my newest brother jammed up on me for some reason or other but here i took out my FW and it went straight to sewing beautifully and straight w/o missing stitches or breaking threads! It just doesn't ziz-zag but nonethless, is pretty light and a workhorse....

I picked up a treadle this week, in a beautiful cabinet (7 drawers). Research tells me it was born in 1911 in Bridgeport CN. Thought that was rather odd, because most of the Singers of that vintage are from RI. More research gave me the reason. Singer bought the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Co. which was in Bridgeport. This machine is a almost a W&W, but with a Singer name. It runs just needs a new belt. My reason for getting it -- simply for quilting. & when we lose power, I'll still be able to sew!

an older sewing machine has more durable (metal) parts, and they sew very well. i purchased a treadle sewing machine a few months ago-cleaned it up and replaced the belt and it sews great-and with costs of everything going up and outta sight, i can still machine sew without electricity! i still use my serger, and i still love my computerized innov-is 1000, but i also like the idea of not spending any more money than i have to.

Are you sure you mean Featherweights? A true featherweight (FW) only weighs 11 pounds and is easily lifted with one hand. They are very portable. I love mine. It not only has all its parts it came with a lot of accessories. I can do any kind of sewing with it. I also have collected other vintage machines. Just their history, duribility, etc. is enough to appreciate. I use mine but also have several hand cranks and treadles for display mostly. I plan to hand them all down as pieces of history. :-D

Oh, forgot to mention the hum of the old machines. Very cool.

I love my 2004 Bernina Artista and my 1975 Bernina 830 but the old gals are dreams to sew with also. Thanks for asking!

My older machine is a singer treadle the 12k family dated back to the 1800's and in working order!!!! The reason I am thrillle dthat its in working order is...you never know when something might happen to where you are without power. And as we all know the treadles don't require electricity! So...if need be, I could continue on with my quilting. I might have to light up a oil lamp,but power outage wouldn't slow me down.

Old machines, they are wonderful!! I have 4 featherweights-1941 black with crome hand wheel, 1950 black, 1961 black red s, 1964 white, 1956 99k, 1959 black 301, and a 1919 red eye treadle. I purchased another 1964 white featherweight for for may granddaughers 14th birthday and she loves it. I purchased them all over time in ebay.

I still have my Singer Feather weight 221 that I recieved as a gift when in high school. It is a work horse and easily serviced by owner or at the shop. It sews like a charm and of course mine has soooooo many wonderful memories. I will never give it up. I also have a new Viking....love it....need my manual by my side when I use it because it is so complicated. I also have a White treadle. I love them all....my fav is the Singer. After retiring, I am finally able to get back into sewing. What a joy.

The reasons I'm collecting them is that the cases are fairly uniform in size and shape. Therefore, they are easy to shelve and store until time to set up a class. I load a trailer with bins of fabric, patterns, mats, cutters, scissors, thread, etc., and and assorted size and weight machines. I take my show on the road to teach 4-H kids how to sew.

When you need to lift 20 - 30 sewing machines, some of those units get pretty heavy. The kids unload and reload the trailer at the class site - but I load at the start, and unload when I get back home. I'm not young, or healthy, so it's a chore for me. Even the healthy kids have trouble with the heavy machines.

Having all the same style machine will also make it easier to teach a large class. The Featherweights are durable, and pretty much kid proof. I would like to have a total of 30 of them. (I have a long way to go.) As I get a featherweight, I can donate one of the older flea-market odd balls to one of the kids who really has promise in sewing.

These are easy to take to classes. My big machine has a motherboard in it, so you need to take care with it. Old machines are easy to use (not so over the top as the new ones). I remember about 1963 being with my Greatgrandmother in her little apt and watching her sew on her Treadle machine. I was the only one in the family she would sit and sew with. My Greataunt dumped the machine ("THAT OLD THING"), after her mother passed away. That machine gave me a love of sewing. So now when I use my Treadle I think of my GG and it makes me feel all warm inside. I have newer machines, but they do not have the same feel. I now sew for my granddaughter and the feeling is different with each machine. But it is still the best with my old "Iron Queen".

Of the five machines in my house, guess which one isn't used? The only one not considered vintage. It is a piece of whatever impolite word you choose. Give me all steel any time. My 1974 Elna is my go to machine, but the Singer 301 is a better quilting machine. Straight, strong, easy to use - it does have a crummy thread cutter, but it's pluses outweigh that one minus.

All smaller machines are not FWs. My Singer 128 is a 3/4 size machine, but it weighs 29 pounds. If it should ever give up sewing, its next job in life would be a great boat anchor.

