.5 months since I have been laid off. My first masks were very generic and functional, now I'm starting to make some fancy ones, simply put, I have the fabric, the technology and the elastic to make them, I'm on it. A 40 plus year stash of fabric, thread and machines can make a ton of mask!

Some of the new plastics are quite durable.

And some metal rusts to nothing but crumbs.

It's fun reading this thread to see how people think and feel. Our local quilt shop is starting to get machines in again. They received the BabyLock Brilliant, which they weren't expecting until the end of August. They said that is one of their most popular sellers. The Jubilant is supposed to be back in September but could be sooner.
It's probably for the best that I had a cooling off period after my electronic machine froze up. I've been learning to appreciate my mechanicals more and more. My Singer Fashion Mate 237 actually has 6.75" of throat space! My Brother only had about 5.5". My Janome jw5622 has 6.5" of throat space. One day, a Brother PQ1500SL might come home with me, but not until prices go back to normal. One place I looked at jumped about $300 for the Brother. Supply and demand.

That's a lot of money to invest in mask making!

I think a lot of the lower priced machines came out of china and their factories probably shut down..as for everything else, I would guess that at least 1 component of everything, (sewing machines, freezers, etc) is probably made in china..so here were are.If you think about everything in your house from phones to stoves to electronics, all or part of it has to come from china..same with our cars..if we don't get this pandemic under control it's going to mean a shortage of many, many things.

I have been trying to purchase a Singer Heavy Duty 4452 for two months. I can purchase it from "different sellers" on Amazon but the cost is about $250 more. Singer website does not have any and JAF doesn't either. I have a Viking that I replaced the feed dog 2 quilts and 175 donated masks ago and it is acting like the feed dog is giving out again. I just want to have a second machine. We purchased the Heavy Duty for our elementary after school program at the recommendation of our County 4-H and they have been wonderful. Yikes!!

Our local sewing machine shop got in Babylock Brilliant ahead of schedule and are hoping the Jubilants will come in August. They had been told September!

So hang in there. Looks like supply is catching up to demand.

Have you tried SewingMachinesPlus.com? They have free shipping on the Singer 4452.

I did notice the price increase on Amazon. The Brother PQ1500 went from $500 to 950. Months back, walmart had them for $300.