oldtnquiltinglady

I think I am in the OIOO step and have really made one step in that direction--sold an HV Designer I a couple of weeks ago that I simply could not make myself learn. So when I went to Paducah for the big quilting show, I bought an Elna Embroidery Machine (still have not made the first stitch on it); I promised DH that I would sell the HV if he would let me buy the Elna, he said yes (Elna is my all time favorite machine for purely sentimental reasons, and I have only bought Elnas new--I haven't been able to find used one for sale); and when I got home with it, I really did put the HV up for sale, and someone jumped at the chance to own it, with no quibbling about the price I was asking.

I do give sewing machines away; I have lots of friends, sisters, cousins, grandchildren (please note that I did not mention children here) that I have gifted with a sewing machine, even one or two FWs.

And for the person who mentioned that you would like to have a Rocketeer, PM me, and I think we can probably work out a deal for it to become yours.

Mrs. SewNSew

OIOO is a good system and I NEED a good system. Right now I am shooting for OITO! For every one in, two go out. I'd like to eventually get it down to my own personal collection and a couple at a time in the garage to tinker on. Of course I haven't really set limit on how big my personal collection can be.

Every time I try to tighten up my shopping scope..I still find plenty within my limitations! heehee!

Oh my gosh Cecilia! That list is hysterical!

Sideways

I am attracted to machines from about 1910 on. I am attracted to color and shape, I love beautiful machines. I am really a color collector. But I do love my singers too. Gosh darn I love them all. I do like them to work and be functional. No doorstops for me.

purplefiend

Mrs SewnSew,
My collection began with a white FW that I bought on Ebay, I was new to vintage machines and go taken for a ride. I had to have major repairs done to the machine.
The next machine was a black FW from the local pawn shop, it was in wonderful condition, then came another white FW,2 more black FWs and then a tan FW. Then I branched out to the Singer 301, had 4 of those, down to one.
Then I fell in love with the Singer treadles, I have found that I like a treadle better for most of my quilt sewing. Last year a friend gave me a 1917 White Rotary that had a motor put on some time in the distant past, it is now my favorite treadle. Currently I'm into treadles.


CJTinkle,
I have 2 older Berninas that I just love sewing with. I have a 930 that I bought used about 10 years ago and then there's a lovely 1031 that I bought new in 1992. It was wonderful to finally have a decent machine that didn't have an issue every time I wanted to sew. I still sew with it, when I'm not using a treadle machine; she gets a bit jealous of the old iron ladies.
Sharon

Champanier

Cecilia, this is absolutely perfect and sooooo true. I joined QB just in January and what a terrible and wonderful influence it's been! Back then - ha, just nine months ago, I had an old Wheeler and Wilson treadle we bought ten years ago and a plastic Brother that was a constant frustration. I wanted to make a cushion (still unstarted by the way), so I thought I'd look up how to fix the Wheeler and Wilson. Well, that took over the kitchen table for sewing machine repair; then required buying umpteen bottles, cans and tubes of various solvents, polishes, cleaners, dremel bits, screwdrivers, veneer sheets, shellac, and more (now living in two plastic file drawer units).


So, now my steady decline into madness...there are so many machines and they're so pretty and cool and the do different things!


1) It was exciting to fix the Wheeler and Wilson. It shines, stitches perfectly (thanks to QB friends explaining the threading) and I made progress on restoring the finish and getting the decals back. Oh, look, here's a W&W faceplate on eBay that matches and has better decals! Bought that and put it on. Bought a spool holder since mine was straight and not u-shaped. Found a nice long piece of treadle leather on Amazon that let me make multiple belts...


Named her Nellie for my ancestor Nellie Bly, having learned on QB to name machines, because Nellie Bly traveled around the world and the W&W chugs so intrepidly that it reminds me of a train.


2) Began saving sewing machine images to phone and iPad, now requiring extensive scrolling to find family member photos.


3) The red eyes are so beautiful. Oh, look, here's one on Craigslist and it's only an hour away! Bought that, cleaned it up and it looks really pretty. (Although somehow in trying to use it, I've misplaced the bobbin plate cover - argh - still looking).


4) Aren't the decals gorgeous on the Free machines? Oh, look (again), here's one on Craigslist and it's only an hour and a half away. Oh, how cool! And it only needs to have the mouse poop cleaned out, the flaking rusty finish restored, the curved oak veneer replaced on the drawer, the rest of the wood finish restored...and look how handy it is that I already have the leather to replace the belt.


Kitchen and I acquire permanent aroma of kerosene and sewing machine oil. Evaporust becomes my friend and I begin searching for other rusty items around the house that I can soak and polish...