Very solidly built. They will probably be around another hundred years or more. Sew a great straight stitch and lightweight/portable to take to sewing groups. And they are a classic.

Yea I need to know too.

I'm doing my best not to "collect" ANYTHING else (I make ceramic dolls, collect Charles Blackshear statues, African masks & carvings, heart-shaped rocks from the seashore, and make quilts! ENOUGH ALREADY!) HOWEVER, I wish I still had my grandmother's singer...just to feel her presence and recall making a seer sucker suit, making button holes, etc. She taught me to sew on a Singer and because she taught Home Economics I had to rip out an entire seam if the seam veered even the least bit! NOW you tell me the Singers were the easiest to sew perfect straight seams!!! Where were you when I needed you?!

Has anyone bought old machines at Goodwill or other thrift stores? Any luck?

What a blessing you are to those kids. And, I so agree with you about FWs being kid friendly. My now 5 year old GS has been sewing on mine since he was 3 1/2 and he looks forward to me visiting him because I always bring a sewing machine. :-D

I don't buy old sewing machines....they are just all I have ever had :D Got my 1947 Featherweight when I was 12, sewed on it & my Mom's 1956 Singer 403 all thru jr & sr high school. Left home, took my Featherweight with me. Fast forward 30 years later...inherited Mom's 403 when she died in 2007. I have never had the desire or $$ for one of the new fancy ones. And as long as my 1947 & 1956 models keep working don't see the need to replace them.

Because we hate plastic! After sewing on modern machines that don't have enough power to sew across another seam, I'm done with them. I could care less about computerized this and that, I want a nice, reliable stitch and enough power to penetrate the fabric, maybe many layers of it. I don't want to have to take a course just to be able to know how to operate my machine, either.

My "modern" machine is a Bernina Record 830, about 40 years old. My other machines are older Singers, made to last several lifetimes. The one in my avatar is a treadle and is 103 years old and still sews like a dream. I love to treadle on it. It says, "tickety, tickety, tickety..." I feel connected to a time when things were built with quality, not planned obsolescence.

I don't want a Featherweight (Singer 221)-- too wimpy. I did buy one for my daughter, tho. Only the 221 is called "Featherweight".

You really should try sewing on the older machines and you'll see why people love them. That's the only way to get that 'clue' you are looking for. ;)

Loaded question.
I have the newest Janome, and one that's 3 yrs old.
But my girls are:
1904 Singer 27 treadle
1942 Black Singer 221 Featherweight.
1950's Elna supramatic "the grasshopper"
And a 1970's era White "Jeans Machine".
Which one takes on anything?
The Featherweight. And the Elna, but it's built like a tank.
The Featherweight hummms when she sews. No whining, no shaking the table, no hesitation, and she's cute.
Did I mention she's cute?
She really is cute.
Bah, who am I kidding, it's an addiction. :)

Now that is a foolish question! Why do guys buy tools they never use or don't even know how to use them? Myself, I have five sewing machines and can't possibly use but one at a time.

I have my mother's old, old Singer but I have managed to keep it in working order. Got one out of an old attic - it works. So its just a collecting thing. By the way, I do not have a featherweight. B

OH MY! I just found out tonite, that there is a old treadle of my great granny's sitting in my grand dads barn! Lol told my mom, have no fear, I will come and get it.roflol.
Wow, I can't imagine how old that must be. And I can't wait to see it. My mom didn't seem to know anything about it, except whose machine it was. And where I can find it at.lol

I'm beginning to think that quilters are about sewing machines, like they are about fabric. Have you ever seen a quilter be able to walk by fabric and not touch it?

AMEN I love my FW, and would not trade it for anything, I wish I could find a treadle, if nothing more for the cabinet, a plus would be if it worked. I see them all the time @ thrift shops but then you need money. lol

Well maintained manual sewing machines are less trouble and expense compared to the computerised ones that stop working because the companies withdraw the device drivers so that you are forced to update your programs or machines.

Love my old Singer tredle machine. Its in good working order and has the original tool box with it. I plan to make at least one quilt on it when I give up work. Singer still make all parts for all machines so repairing them is easy.

I think its the same as men buying antique cars. The older models bring back memories, look different than modern ones and are fun to own, work on, use etc.
I can say all this from experience. My ex and I owned 4 antique cars. Now it's my turn with antique sewing machines. Costs much less than his cars! :D

We have both antique cars and old sewing machines. My husband has a Model T Pickup and a 29 Nash. I have at least 13 sewing machines, both old and new and a staggering stash of fabric and patterns. He also has a collection of pocket watches. We support each other's hobbies and enjoy them.

