KenZ

My wife and I purchased a Singer 500 in 1961 on Singer credit for 9.00 a month. It came with in home training on maintaining the machine. My wife has used and maintained this machine and never has it in a shop. She uses this machine as her number one machine and uses it nearly daily.

SewSassy

In 1963 I bought a Necchi as a used machine, it was a repossessed which were quite common at that time, I used it and sewed MANY dollars worth of my clothes, curtains, my daughter's clothes....also used a Toyota Serger...then I saw an ad for a New Home 8000 and fell in love, then came the Babylock Ellageo, Ellissmo, and a Babylock Serger. I always had two Singer treadles but used them as decorations. I remarried a man who had a Singer Upolstery machine, two vintage Singers... Last year I found a FW reasonable....

quilter1

I have my much loved Bernina 830 Record. It has been mine since I bought it new in 1971. It was the top of the line then, purchased for $350. That was a lot for a young nursing student working in a fabric store part time. This machine has never given me a moment's problem. Guess she will be mine for a while yet. Now she has company too: a
Bernina 440QE, a Tin Lizzie 18LS, 4 Featherweights, 2 Singer Treadles and a few other vintage machines. At least she isn't lonely!

judys

I have the Viking 6020 that my husband bought for me in 1969 when I was pregnant with my son, had pneumonia and had to stay in the house for a couple weeks. It is still the machine I use for everything. When the kids were small I made everything from underwear to snowmobile suits on it including jeans and jean jackets. Now it is used for quilting, freemotion quilting and shortening pants plus any quick fixes or button replacing. It is a great machine and I can take it apart to clean it and oil it myself. I love it and haven't been able to come up with a reason to buy one of the new do-everything machines no matter how hard I try!

ebsgranny

I still have and use my Kenmore, purchased in the early 60's.

QuiltNama

I have my Grandmother's Pfaff she bought brand new in 1963 and paid $538. for it (a lot of money back then). It still works like a dream.

J Miller

QuiltNama,

I used a site called "Tom's Inflation Calculator" { http://www.halfhill.com/inflation.html } to calculate what your Grandmother's machine would cost in today's dollar. It would cost $4,004.81 according to their conversion.

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It amazes me just how much of a bargain some of these used sewing machines are when you consider what a new one like it, if one were made today, would cost. I'm surprised anybody buys the new plastic play toys at all.

Joe

Quilt Mom

Agreed! The old ones will still be working when the new ones are long gone.

AshleyR

Are you? I think it might have something to do with ease of use.

I can tell you why I have a plastic toy (Seems like I have explained this to many a Harley-rider when they say the same about my Ninja!). I have had vintage machines and I have had newer machines. Right now, I have a Janome 3022 and a Singer 7422 that I purchased for less than $50 each.
There are pros and cons with new machines and vintage machines. Let's compare apples to apples.
I am a new quilter with very little sewing experience (As in, I helped my mom make my prom dress 20 years ago). If my budget is $100, I'll check Craigslist. Right now, 3/30/12, I see a couple of decent used machines in that price range, ignoring treadles. I see a “like brand new” plastic Kenmore for $85 just down the road from my house. I also see an ad for a vintage machine in a dovetail box with Sears stamped on it for $65 that is about 90 miles from my house, so let’s assume they’re the same price, after gas! The old one actually a pretty cool looking machine, so it wins points for aesthetics!
However, it quickly looses points for being a straight-stitch only. Even though the Kenmore is a basic machine, it still has zigzag and blanket stitch in case I want to do more than FMQ or piecing.
And I have to admit, I love having a built-in needle threader. I’m also used to my machine’s needle up/down option, but it doesn’t look like the Craigslist Kenmore has that option, but my $40 plastic Janome does. My $50 plastic Singer always keeps the needle up and has a button that ties a knot before you cut the threads. Neat-o, I think! Also, I’m going under the assumption that I can go to Walmart and buy needles, pressure feet and bobbins for the Vintage machine (I wish they’d listed a model number or something so we can really compare).

For me, I am perfectly happy with my paid off, easy to find parts, not-picky $40 plastic toy. It has decorative stitches (which I love), it is light-weight-so I can put it on the kitchen table or my sewing table upstairs, or move it out of the way to use another machine. I just started using my Singer 2 days ago, so I’m not ready to jump to its defense yet, but so far, it’s great. My point is, there’s nothing wrong with it, or the Janome, or the plastic toys that Walmart sells for $80 (which yes, I had and found it wasn’t large enough for me, so I sold it to a friend, and it still works just fine and dandy). Not everyone is in love with the idea of a metal machine in a cabinet (like me and my grasshopper legs) nor do they want to bother with shopping for one when they can go to their local store and get a new plastic one with a warranty and lessons and who knows what else?! Plus, a vintage machine is fast and mean, which is scary to a beginner.

I hope that helps!

Charlee

You're right Ashley...plastic has it's place. I use my Janome for applique, and for a few of the decorative stitches. I mostly use it because it was a birthday gift from the spousal unit, and I wouldn't hurt his feelings for the world and everything in it!
When it comes to straight stitch sewing tho, I head straight for one of the old girls. Anything that has the capabilities of zigzag or decorative stitches also has the capabilities of throwing a stitch or two to the side when sewing over a bulky seam. It's also more likely to break something if I ask too much of it, which I often do. Most of the parts that you can get for the "new" machines will also fit these old girls, unless you have a "other than side clamp".

As for the speed issue, all of my vintage machines have variable speed, controlled by how heavy your foot is!

And then there's the nostalgia thing. Seems that it becomes more important as we get older... there's just something kind of soothing about sewing with an old machine, be it electric or treadle, when you think about the prior owners and how proud they must have been of their "new, modern machines".