5) Gee, it really would help if I had a Free machine in good condition for comparison. Oh, look (refrain repeats), here's one on Craigslist, and it's only 45 minutes away. It is indeed, beautiful, just took some obsessive cleanup to really shine, some wood putty to fill in a deep gouge where someone tried to close the lid too quickly, some careful painting and coloring to match the wood color and contine the grain.


Still too scared to try veneer on curved drawer or restore the shellac finish on the Free machine in bad shape. Now have the Red Eye by the window, the W&W side by side with the 'good' Free, and the 'bad shape' Free conveniently blocking the wardrobe where my fabric is stored.


6) Downloaded Craigslist app that lets me set alerts. Set one for 'sewing machine' in the Catskills and 9 other ever-so-convenient locations in the tri-state area. Oh, look, Tiffany decals in a closed cabinet! Let's drive another few hours. New machine (requiring shuttle bobbins that look to my untrained eye like every other shuttle bobbin, causing eBay purchases of random bobbins that don't fit) takes its place beside the wardrobe, further blocking access to fabric.


7) Go to a street fair, where a family has set up a sale in the yard. Oh, look, a bentwood Singer case! What, it's locked and you can't get it open? No problem! We'll just buy it sight unseen. Husband won't mind carrying it (very heavy) back to the car. Get it home and open. Hmmm, requires wiring, although it is very pretty. Great advice from QB follows. Still haven't ordered cloth-covered wiring.


This machine is so heavy that the kitchen table feels tippy. Oh, look, here's a huge, heavy table at the thrift shop. We can conveniently replace the nice table that actually fit with this enormous battered one, so I have more room to work on machines.


8) Hmm, I'm having trouble getting back my treadle rhythm and I still don't like the Brother plastic machine. Oh, look, here's a plastic Singer on Craigslist for $15. Let's drive to New Paltz. Only took about six hours to get it up and running, tension fixed, etc.


9) Some actual sewing occurs. Granddaughter visits and we move the old Free machine to get to the fabric. Begin sewing a dress. Oh, rats, the new Singer sews much like the Brother. I wonder what I'd need to get to actually sew easily. Much internet searching ensues. Hmm, Janome, Pfaff, Singer 201, 301, 401, Bernina... Ah, Bernina 830 record. People like this. Fervently and enthusiastically. Check Craiglist. If we want to drive to Pennsylvania and spend $575, we could get one. But here's a 1030 (turned out to be a 1020) in Albany (only two hours away) that's less money. 'New' Bernina 1020 comes home. (Incidentally, pass sign for fabric sale at firehouse on the way. $1.50 a yard. Bring home tubs of fabric with the Bernina.) Cleaning, oiling, happy sewing. Finish dress. Happy, happy. Make matching American Girl doll dress. Make headband for child. Make headband for doll. Make neck scarf for toy dog. Joyful sewing. Yay! Download many doll patterns.


Oh, no. One of the feet for the Bernina is broken.


And, you know, if I'm going to sew doll dresses, I really should have an American Girl doll so I can fit them properly. They're so expensive. Oh, look, here's one on Craigslist that's reasonable. And we only need to drive past Albany. And isn't there a Bernina dealer there?


10) The madness escalates. The Bernina dealer fixes the presser foot. We chat. I end up buying some of the pieces that were missing. There are treadle machines on display. I admire them, but show brave resistance. Then we start talking about Featherweights. Back before QB, I had never heard of a Featherweight. I didn't covet one. But NOW, dear QB accomplices, I have a fervent craving for Featherweights. We buy a book about Featherweights. Lovely and kind woman at Bernina says they have one coming in for consignment. They've serviced it and it works well. I have now left a deposit and am waiting for it.


They show me a Western Electric in a bentwood case with carving on the ends. Very pretty, but my heart is strong. I will not succumb to more temptation. Ha! My husband looks at it, falls in love, and insists on buying it. I offer $10, they take it, and husband carries it lovingly to the car. I think it looks terrifying, but awfully cool, with a swing out motor that swivels into place and a foot-shaped pedal with a mysterious round thing with holes. I'm sure therewill be more posts and questions to come.


11) So all this in just nine months. And now, because of QB, I know of so very many more machines and want them passionately...the fabulous dashboard ones with their chrome, big knobs, and colors. The Singer 201...or maybe the 301 or 401. The old, old machines - the gorgeous early Grover and Baker that's just a swirl of cast iron. The mother of pearl, fiddle-based machines. The intriguing parlor cabinet with all the hidden drawers. The mission style cabinets. All the pretty colors...I am doomed and enjoying every minute!


Thanks, QB!

