How many do you have...
 

...and how many do you use?

I always tell The Husband "need's got nothing to do with it!" when I bring home another machine, but I was eying a Necchi 534FB in the thrift shop today and got to wondering.

I have: A Pfaff 130, (my main machine); a Singer 319 (fun to play with); a Nelco from the 60's (I keep for the free arm and blind stitch); and a black FW and a white FW (both go to class/sew-ins with me). These are the ones that get used regularly.

On the 'they're cool' side, I have a herd of friction drives: the crinkle Kenmore, the aluminum Kenmore, the Montgomery Wards and a nameless-but-likely National. These are more because they're cool than for use, but the Montgomery Wards makes beautiful buttonholes, so that's its job.

And then there are the treadles. My first was a New Willard, which is a Singer 27 clone, in a parlor cabinet. But I'm not fond of (or good with) using those long shuttles, so I bought a Singer 66 in a 7-drawer cabinet. It's pretty, but we just didn't click. So I took it out and put the Necchi BU Nova ThingOne found for me in the treadle, only I don't use it much. Nice machine, but I think it's me; I've come to the conclusion that I like electrified, not treadled. I'll get around to passing them on somebody else eventually.

Total Herd: 12
Used: 5

Oh, and I didn't get the Necchi. While I was waffling, a young Mennonite girl, maybe 12ish, snagged it. I heard her tell the cashier that the money came from selling her spring chicks, and that her mom told her if she'd buy her own machine, she could make all of her own clothes. I think it's going to a good home!

I am too embarrassed to tell how many-----they are all over my house. I sold most of my stash so that I would have some place to show them. All work but 3 that I am still trying to get going or find the parts for. I have used them all but I favor the Singers 201, 301, and Featherweight.....I even "loaned" my Bernina to my sister (her White gave up the ghost)because I would rather sew on a vintage machine.....

30+ and I go from machine to machine using them all. My wife pretty much sticks with her Bernina or the 319K.

Right now I've got her using different machines I've worked on just to make sure they are in good order. Not sure but some of them may go on up for sale or be given as gifts. I want them as right as they can be. If anyone can find the week spot in a machine, my wife can. :)

Joe

OH... should I even start?

Plenty of vintage machines around my place. I stopped buying treadles, just because... current count is 5. But, I see them all the time on craigslist and get concerned that they might get tossed if no one buys them. In the past year I have only purchased one $25 Franklin with foot pedal and cords... no cabinet or anything. I look everyday, though!

Oh, current count is around 24.

OK, well, here's my list:
Non-Electrics
1890 Davis HAVF1 - head that needs a base.
1915 David NVF in a treadle - plan on using this one
1950'something Singer 15 in a treadle - does get used
Decorah Posten treadle irons only - plan to use for the 1890 Davis head
White treadle cabinet only - bought some irons, but don't know if they fit yet.
1909 Singer 66-1 Lotus decals - needs a treadle base - DH working on designing a multi-use base for all these
1915 A. G. Mason "New Glenwood" treadle head - a prospect for that MU base
1924 Singer 99 - converted to a hand crank - love this little one!

OK, now the electrics:
1917 Western Electric portable - motor just rewired by our friend Joe
1948(?) Singer 128 portable
1953 Singer 301a - my daily piecer and usual travel partner
1956 Singer 221 Featherweight - my traveler sometimes
1957 Adler in cabinet - Has some tension issues, so haven't worked on it in a while
And a lovely Singer cabinet with curved drawers that should have a 201 in it but doesn't.
1 Singer 15 that I haven't even looked at yet because it's frozen up
1 15 clone that needs a new tension take up spring.

I think that's it...so, 12.

My list:
People Powered:

1879 (?) Wheeler & Wilson 8 treadle. Don't use, I'm scared of damaging the decals! It does work, and I WILL make something, sooner or later.
1906 A.G. Mason "New Florence" treadle. I use it, especially for "quickie" jobs.
1911 Singer 115 treadle. LOVE to use this one!
1888 or 89 Davis Vertical Feed. Have just played with it, intend to use it soon.
1907/08 Singer 9W. I use this one for sewing blocks for a Dear Jane quilt.
1916 Singer 66 (Redeye) Haven't used this one yet other than to find out if it sews. Sent the cabinet out to my "wood guy" before I knew I could do it myself!
1915 Singer 28K handcrank. I use this one quite a bit actually. :)

Electrics:

1934 White Number 8. (Thinking of selling this one, I have never used it other than to see if it worked)
1958 Kenmore model 84. Use this one!
1956 Singer Featherweight. "My baby"!
1946 Singer 15-91. Yep! My "powerhouse"
1951 Singer 201-2 Wonderful machine for grid quilting!
1978 Kenmore. This one was my mother's, but currently doesn't work...the feeddogs don't work right.
1924 Singer 99. Cute lil work horse!
Singer 403.
Singer 437
Singer 500
Use them all! :)
2007 Janome 8077....don't use it much these days.
Unknown year Brother Industrial...the spousal unit won't let it in the house yet! LOL!

Oh....and a 1980's HuskyLock serger that I use a LOT!

