Who can I blame for my growing herd?
 

This time last month, the only sewing machines I owned were a cheap Brother and a Juki TL2010Q(I gave away my early '90s singer zig-zag machine when I got the Juki). As of today, I have two treadle machines in cabinets (a Singer 66 and a 17), and a 201-2 in a cabinet with a stool that I picked up today for a very good price. Of course, I had already made arrangements to pick up a 15-90 with gorgeous decals intact in a bentwood case later this week, so that will make 4 new to me vintage machines in a month. I may need intervention. Almost (but not quite) wish I had found out more about vintage machines before I bought the Juki (which I have used a lot in the 8 months I have owned it). I bought it because it has metal gears and housing, and is a high speed, straight stitch machine for FMQing. Sound like any other machine I may have picked up? For what I paid for the Juki, I could buy 3 times as many old Singers as I have purchased already.

Two features that I adore on my Juki are the needle threader and automatic thread cutter (particularly when quilting) Are there similar needle threaders that can be added to any of the older Singer machines? My eyes would be be very grateful if that option exists.

Blame the companies that make expensive "throw away" sewing machines for keeping the old sewing machine indusrty alive and well!

Good choices for a "seed herd"

Good for you. I didn't get mine within a month, but 2 years ago I owned one machine. Today I own 6 and have sold/ given away 2. <sigh> I'll join you in an intervention.

You can blame me; I don't mind in the least.

What does a 17 look like?

It looks like a typo--it is a Singer 127.

I have quite a few vintage machines and I purchased a Juki 2010 recently, mostly for the thread cutter and up/down needle. And the fact that I can put a cone on the machine. Oh, and the L bobbins.

I mostly swap between it and my 301. It's quieter.

I love them all for different reasons.

sounds like you have a lot more restraint than I have! :o I've always liked sewing machines and had maybe 6 for 'decoration' when my mom started buying them at estate sales and I ended up inheriting them..then got on here to get inspired to pull them out and use 'em and what happens?! I end up adding 3 small size kenmores(1030,1040,1045 I think are the 3 models but they all look kinda the same), kenmore 1802(think this is the number), kenmore 1430(again think this is the number), 201, 15-91, kenmore 48 (who could pass this coollooking thing up?!), fleetwood 15 clone(gosh), singer 128 handcrank, federation jones handcrank, pink atlas...and of all things ANOTHER 500 because it was in a cabinet and i needed a cabinet for something else (like one of the 2-3 500/503s my mom had already gotten!!) that's the most embarrassing thing I can admit to buying (other than coming close to buying a 66 with pretty decals only to finally get to the 2 I have and realize they're the same decals) hoo boy but in fairness my house was so cluttered and had stuff from my mom's stored all around that I couldnt get to etiher at the time- now i can and they're the same decals on both - good thing I love them!

the worst thing I think is I figured when I was falling for all the old black singers that I should look at stuff I KNEW I had ZERO interest in to avoid temptation...so figured the colored machines and handcranks 'cause after all why would I want something that was made by a business that took business away from America or required one hand to turn the wheel?! sigh that's when the clone and atlas bit me and I somehow walked away with 2 handcranks..

I've also been pulling out machines I got from my mom and trying to use them- thought I'd pull out one of the black 301s thinking I could trade it or sell and get something else - fell in LOVE with it and now it's my carry-around machine alternating with one of the featherweights

you just ain't safe you got the bug and all you can hope for is to find bargains! I also have some other machines- an auntpicked one up near where I used to live for $5 (I dont think I should have to count it as a purchase since it's only $5...) and another kenmore I had to have that I'll get in a week or 2 when I"m off work again. sigh....somehow the college kids who cleared all the space for me managed to create room for more machines!

I've got the sickness too. :)

In January of this year I only had one sewing machine, a Singer 9022 that I've had for about 25 years.

I never understood why anyone would have more than one sewing machine.

Then the quilting bug bit me hard. I started a quilt and had to take my machine in for repairs. It was awful not having my
machine!

I got a Singer Sphinx Retro a month later. So pretty. But only straight stitch. :(

So I picked up a little White ZZ the following month. I'm trying to teach my daughter to sew and she's been using this and the Sphinx. She prefers the White. For now.

Then a couple of months after that I saw a Kenmore Trispan with all the cams in a cabinet. Because I needed backup for decorative stitching.

I might get a little serger for my birthday in hopes of improving upon and expanding garment construction.

It gets worse.

My brother bought a house this month.

The owner left three sewing machines behind.

All vintage.

New Home in carrier.

Pink and white Kenmore in a cabinet(daughter might want this one)

A Singer Touch and Throw with cams and attachments and manuals in a cabinet.

Maybe I can get one up and running for my mom.

I'd love to have her old Morse Fotomatic I learned on.

Maybe one will turn up somewhere.

Might be time for an intervention.

:)

I got the bug a little while back after reading on this board. Now I am always on the lookout. I have a treadle table that holds either the 15 or the very old red eye, two feather weights, a 301, 401, old hand crank (can't remember if it is a 66), my original 327, an electric 66 in a cabinet, a Sewhandy, a server and a mechanical Costco Brother. I hope I am not leaving any out. We are in the process of moving to a house in another state that has a basement with a work room already in it. Yay me. Many more options here. It is very satisfying to me to get a machine running. I will say I haven't had to do much in the way of actual repairs - just cleaning and oiling (and the gear grease). I do want to disassemble a motor one day. And maybe learn about timing although none of mine yet have needed that.