J Miller

When I went to AZ in '01 to take care of my moms final requests I saw her last machine. The one in the cabinet. I wanted to take it with me, but my aunt asked me if she could keep it. I said OK and left it there.
Since I've gotten into the sewing machines and quilting I've wanted that machine very badly. I've contacted my Aunt who said I can have it, but it's out in the old shed. My step son who lives on that property says it's under a tarp and in good shape. But neither of them will lift a finger to take it down, box it up and send it. I've even offered to pay all the shipping costs. Family ............... The only way I'll ever get mom's last machine back is to go get it myself and that is financially prohibitive. No gas money.

Joe

Lori S

My Mom had a 306 W cabinet mounted with a knee control... I have that machine now .. and love it..I was never allowed to use "her" machine while living at home.. Me and my siblings had an inhereted Kenmore Rotary.. no zig zag... but did have reverse.
Once in awhile I think my Mom regrets passing that machine on to me , as it still just keeps on going and going. It saw so much use while she had it .. if it was made of cloth she made it.. curtains, coats , slip covers, all of our clothing. I still give it its daily workout.

irishrose

I don't remember what my mother had pre 1952ish, but about that time, she worked at a department store and used her employee discount to help buy a beautiful turquoise White. As there was no money for luxuries for my mother in the budget, so it was her pride and joy. I wish I had it, but recently settled for a Universal with the same look (made by the same factory as Whites). I always felt I had a stake in that machine because at a very young age, I took care of the house and the other five children so she could work the second job. Grandma had a gorgeous big shiny black machine - it had to be 201. Grandpa only bought the best. By the time I was old enough to sew, she had the a similar machine in electric. Was it the same machine - I don't think so. Another 201, for sure, but not the one in treadle. The treadle may have been in her bedroom now that I think about it. I loved both machines, but only sewed on the Singer for two weeks in the summer. In school we had a room full of very new black 301s.

jlm5419

My mother didn't have a machine until the 60s, when she got a "portable" zigzag White, with the cams for decorative stitches. I cannot remember the brand of machine we used in Home Ec. Around 1978 I bought a Kenmore zigzag new, in a cabinet. Both my sons learned to sew on the Kenmore. I still have mother's white and my Kenmore, and both still work just fine.

Charlee

Dad bought Mom a Featherweight when the oldest girls were little...that's what she used up until 1980 when she bought her Kenmore. I have the Kenmore now, my sister has the FW.

Mitch's mom

My mother had a beige Fleetwood portable. It had the cams for special stitches and weighed a ton. She bought it on time before she was married to my dad. It was lost in a flood 2 days after we buried her.

Monroe

My Great Aunt lived in the mountains and used a treadle occasionally, but preferred to hand piece her many quilts. Mom made many of the clothes for the 1st 3 girls in our family (I'm #2) on a Montgomery Wards machine. Dad worked 2 - 3 jobs including at MW, so likely it was a returned or discounted machine. In Jr High I was forced to take Home Ec- as 1 of 6 children with 2 working parents I certainly did Not need to learn homemaking! The Singer machines were "so modern" compared to what I was used to! Mom's 70's Kenmore with the fancy cams is at the family cabiin for when we have withdrawal symptoms on vacation. I started out with my wedding gift from Mom and Dad- a '76 Kenmore, which I still use. I branched out into "hoarding" treadles a few years ago when I rescued my first one at a garage sale for $10. There's something about a nice wood cabinet and pretty decals that makes my heart go pitter pat. I have a lightweight Brother for carrying to Guild sewing. Plastic machines just leave me cold, regardless of the number of stitches they can do. I do appreciate the pretty '57 Chevy styling of some vintage machines after hanging around the Board, but am determined not to add another category to my herd!

DogHouseMom

A Kenmore. I dont know the model, but I know it had light green cams. She taught me, my sister and one brother how to sew on this machine. My brother used to make the "Frostline" kits (sleeping bags, back packs, etc) while us girls did garments. When I got married I told my husband I wanted a sewing machine as my wedding present (I've always been the practical type) and I got a Kenmore. Mother was amazed that it could do different stitches without the cams.

mom-6

I also grew up with one of the black with gold trim Singer machines from the 40s.

And that is what we had in my HS home ec classes as well. They were several different models, but the only real difference was the stitch length regulator knob or lever design. All were in plain cabinets and had the knee lever which activated what we mostly use now as a foot pedal.

As a HS graduation present I got an aqua Singer 327k (think that was the model #) that was what I used all through college and quite a few years past that. Made lots of shorts and shirts for little boys on it as well as most of my clothes and even matching leisure suits for DH and the boys at one point.

When I moved back to my home town I again used Mom's Singer until the house burned in 2000. Should have rescued it from the debris, but I was in shock and just wanted to move on...silly me...fire marshall said it should be OK.

After that I went through quite a few yard sale machines and finally upgraded to cheapie Singer and Brother machines from Wally World. Then I discovered this board and jumped on the featherweight bandwagon...never to return to anything else...unless I decide to get an embroidery machine at some point in the future. Have been considering that, but not sure I would use it enough to justify the expense.

Oh, and I do have a Singer treadle machine that I got a year or so ago that needs some TLC and a belt. I think it is also from the 40's.

quiltingweb

Singer Touch and Sew. Then, when I got my own machine, it was a hand-me-down Kenmore from my sister when she got her first Bernina. That Touch and Sew is the first machine I remember having.