So if you count the serger and the two more modern machines, 20 in all...

what a great story though....she really needed that machine.....

I have only 4, and use only 3.

Vintage 1970's Bernina Record 830 - dedicated to free-motion quilting
Singer 401A - my go-to machine
Singer Featherweight Centennial - for retreats, classes, etc.

Singer 27 treadle (1889) - currently awaiting attention. Would like to get her up and running someday.

I have close to 40 :o but use roughly 6 out of the herd. Am giving 2 away to a girlfriend and am hoping to/trying to rehome some of the others. Some will go to a charity auction benefit for the local low cost spay/neuter clinic to which I also donate other items - mostly quilted things.

I have approximately 3 treadles and the rest are electric machines. Tons of Singers, 2 Kenmores, 2 Necchis,, 1 Bernina 117K or L, 1 Davis NVF electrified. 1 Morse and others I'm sure I'm not remembering.
Chris

Wow! I dont feel so bad. I have 15-91 use every day, ols
D singer, old viking- in shop an old rose never used. Goes 90 mph dont know y. 2 cheap brothers from walmart i learn e d on.

I have 2 and I use both.

I'm up to 3... A 15-91 that was my grandmas and 2 featherweights I've picked up. I'm going to sell one of the featherweights though... Space is limited. I have really loved tuning and cleaning all 3 machines up so I'm still prowling cl for my next project. And so is dh, which is hilarious to me. He gave me such a hard time at first, but then he tinkered with the new fw this weekend and they're drawing him in...

I have 17 sewing machines. I use all of them but two.

In cabinets....A Kenmore 158.17550 from 1969. A Kenmore Ultra-Stitch 12 from early 80's. A 201-2 from 1938...belonged to my great aunt, then my mom, now me. A 403-A from 1956. An old Montgomery Wards Supreme Reversible Rotary....still needs some TLC. A Reversew Queen of the West that belonged to my Grandma...refinishing it's cabinet now...sews beautifully!

Portables...A Kenmore from the early 90's. Too much plastic for my taste. And an old White 77 Rotary that I bought for the cabinet. It sat around for YEARS...then I cleaned it up & found out that it really sews nice. The cabinet is housing the Kenmore 158.17550 & it's in the Kenmore's old case.

I use the Kenmore 158.17550 & the 201-2 the most. They both sew soooo smooth & quiet!

Well....I have a singer 401 for walking foot quilting, 301 singer travel & straight stitch, 99 singer use sparingly, FW (I kept one - sold 2), Bernina 830 (just purchased for FM large frame given to me...I have completed one quilt - I enjoyed it but it sure is a horse of a different color. I have been a lap handquilter since 1986....ever since I found this site I have felt at home....:)

I do not feel so bad now.... I only have 11, I gave away 2. the only one I'll get now is a featherweight. then I'm done collecting..... That's the plan anyway! ooops I have a froze-up one in the garage. (does that count?)

Uh Oh! It's confession time? Well it is a good thing DH is not computer literate cause I keep a list my sewing machines on an Excel spreadsheet. Just looked and the total is 51 sewing machines:eek:. The oldest is the Wheeler & Wilson No. 8 that I just acquired and the newest is an Elna 7300 Quilting Pro Queen. Most of them work and a few are parts machines. DH asked me the other day about how many sewing machines I had, he said you must have least 20 how many more do you need? My answer was oh yes, at least 20. LOL Just think, I purchased my first vintage sewing machine, a Plymouth 15 clone last summer and the "herd" has grown to 51. But I am getting pickier, yeah right. But I do have a couple on still my wish list. Right now I have enough project machines to last me to the end of my days.

Oh, Caroline, you crack me up! I bet I can guess who was buying the vintage machines in Washington while I took the last year off of acquiring anymore machines. :D :D :D


Charlee's and jljack's posts got me to thinking so I started working on my list. Came up with 25 machines but I know there is one my DD still has at her home and I am sure I am forgetting some of them. I was even considering making a spreadsheet of all of the info. :D Waving wildly from eastern Washington... where the sunshines, or at least it did until a week ago!

:D Waving wildly from eastern Washington... where the sunshines, or at least it did until a week ago![/QUOTE]

Waving wildly back where the sunshine comes down as rain, rain and more rain. :hunf: Getting so tired of all of this liquid sunshine. Send me some sun and I will send you some rain.

I only have 3 but love them very much. I have 2 White 43s one is black crinkle and the other brown crinkle. I also have an industrial serger

I feel much better hearing the rest of you confess. I come up with 15 ... use about 6 of them

Modern
Bernina 440 with Embroidery
Bernina Serger

The Rest
Bernina 910 (1983) my main backup or when 440 is embroidering
Elna Lotus SP (1976) my main travel machine
Viking 6020 (1970) designated my husband's machine for his black powder re-eanctor gear
Featherweight 221 (1950)
Featherweight 221 (1948-Purple) she goes to quilting classes
Singer 301 mocha shortbed in cabinet (bought it because it included a seperate singer cabinet)
Singer 301 mocha shortbed (planning to re-home)
Singer 301 mocha long bed (planning to re-home)
Singer 66-6 (1928) this was my grandmother's machine
Kenmore 158-1946 (1978) my HS graduation gift from my parents
Kenmore 158-1050 bought on CL and fixing for a friend
Kenmore 117-959 brown crinkle (1948) just fixed it up and planning to re-home
Kenmore 117-959 (for parts) will go with above if wanted - otherwise ?

