I've reached the "I swear I am not buying any more machines!" stage
 

Because today when I went to pick up my new 401A, they had a White treadle for only $39.99. Boo yah! Paid for it right then, lol. Turns by hand just fine, treadle feels great, only needs a new belt and a big time cleaning. It has dusty dust underneath, lol. So, unless a Featherweight for $50 or a free Necchi falls into my world, I really can't see why I'd buy any more.

Ok, we can all laugh now. No, really, I'm serious!!!

I've got to figure out what to do with about half the ones I have that I have no interest in using, and then, maaaaaayyyybe I can think about buying another one.

So, for the heck of it, how many did you buy after you said this??? (Why is there no smilie with a toothy grin???)

Quote how many did you buy after you said this???
"

Which time?

I'm in the same boat as Leonf

I had my house full, so built a building outside to house them. It filled up real fast, and I still had too many in the house. So we converted a grain bin to store those not on the "A" list and move most of them out of the house.

It's actually been a long time since I bought a vintage machine, though I did have someone give me two of them this summer.

At this point, there are only a few I'd still love to get, but I've stopped looking. Not much time to deal with them, but expect they will all still be waiting for me when I finally retire.

I have 4 machines and am downsizing to two as we will be moving into a 2 bedroom townhome in 2 months. The 2nd bedroom will be my sewing area (also a guest bedroom). I am keeping my Janome 6600 and my white featherweight. I use both of them. My 13 year old Granddaughter gets my Elna and my Singer 99k is currently on Craigslist. It does a person good to move once in a while to get rid of "stuff".

The last thing I need is another sewing machine. Yet, I still look at every auction and estate sale notice I get, checking for desirable sewing machines.

I think the problem is getting rid of them once you own them. There is always something that needs to be fixed before you sell them or give them away. (You bought them that way, so why can't you sell them that way?)

Would you believe that I can't find a local chapter a SMAA (sewing machine addicts anonymous). You'd think there would be one in a city this large.

bkay

I think I'm over it.
I have 4 Featherweights, a 201, 301, 15 - I think that's in on vintage. I'm finding that I'm only using the FW's and not the others.

Now if you ask me about my vintage/antique quilt collection - that's another story. I am literally up to the roof with them. I need to stop :D

I really think I am done now. I have one machine that I still think about selling, but other than that I have been using the ones I kept. I actually did sell a couple in November but then I found a serger and a 99k in a bentwood case so is was an equal exchange. For some reason I still look at CL most days, but I am just looking. The key for me is right now I have a decent place for them that I can get to and use them. It was when I started sticking them in corners I knew I had a problem:D

I'm not done yet :D I still need a featherweight, a 201 and one of those old green Berninas, (I forgot the model #). Oh and a Pfaff 130 too. Yes my list is long! I'm not done!

That's because we would probably all sit around and look at CL together!

I burst out laughing when I read this, lol!!!

For some reason the White/Kenmore 117.552s with the hard angles is still appealing to me. Kind of reminds me of the 117 stealth aircraft with it's angles. I certainly don't need it for stitching and don't want another cabinet, but if one would pop up close and cheap... well, you know the story. I've walked away from 2 and don't regret it, so the thrill of the hunt continues.

Too bad you live so far away, Leon! I have a 117.558 (I think that's the model) I got for $.99 and it works just fine. The cabinet has been refinished on top and is all shiny. Yes, that does say 99 cents, and no, I couldn't let it sit there and be an orphan, lol. I mean, if they can't sell it at Goodwill, something really dire must happen to it, right?

Rescuing is much nicer sounding than hording! I think I am done now, the older style 99 my son is picking up for me today should be it. Except for the elusive 221/222. Browsing for sm's is a lot like going to the shelter to look at the puppies...

Like puppies, if you go looking, you're bound to come home with one soon.

bkay

but vsms are a lot cheaper and don't need shots.

themadpatter, I've picked up machines in Ok, NE, Mo, Co and have received some cousin expressed from Texas, (Thanks bkay) who knows when I might get your way. hehe. I have one patiently waiting in Mississippi.

I have 20+ machines at the moment. They're on a big set of shelves in the living room, in my wife's sewing room, in her weaving room, tucked away here and there, and so on, All my relatives and friends have been gifted, with varying degrees of gratitude, with White rotary portables (including the ones they made with The World's Heaviest Magnesium), the usual gaggle of ubiquitous 99's, and other mechanical vagabonds. Every so often I sell one, though I've been known to give them to a truly interested customer if I like their attitude. I am somewhat disabled periodically, so there are times I can't do heavy work, and I keep a few beaters around to restore when I am limited to tabletop work. I love working on them: an aperture into what I regard as a far better time.

Well Brass Head you're off to a good start lol. I didn't set out to collect, I just wanted to replace my moms machine that I had given to my oldest DD. Now 8 or 9 years later even though I've sold, gifted or traded away many machines I still have over 70. They just seem to keep following me home whether I have room for them or not. Getting a bigger house didn't help, then I just got a bigger machine when I bought my long arm.

