Thinking of a vintage machine...which one? help :)
02-15-2013, 08:50 AM
#23
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Tidewater, VA
Posts: 264
For Jory- if you are actually going to treadle on this machine, make sure it has complete functional movement. Even if you have to tie shoelaces as a temporary belt.
Make sure that the machine operates smoothly. For that age machine you will have a long bobbin- make sure you have a bobbin case and some extra bobbins.
Look up the serial number on the machine- I take my ipad or iphone and do it right there.
Make sure that the machine operates smoothly. For that age machine you will have a long bobbin- make sure you have a bobbin case and some extra bobbins.
Look up the serial number on the machine- I take my ipad or iphone and do it right there.
02-15-2013, 09:11 PM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
Mummy Quilts,
Do you do free motion quilting? A Singer 15-90 or 15-90 would be a good machine. I have one, its a great machine and its easy to find bobbins and other parts. The feed dogs drop too.
I have a 4 treadle machines,Pfaff 60, Singers 115,201K,237 and 15-90; the last 2 had motorectomies.
I have Singer 301s, Featherweights, all of them are great machines. Stay away from the Singers made after 1978, they're bad news.
Sharon
Do you do free motion quilting? A Singer 15-90 or 15-90 would be a good machine. I have one, its a great machine and its easy to find bobbins and other parts. The feed dogs drop too.
I have a 4 treadle machines,Pfaff 60, Singers 115,201K,237 and 15-90; the last 2 had motorectomies.
I have Singer 301s, Featherweights, all of them are great machines. Stay away from the Singers made after 1978, they're bad news.
Sharon
Last edited by purplefiend; 02-15-2013 at 09:17 PM.
02-16-2013, 05:32 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Woodmere, NY
Posts: 1,422
I'm in love with my singer 66.. Though she doesn't have drop down feed dogs, reverse, and nor is she portable, but she hums.. She is easy to take care of, and she performs like she is at Lincoln Center. She doesn't grab my threads, doesn't skip stitches, and all she asks in return is a little oil now, and then. It also helps if she is plugged in. She gets very stubborn if she has no current going to her.
I also have two Singer 99's.. I fell in love with my first, and was at a garage sale two weeks ago, and another came home with me.. I hope to give one away to a niece, but am waiting for one of them to mention the need.. They are different models of the 99's. One has reverse, and the other doesn't, but has a bent wood case. Both were very well taken care of.. Both were $25.. One from a thrift store, and the other from a tag sale.
Since I do applique sometimes, I have a green Singer from the UK.. I only use her for her zig zag capabilities..
I also have two Singer 99's.. I fell in love with my first, and was at a garage sale two weeks ago, and another came home with me.. I hope to give one away to a niece, but am waiting for one of them to mention the need.. They are different models of the 99's. One has reverse, and the other doesn't, but has a bent wood case. Both were very well taken care of.. Both were $25.. One from a thrift store, and the other from a tag sale.
Since I do applique sometimes, I have a green Singer from the UK.. I only use her for her zig zag capabilities..
02-16-2013, 01:56 PM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lafayette, TN
Posts: 1,204
Lots of good advice for you, especially the one just ahead of me here from Miriam. How far is Evanston from Springfield? You would be able to find a great machine, just what you probably want, and get lots of advice and help from Joe besides. My personal favorite of all the Singers is the 201 in a cabinet, but I have 5 FWs, 2 301s, unnumbered other Singers and clones; plus Kenmores, Elnas, Pfaff, Husqvarna Vikings, Good Housekeeping, and one with some kind of Home in the name (escapes me now) and love them all.
02-17-2013, 06:50 PM
#29
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Evanston, IL
Posts: 57
Oh how I agree! You just can't beat a Singer 15-91 OMG! I love mine, so much so, I bought another one for a spare! I love to FM on them, and they are set up all the time to piece with. If you want one to travel with a Singer 301, lightweight. Best buy is probably the 15 though, sometimes you can find a 301 at a decent price. I would certainly do my homework, look around! I have some Janomes also, but my favorites are my old Singers! Hands down!
It depends what you want to use it for. IMHO:
If piecing, the Singer 221 Featherweight is the most accurate, but fmq is yucky. Straight stitch (ss) only. Twelve pounds, I think. Easy to transport. Needs special bobbins, easily available, interchange with Singer 301.
If piecing and free motion quilting and straight line quilting, the Singer 301 (ss) can't be beat, and it is simple to maintain. It is gear driven instead of belt driven, can handle heavier stuff (I wouldn't try leather), has a slant shank that lets you see better. Sixteen pounds. A keeper and my all-time favorite. I have two and use them constantly. Needs special bobbins, easily available.
The 15-91 (ss) is also good at all these things, but heavier. I know people who have the 15-91 on a quilt frame for quilting despite its small harp. In fact, Model 15 (ss) anything, including clone, is great.
For piecing and straight-line quilting of heavier items, the Singer 201 (ss) is great. It is a sweet machine. However, don't try it for fmq. I've known only one person who had one she could use for fmq, and if the threads get caught in the bobbin assembly, it's really tough to put it back together so it works. Ask me how I know. I have three 201s but they are seldom used. The hand crank is great for precision thread painting. I prefer the less finicky Singer 301. I find I MUST hold the thread tails each and every time on the 201. This is heavy, maybe 40 pounds. Do not use for bobbin work.
