J Miller

OK, here's a bit of my personality trait; when I get into a hobby, or collecting things, I start buying each different kind and model that interests me. I use it for a while then set it aside and get another one that's different and do the same thing over again. I've done that with cars and trucks, firearms, fountain pens, and now I'm doing it with sewing machines.

I love to tinker with and refurbish them, but eventually, sooner than later I hope, I'm going to have to start selling some of them.

I need to decide what machines ( that's plural ) I will keep, so I can move on to re-homing the rest.

So far I have several that will never be sold, traded or parted with. My HOTHER ( my avatar pic) is one of those. It was my mom's machine for many many years. I use it quite a bit and it's kind of a connection to her. I lost her back on '01.
There are a couple others as well, my #1 Singer treadle, a 66-4 was a gift from my late cousin. And my Free Long Bobbin Rotary will stay too.

But other than using them one at a time until I really get it figured out, is there a way to expedite the decision making process?
I know what I want to do, but which machine I will settle on is the hard part.
I want a ZZ machine with the capability of decorative stitches. Removable or built in cams doesn't matter. The one big criteria is the machine cannot have any plastic gears. That is chiseled in granite. It also has to have a large arch such as the Singer 66 or 201 or similar, if possible. Singer, Kenmore, or a Japanese maker is OK too. I kind of lean towards the Japanese machines as they are typically quieter than the corresponding vintage Singers.

But .......................... ????? This is giving me a headache. Any suggestions?

Joe

harrishs

I know that someday I will have to rehome some of my choir of Singers ----I don't think they will have a big enough room for 60 Singers in Assisted Living-----so if you come up with any ideas, let me know!

makitmama

Joe, I LOVE my Morses. I have a Fotomatic IV with a lot of different stitches, a 4300, and an earlier ZZ machine.
The IV has only one plastic gear anywhere- and my sewing machine guy took it out and replaced it with a metal one. It was in the feed dog drive, if I remember correctly. The other machines have no plastic.

path49

I LOVE the 158 series Kenmore machines. I've got a 158.17550 that I've had since 1971 & it still sews like new. That machine was used daily for at least 20 years...made all my kids clothes, all my clothes (even my jeans), all the ex's shirts & had a home dressmaking business. The only thing I've ever had to do to it was replace motor brushes! The only other machine I've ever had that sews as smoothly & quietly is my 201-2.

momto5

Only one suggestion-go back and re-read your post...you've already begun to lay out what you want to do......yep, I know, hard decision! Good luck.

DanofNJ

Joe, you are asking a most perplexing and difficult question. If you must scale back, do away with the blemished machines vis a vis sell them and keep the museum quality ones for display and enjoyment. The "noisier" vintage machines are far better than the knock offs IMOA. I agree that harp length is important, but history is important too. I'm actually focusing on the very old ones now which was always my intent in collecting. Good luck with your decision.

miriam

Joe you did answer your own question. Keep those, get rid of the rest and get some more machines to work on - you will know it when you get it. I keep a clone for messing with - then some time along the way, I sell it. I keep a Singer 403 and my Singer 401g, an Elna and now I have a Phoenix. I also keep a clone for my DGD because it is from the lady she was named for. The rest are for sale - I seriously need to get some gone.

J Miller

Dan,
Well we don't agree on this issue. I'm not running a museum. And 99% of my machines are no where near museum quality. I do not get any enjoyment from displaying them. Like everything else those I keep have to be useable. And I do like the ugly ones, they have character and usually a story behind them. Like Minerva, and Mini, and Rusty and some of the others.

I will sell what I can get rid of eventually. But those I keep will be for our use, not just pretty window dressing.

Yeah, I guess I have.


Joe

k9dancer

You answered your own question--I knew you would. My criteria is, when I am using a machine, I keep saying to myself, "I love sewing on this machine." Of course I love them all, but some are more of a love connection than others.

quiltingweb

I had a friend who asked if I had any machines I'd be willing to sell her because hers was on the blink...I had to think long and hard about which one I'd want to sell, so I'm going through the same thing. So, my solution was to loan her one of my machines, all tuned up and ready to go, and I'll see about FIXING her Pfaff. I've never worked on a Pfaff before. Sounds like an adventure!

I do have to say, my Necchi Supernova has all the accessories, cams, bobbins, manuals, user's handwritten notes and that would be one I don't get rid of. I also have a Kenmore with all of its cams and attachments. Also a fun machine to use...oh, they are all special in some way. Oh, I do have a plastic Janome mini that belonged to my daughter....I'd get rid of that in a heartbeat.