Kim

Is this a good time to confess that I used to buy "just anything"... as in, "OMG! LOOK! A sewing machine! Gotta have it!!!"?
Now I look for potential in the cabinets, for good decals, and I make sure that the machine is complete. I figure if it's complete, it can be MADE to work, but more often than not, I can't fix the cosmetics of the machine...and I don't have the tools or desire to make parts to fix a cabinet. If I can't make it look good for display, then it needs a home where they either don't care about looks or can fix it themselves.

Charlee; I'm with you on Look a sewing Machine!! Do I have enough money to buy it??
Stopped at a yard sale today with antique farm equipment. Nope didn't buy any but bought a box of hammers (about 8) for $2. I just wanted one hammer and would have gladly paid the $2 just for one but had to buy the entire box for $2. DH very happy because there was also a 100 ft tape measure in there and then for me a long really narrow tip flathead screwdriver. More tools for me. YEAH!:D

Ditto here Charlee. The one other exception I make is if it is very old and not commonly found for sale.

I have 5 machines (only 3 vintage) and I try to use them all as often as I can.

I will not be able to tell you All by name BUT I have 30+ machines Some are, 2-FW, 1-'Grasshopper',5-older 'Kenmores' 2-singer treadles,1-'Feadore' (SP?), 1-Viking/mega/Quilter, These I use to keep them running the others I try to get them out one in awhile say 2 months or so.
I'm a addict to them not just fabric! LOL..

Oh, you should have kept that tape measure before DH got it! You can make lots of those snap-it purses with it. :D

Ok -----I will confess, at first I would buy anything not too expensive----but, now I am more picky---and usually a Singer (although not always) but I have 58 total.....yikes! Most are the portable type that I have on shelves.....there does that alleve the guilt of everybody but me?

I have no guilt at all. DH has spent WAY more on his boat, motors, rods and reels that I have spent on my sewing machines. A boy has his toys and a girl must have her toys. :D

Oh crud! I forgot the newest one! The Köhler! A treadle...and I'll use it when she's up and running.

Linda, It's okay that he got the tape measure. He was a sweet swell guy who yesterday bought 3 more machines to add to the herd. :)

I have 12 and I try to use them all. And when my husband gets on my case I ask him how many saws he has and then he leaves me alone.

Colleen

I have a whole herd of machines from a Singer treadle to a Babylock Ellisimo. Featherweight (1941). It is older than I am---and that is old! Singer 99-15. Brother CS-80. Singer Featherweight II. Janome 6600. Janome 3064. Another little Janome portable (not sure which model---It belonged to my sister.) Husquevarna-Viking Saphire 870 Quilt. I use the Ellisimo, Janome 6600 and the Husquevarna-Viking the most, but all of them get taken for a spin periodically so that I can be sure my babies are in good health. lol

Oops! I almost forgot the Babylock Enterprise 10 needle embroidery machine. I also have a Babylock Sashiko machine and a Babylock Embellisher. Every machine has its use. lol

Good response, Colleen! lol. My husband has at least one power saw that has only been taken out of the box long enough for him to show it to a friend.

2 Featherweights (1948, 1956) Carry 1 to mini group mtgs. and in travel trailer
3 301a (mocha, black, two-tone) all short bed. Will put 1 in travel trailer, set one up for FMQ, display 3rd when not in use.
Singer 15-91 in bentwood case - waiting to be cleaned and lubed. I replaced cords.
Sew Handy 40 cream & tan (chain stitch only - display)
Singer 1910 Redeye treadle (waiting for her first project - I did a complete refurbish on her in January)
1971 Singer 457 (HS graduation gift) - needs serviced, will attempt myself later
Husqvarna 203 (use often other than quilting)
White Speedylock basic serger (use often other than quilting)
Had a Singer 401 - gave to SIL. Now wish I hadn't...but will probably get it back some day.

So, 11 in all. Not using 2 because they are awaiting self-servicing, and 1 display only. Featherweights, 301s, treadle, 15-91 and Sew Handy all acquired in the past year. Oh am I hooked!

I have around 20, lol and a funny story. Hubby and I were out riding our motorcycle today and ran across a thrift store that had a 1950s pink atlas that I got for $8. It needs a lot of work but I think I can handle it. The funny part is that I had to bring it home tied to the back of the bike... and that was a heavy booger!! I could see the people laughing as we drove by. I share my list of others in a bit

I have at least 4 set up to use at any given time. Tonite we use three with my dil helping. I hope I don't buy anymore :) yikes! Not planning on it anyway! We will see.

:D :D :D What a fun topic MrsBoats!

I am stunned to find out that my puny little few machines I own are nothing compared to what you guys have! WOW!

My husband and I were wondering where you put them all??! I mean, we have a big farm house and extra rooms... and my three (soon to be four) machines take up a LOT of room! Only one is in a cabinet, and it's in the dining room for now.. in the way :(