For all around sewing, but not my favorite for piecing or fmq: the Singer 401. Wonderful for straight-line quilting. Twenty-two or more stitches, reliable, not easy for a beginner to use, sews through a lot (still not leather). Needs frequent use or gets cranky. A keeper. Singer 500 is almost the same. Probably 26 - 30 pounds.
For piecing, some quilting: Singer 127 treadle (ss) lets you do this but not my favorite, at least not the one I have. Singer 66 handles heavier jobs (not leather) and that would be a better choice.
For piecing: Singer 99 (ss). It's okay, not a favorite. I have one that has poor decals and use it for paper piecing and allow pins with it. It has the bentwood case.
Necchi Super Nova is wonderful, endlessly versatile as far as stitches go, very heavy, not a beginner's machine. You can get any stitch you can think up by combining cams.
For pure precision and enjoyment: Pfaff 130. A machine to die for. Not portable, 40+ pounds, but a great precision piecer, fmq, and straight line quilting. Do NOT use for bobbin work; ask me how I know. Handles heavy stuff easily, but wouldn't make leather a habit. Needs special bobbins.
Elna grasshopper (ss) is decent for piecing and is one of only two machines made that has a true low gear for powering through really heavy stuff (The other is Viking 6400 series). Elna comes with its own case that turns into a table. Needs special bobbins.
Viking 6400 series. SS and zz and has 16 more stitches on cams. Good machine. A keeper. Reliable, easy to use. True low gear. Has some unusual looking feet.
Did I miss any you want to know about?
If piecing, the Singer 221 Featherweight is the most accurate, but fmq is yucky. Straight stitch (ss) only. Twelve pounds, I think. Easy to transport. Needs special bobbins, easily available, interchange with Singer 301.
If piecing and free motion quilting and straight line quilting, the Singer 301 (ss) can't be beat, and it is simple to maintain. It is gear driven instead of belt driven, can handle heavier stuff (I wouldn't try leather), has a slant shank that lets you see better. Sixteen pounds. A keeper and my all-time favorite. I have two and use them constantly. Needs special bobbins, easily available.
The 15-91 (ss) is also good at all these things, but heavier. I know people who have the 15-91 on a quilt frame for quilting despite its small harp. In fact, Model 15 (ss) anything, including clone, is great.
For piecing and straight-line quilting of heavier items, the Singer 201 (ss) is great. It is a sweet machine. However, don't try it for fmq. I've known only one person who had one she could use for fmq, and if the threads get caught in the bobbin assembly, it's really tough to put it back together so it works. Ask me how I know. I have three 201s but they are seldom used. The hand crank is great for precision thread painting. I prefer the less finicky Singer 301. I find I MUST hold the thread tails each and every time on the 201. This is heavy, maybe 40 pounds. Do not use for bobbin work.
For all around sewing, but not my favorite for piecing or fmq: the Singer 401. Wonderful for straight-line quilting. Twenty-two or more stitches, reliable, not easy for a beginner to use, sews through a lot (still not leather). Needs frequent use or gets cranky. A keeper. Singer 500 is almost the same. Probably 26 - 30 pounds.
For piecing, some quilting: Singer 127 treadle (ss) lets you do this but not my favorite, at least not the one I have. Singer 66 handles heavier jobs (not leather) and that would be a better choice.
For piecing: Singer 99 (ss). It's okay, not a favorite. I have one that has poor decals and use it for paper piecing and allow pins with it. It has the bentwood case.
Necchi Super Nova is wonderful, endlessly versatile as far as stitches go, very heavy, not a beginner's machine. You can get any stitch you can think up by combining cams.
For pure precision and enjoyment: Pfaff 130. A machine to die for. Not portable, 40+ pounds, but a great precision piecer, fmq, and straight line quilting. Do NOT use for bobbin work; ask me how I know. Handles heavy stuff easily, but wouldn't make leather a habit. Needs special bobbins.
Elna grasshopper (ss) is decent for piecing and is one of only two machines made that has a true low gear for powering through really heavy stuff (The other is Viking 6400 series). Elna comes with its own case that turns into a table. Needs special bobbins.
Viking 6400 series. SS and zz and has 16 more stitches on cams. Good machine. A keeper. Reliable, easy to use. True low gear. Has some unusual looking feet.
Did I miss any you want to know about?
Mummy Quilts,
Do you do free motion quilting? A Singer 15-90 or 15-90 would be a good machine. I have one, its a great machine and its easy to find bobbins and other parts. The feed dogs drop too.
I have a 4 treadle machines,Pfaff 60, Singers 115,201K,237 and 15-90; the last 2 had motorectomies.
I have Singer 301s, Featherweights, all of them are great machines. Stay away from the Singers made after 1978, they're bad news.
Sharon
Do you do free motion quilting? A Singer 15-90 or 15-90 would be a good machine. I have one, its a great machine and its easy to find bobbins and other parts. The feed dogs drop too.
I have a 4 treadle machines,Pfaff 60, Singers 115,201K,237 and 15-90; the last 2 had motorectomies.
I have Singer 301s, Featherweights, all of them are great machines. Stay away from the Singers made after 1978, they're bad news.
Sharon
Yes, I do FMQ, so I would love to be able to do it with the vintage machine - this is great info, thank you!
does Joe have a store? (off to Google now..)
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