bearisgray

Do any of you feel any sadness, remorse, or regret at machines that 'got away' before you knew any better?

I had an aqua (blue green) Singer - it didn't work well, so I took it to a shop to be fixed and given to charity - wonder if it did get passed on? I had not idea that it was 'something special'

My Mom had some machines that 'got away' from me. I didn't know where to put them at the time - and some I knew needed fixing and didn't know if they could be repaired. And some I was just plain dumb about.

Skyangel

This one is "Almost got away". My Mom mentioned the "old black Singer" that her mom had, that had been bought buy my grandfather when my Mom was born and was the one thing she held onto when she was widowed in the depression. She later gave it to my mom when she had kids but my Mom bought a new 401 and put it in the same cabinet. She didn't remember what happened to the old one, we assumed the shop kept it. Then, a couple of years ago, it turned up at my cousin's house. Aparently, the shop put it in a case (a 50's era maroon) and my Mom gave it back to my Grandmother. My uncle put all her stuff in storage when she died, when he died my cousin cleaned out the storage unit and offered it to me. I amost said I did not want the old stuck, rusty Singer 66-6 in her garage, until I realized she'd said "grandma's". I've oiled it, but haven't had time yet to do a full restoration. Some day it will go back in the original cabinet, as the 401 is promised to me.

My ex-husband used to go to a local auction every week for years, and brought home lots of cheap stuff, it's in a farming commnnity. I wonder how many great machines I missed out on in the 80s to mid-90s?

Jennifer23

I have two "one that got away" stories:

Just this weekend I was at a (crowded!) antiques fair. I had made one loop around the outside booths, and was about to dive into the center section, when I saw an older couple heading out. They were probably in their seventies, and he was about 6'4", and she not much over five feet, but what really made me notice them was that they were moving three times as fast as everybody else, straight to the door. He had something tucked under his arm, and sure enough - it was a green and white Featherweight case. I though about chasing them down and asking to see it; I assume they got a good deal, and if I'd gotten there a bit earlier, it could have been mine! I've been consoling myself by telling myself that they either paid way more for it than I would have, or that it was just the case, not the machine... I don't really believe either of those stories, but it makes me feel a bit better. I did an extra thorough scan after that; I counted 8 machines, but no other Featherweights.

The other one that got away is my mom's Singer 328. I never really liked that machine - the motor was loud and whiny, it didn't stitch as fast as I wanted, the cabinet didn't have any drawers, and all the design disks and attachments were lost in a fire (before I was born). When she told me she was getting rid of it a few years ago, I said that was a good choice, since she had 3 other machines and hardly used it. Now I wish I had it, though; I could treadle it, which would have fixed my motor issue, and it was a good straight stitcher. It was one of the first things she bought for herself when she left home, and the machine I learned to sew on... I wish I had been as sentimental about it then as I am now!

mighty

Yes, the Montgomery ward machine I had in the 70's. I loved that machine.

Quilt Novice

My Mom sold my Grandmothers sewing machine at a yard sale when I was 13 years old. I still miss that machine. I used to watch my Grandmother sew on that machine. I miss her alot. We used to spend the summers together.

Redsquirrel

I literally felt sick all the way home.....

A few minutes earlier,
I walked into my local Goodwill store and walked straight to the housewares area looking for antique pottery, saw nothing as usual and then went back to the lamps and electronics section...nothing, so I walked back up to the front of the store and saw a man standing at the cash counter looking into a black box, he had the most smug look I've ever seen with a smile he could barely hide. I knew he was looking at something good in there. I walked over and peeped inside and it was a miniature black singer sewing machine all tucked in with its attachments and foot pedal. He bought it immediately. I didn't see the price, but i'm guessing it was cheep.

So, the lesson I learn't from this...GO DIRECTLY to the area where they have sewing machines first and then do your tour of the store.... I missed out on a cheep Featherweight by just minutes because I didn't have my priorities straight. This was back when I didn't have one and I was unfamiliar with the boxes they came in. I did know they existed though and I was on the lookout for them.

Needless to say, I felt sick all the way home. The one that got away...

MaryMo

The first sewing machine I bought into early marriage years was an old black Singer. It was old, it was noisy and I wanted something new. Finallly had enough money to buy that new machine and gave that old one to a thrift store. Now that I know what I had I get upset with myself ..... how could I have just given away a Featherweight?

Redsquirrel

Wow, yeah, that would make me feel upset with myself too, but this happens. If I new that my Strawberry Shortcake dolls from the 80's were going to be as collectible as they are now, I would never have let my mom get rid of them. I'm using that as an example not a comparison.

SteveH

MY Grandmothers Singer 66 treadle. When my Grandmother passed my uncle "cleared out the junk" in their 120 year old western NY house..... ALL of this went to the local landfill.

Singer 66 redeye Treadle in 6 drawer oak cabinet
19th century wood burning kitchen stove (original to the house)
~300' quarter sawn oak 6" baseboards
5 boxes of old tools.....
100+ year old oak kitchen table & chairs set (original to the house)
My grandfathers old book collection

chris_quilts

I saw an unusual treadle on Cl. Called on it & was interested but needed to ask DH. Called back and it had been sold. Lesson learned, never ask DH if he can help (JUST DRAFT HIM) and commit to the machine immediately.
It was a Priscilla in a gorgeous cabinet from the 1880s.