I bought a Singer 301 from a local ST.Vincent De Paul about 10 years ago for $25.00. My husband just about hit the roof! What did I need another sewing machine for? I cleaned it up, oiled, polished; SAID A PRAYER, then gently turned the wheel.That machine is my favorite.I sewed 'Mission' quilt tops on her for a year using what ever fabrics were supplied. Many times it was that old double knit stuff, poly blend. Anyway ; I love to sew with 100% cotton for my quilting and cotton thread also. I would sew the 'Mission' quilt, change my thread[ to cotton , if it wasn't already] and then sew my own project. The 'Lord' was good to me. I didn't even need to change my needle [regular to ballpoint] from sewing the double knit to the cotton without skipping a stitch. It is a must have machine, powerful,easy to maintain, quiet, all metal; a real blessing to use and own. So much so that I looked for others [usually found them a little cheaper] and when Mom needed something reliable I sent one to her home.She's now going to be 77 this year[still sewing quilts]. And one to my sisters home.[Use this till you can find something you either like;or can afford and won't let you down.] Both machines need to come back when you're finished. Am not in a hurry, please enjoy. I thank 'God' for these blessings. Linda

I have a 301A which I got at a yard sale. Many quilters like the nostalgia of the antique machines. I also found a Singer from 1954 that we bought a new cord for. The older machines really seem to sew straight and feed the fabric well and it's just FUN to own!

I've never had my Featherweight or Singer 306W in the shop for repair - now, I might next week - but so far since 1994 - repair free - or can put on a new belt myself and etc. They just sew like a dream. Dorothy Coleman

My daughter recently bought a FW and a treadle machine at a auction. Paid $5.00 for both. Come to find out they worked beautifully. During one of the ice storms they were without power so she threaded the treadle machine and spent the afternoon quilting. Not bad for a $2.50 machine!!

my treadle is a "free" and i have a singer 5050 (about 20yrs old now) and i have an innovis quilt club 1000/computerized. just recently i had trouble with the portable singer...paid a visit to the repairman and the part i need is no longer made...told to take her home, treat her with care and if she gets hot to let her cool off.as for the computerized machine..i do love it..especially great for fast jobs and the ease of just touching a button or screen. the treadle for me is a machine that not only gives me comfort and reminds me of the old days, but it still produces the best stitching and no electricity required. so i guess that with the treadle i am still able to stay in style with fashions and quilting techniques while being environmentally "green".

Something else I forgot yesterday. The OLD machines had to be user friendly. People couldn't take them into the shop at the drop of a hat, like we have to with the new more $$ machines. My treadle, never was taken to the Dr's. The sewers had to take care of any problems them self. Life and sewing was not for the weak. Now when my "Iron Queen" needs something, I take care of it. My new machines have to go into the Dr's and that always turns into $$$$'s. And that is $ I could use on fabric lol :thumbup:

They just sew such a perfect stitch! I have a Spartan 192K, which is the "frugal cousin" of the Featherweight. None of the fancy decals, sort of a stripped down model--but oh my, can she sew! I fell in love the moment I saw her!

My love for my featherweight has already been shared. I have a heavy duty Pfaff I use as my permanent sewing machine, but, as already mentioned, the featherweight is so light it is easy to take to classes or on vacation. I purchased one in NJ, it was stolen from a vacation home, then I found another. I would hate to be without it. It has nothing to do with being an antique - it's a wonderful sewing machine and easy to transport.

I am getting my mom and grandma's treadle singer and I am excited because to me it is a link to my childhood. I don't care if it works or not ( it still does) but it was something they had and it has sentimental value.

Just nothing like sewing on an old machine! I hardly touch my Janome's lately!

Here is a video showing a treadle machine and how they are used:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi8a_OHUv1M

Because Singer is the best machine for sewing a beautiful stitch. when I was 18 my Mother bought me a used singer for $50. I kept it until I was almost 30 and traded it in for a newer model. I got $50 back or it from Singer. I have tried sewing with a Broher and they just don't allow for the neat stitches that Singer gives. it seems like the tension is always lose,

I bought an old machine in its cabinet and did so mostly because I liked the way it looked (cute and old). The cabinet is a nice end table, and when I open it up, the machine brings back the "olden days". I wish I knew how to thread it and maintain it. Do you (or any other readers) know anything about this one? It is an Eldridge E with a Hamilton Beach motor. It came with several attachments and still works, but I am afraid to try it. Don't even know how to thread it!

there should be a book on it. If you can't get one from the maker try the library, or even on- line.

AMEN. should have kept mine, these new ones have a lot of plastic in them. but there is no machine like a Singer