Cari

Lol. I made an actual count: it's more like 30, with two on the way. Honestly, though, they are just such beautiful objects, cleverly and elegantly designed, wonderfully well made, in any number of intriguing aesthetic styles. There is satisfaction too in bringing them back to full function. We have rescued dogs for decades (7 at the moment), and there is similar satisfaction in restoring an old machine to use. I love to build and make stuff, but as I get older, I can no longer build a garage single-handed, do heavy stone work, or put a new sill under the barn, so I think I'll count on sewing machines to fill the gap.

Weleome, Brass Head (does that mean you're hard headed?).

bkay

It means that my head does not rust but instead acquires a lovely patina as the years go by. (My wife offers a different analysis, similar to yours.)

Means he is a bit green around the gills.

I have 4 featherweights as well, one white. I love each of them, although the white is harder for me to sew with because of that second internal gear, makes the wheel stiffer. I recently got a 301 and I love it almost as much as the featherweights, have you sewn with your 301 much? I have others, 99,66,128,201 and a Necchi. I just love them all and use most of them, except the treadles, didn't care for that much. These machines are like potato chips!

I swore I would only do Singer. Then came the Wheeler, the Willcox, the National, the New Home. Ok, then no Whites. Now I have 3. But I have decided that I want to keep only those I enjoy working with which would be the 401, Featherweight, 66 and 12 treadles, Davis treadle...ok. I don’t like the Elna, the 185, and I’m not very fond of the 115. But, I will never do plastic. Crumbles after 40 years.

But you ran from the second Vigorelli, JPwest. You have learned.

I'm a proud owner of two Featherweights 221's, a sixty-one year old 401A, an a in-operational 1932 White e-machine. But, I'd own a Singer 201 if I had a larger apartment. The only thing is now apartment managers assess how much clutter you acquire. So, with that said I envy all that can collect whatever you can. Have a good day.

Cherry

Yes, I have said same several times. When I was up to 12, again at 15, now at 20. And expected a new one tomorrow that I watched for a week on CL thinking I had talked myself down. But a friend who doesn't mind driving in traffic said she would enable, I mean help, me so now I'm getting my first New Home, high shank machine...and it's green...and comes with manual and attachments...and less than my bargain price. I had to get it because I have 4 orphan high shank feet in the foot collection.
I just noticed that I seem to get the itch after I have made progress in repairing an existing machine. The New Home came after I wired a new foot control to my Bernina racer (he only sewed at top speed so I named him Secretariat, Big Red for short) and repaired my leaky faucet. There is always a justification.

Certainly, if you didn't pay a plumber, you can buy a machine. I get that.

That makes sense to me:D

I am in the process of downsizing. However, I went to go look at a white Featherweight last night. I actually turned it down as it wasn't in the best condition (The price wasn't awful, though, either.) While I did leave the FW behind, 2 long bed mocha 301s, and a FW card table DID somehow jump into the truck and follow me home. :o :o

Moral of this story: "Downsizing" is a relative term.

and they don't need housetraining lol

The machines are not the problem. You just need lots of special shelves. The problem is too many cabinets. I don't
bring home cabinets anymore unless they are really special and better than one I have. It is an addiction like hording.
I don't think you ever get over it. There is just something about cleaning up and old machine and then making something with it.

NZ Quilter, too funny!!!!

I'm with you Quilterman, the last 503 I found, I just took the machine and the accessories and left the cabinet. I can't deal with anymore cabinets.

What am I going to do with my third (maybe 4th) slant shank buttonholer? There is definitely a limited market for them.

Maybe it's a real addiction.

bkay

You're right.

I too have pulled machines out of the cabinets and left them with the sellers. And then don't you know, I had some vandals break in to my office and leave me a painted treadle cabinet? I can't throw out a treadle cabinet with all the iron attached.

Gave away a sewing machine last weekend. 2 more found me. Walked away from a 201.

I am above ground. Therefore, I am looking for machines.

Although I'm a lot pickier than I was when I started. I used to buy anything that looked cool did something interesting or wasn't electric. Now I only buy things that are mechanically interesting. Or aren't electric.
DH laid down the law when we moved. Sewing machines are now measured by weight - I have to get rid of 30 lb of sewing machines to bring 15 lb in. So I had to get rid of two machines to get my new Necchi. (Pictures at 11)

Completely agree with Quilterman and leonf about cabinets.

I am thinking about finding new homes for a few, particularly the electric ones. I have my Davis VF, my National Two Spool. I have two Singers and a Free that I love. I recently bought a Singer hand crank and I have another that I could put back together as a handcrank. We are talking about moving cross country and I'm concerned about the amount of space that three more treadles and several machine heads will take up.

I really do have my bucket list machines, but I am not going to say that I couldn't be tempted.

We just moved 3 treadles with original irons (1918 singer 66-1, Household 3x, and W&W 8), a Jones hand-crank, a 99k, a Free No. 5 head that I really need a parlor cabinet for, and one teensy-weensy machine I convinced DH doesn't get counted.

I sold a 503 (sorry Miriam!) with the cabinet to a co-worker, gave someone else the 403 - I just don't get along with slant-needles - and donated 4 singers I knew I'd never fix.

A Davis VF is on my bucket list. I actually got sniped on an auction site for a hand-crank model last year. Still mad about that one!!!!!

I really enjoyed reading all of the comments on this page and WOW, can I identify with you all! I've presently got 2 Designer 1 machines, a 201, 301, 66 and just acquired a White treadle. The White will be my summer project, assuming summer ever arrives in NJ.