In addition to the FWs, I have a Pfaff from the 7500 line, often called the best machines ever made by Pfaff. Not very old, certainly not vintage, but a specimen of perfect Pfaff quality from Pfaff's heyday in the same way that vintage Singers represent an era of quality that no longer exists. Also have an amazing, precise, workhorse, boat-anchor of a Bernina from 1982 or so, but Bernina still makes those ;) I'd love a 1912 Singer treadle, a Pfaff 130, and maybe a 301...

Find a Featherweight in good condition, sew on it, and you will have your answer! A lot of it is nostalgia...many of us remember these machines and learned to sew on them. I have two, but don"t get me wrong, I love my modern machine that lifts the pressure foot, cuts the thread, etc.
Michelle G.
El Paso

Go on Ebay and watch the auctions. Eventually you will luck out on a good buy on a good machine like I did. I paid $182 for mine and it is in excellent condition.

Now I could handle $182 for a good condition machine. I checked there but there are so many bidders.

I have a Singer black head machine. It was manufactured in '53. It will sew through thick layers when the automatic tension on my "good maching" won't kick in because the presser foot can't go down far enough to engage the tension. I also use mine to sew blocks when I'm embroidering with the other machine....

I absolutely love my featherweight. I have it set in our family room, and sew on it during tv time.
It gives a beautiful stitch, I can take it to quilt days in our guild. It is light weight, and almost indestructible.
It was worth $500 when I bought it 7 yrs. ago. They are a lot cheaper now, for whatever reason.
They are also a nice antique. Mine was made in 1942 so I can feel as though passing it to one of my daughters will be a nice gift someday.
Wouldn't be without it!!
Mariah.

My tech. has quite a collection he sells after being re-conditioned. He is in Carthage, Mo., if you are interested in one. He has good prices on them, also.
Mariah.

Because they sew awesome.

I have my Mom's. ♥

What I am seeing here is that I need to move! The older machines in the Portland Oregon area are alot more spendy than in other areas of the country it seems!