KenmoreRulesAll

Kenmore, natch. I have quite a few machines and the Kenmores are definitely the smoothest, most powerful, most reliable, most affordable ones in my herd. The tensions rarely need adjusting. The motors are quiet and need 2 drops of oil every 6 months. Most of the motors are 1.2 amps. Stitches are perfect. There's more room under a raised Kenmore presser foot than any other brand (that I know of). Most zig-zag to more than 5 mm. They handle 8 layers of 12 oz. denim like butter. The presser foot pressure knob actually does a great job. Tolerances are tight -- a small turn of the tension, width, length, etc. and you're getting a different stitch. On the pre-1980 machines, cam stacks are all-metal and are works of art. The choice of shank height is better than other brands: low, high, super-high. The built-in buttonhole drives under the slide plates of many Kenmores is a stroke of Sears genius. They designed the best convertibles in the business. Attachments are plentiful, well-made, and do a wonderful job.

A 1970s Kenmore will sew today as well as it did the day it was made. They're not beautiful machines but their beauty is in what they do and what they don't do. There are many fine brands of sewing machines, many with rich histories of historical firsts, beautiful designs, precise engineering, and sexy brands. But in my limited experience, Kenmores out-sew all others in every category that matters. Best of all, they're easy to operate and maintain.

Rodney

Champanier you didn't just fall down the slope, you jumped off the cliff! I know the feeling. I'm trying to focus on getting the ones I have working but every time the opportunity presents itself I find myself dragging another machine home.

My collecting style is OOI (opportunistic one in), notice there's no "out".

I'm having fun and think the machines are beautiful. The sheer variety keeps things interesting. I like everything up until the plastic gets to be too much. I seem to have a preference for the old black straight stitchers but that doesn't keep me away from the later models with dashboards and cams-the more chrome, the better. My oldest machine is from 1903, my newest is probably early 1980s.
Right now I'm working on the bentwood case for the White Rotary I picked up last week. Every glue joint is loose and it needs refinished. I'm also building a new case for my 1903 Singer model 27. Cari gave me another White Rotary that's somewhere in the queue, I have a White model 418(?) that needs a case and a bunch of cosmetic parts, a Singer 66 that I haven't even had a serious look at yet and a Singer 99 that I robbed for parts so I could finish my daughter's machine. There's also a Singer model 15 treadle waiting for restoration. I want it done before next summer. After that, maybe I can start on some of my other machines.
Rodney

SteveH

ya know, you'd think that making your collection "Victorian only" (1901 and earlier) would make it so easy to avoid the regular temptations... you would think that, but you would be OH so wrong.....

I checked the evil auction site last week and three different days, I was able to locate over 100 machines and or parts that qualify....

Just when I tell myself that I have a solid representative sample of machines, some helpful person (no, not you) sends me a link to a "what is this?" or "you might be interested in this" type message and there we go, down the rathole again...

Mostly I am looking to upgrade the quality of some of the machine I do have and or complete the display with manuals and accessories, and THAT can keep you up late cruising the web like a great white....

and Champanier... wait until you try searchcraigslist.org or that ilk.... Searches ALL of the Craigslists in the whole US at once.... bad very bad....

Cari-in-Oly

I don't know how I missed this until now.

Most everyone knows by now, but for those who don't I collect, and use, vintage 1950s and 1960s Brother machines. It started when I gave my moms' old Brother Prestige to my oldest DD about 5 years ago. I missed it so much I found another one. Then for some strange reason a Singer 201-2 begged me to take her home, and so on, and so on....... After about a year of buying machines I realized about half of my herd were Brother machines so I decided to focus on them. I have about 35 machines now. Around a dozen are Brother or badged Brothers, some Singers, some 15 class clones(I'm drawn to these too), a few other Japanese machines, a Necchi Lelia, a couple Kenmores, a Consew mini walker and Tuffylock serger, a 10 yr old plastic wonder and 2 newer embroidery machines.
Only a few of my herd were sought out, most were opportunistic finds.
I've also begun searching out not only the original accessories for my Brothers, but other related things as well like magazine ads, the Brother sewing courses, the monogrammer(I got the complete unopened, unused set---in Japanese!)and other little things that relate to Brother machines.

Cari

nanna-up-north

Oh, what fun..... reading about all your passions (we know I really mean addictions, but I'm steering away from that word). I'm in there, too. I don't need any more machines, I really don't have room for more machines (well, I probably do but the guys in the house don't think so), and I use only certain ones. So, here's my story.

I have about 20 machines (Stop laughing.....LOL) and most are Singers. I like those because I can usually find the parts I might need (I am looking for a model 12 boat shuttle and bobbin if any of you have an extra). I have a couple of Viking $$$$ machines that I had to have at the time but are at the back of the closet now that I love the older ones. I do own a couple of really old (1870's) machines that I haven't been able to get unstuck but I've not given up yet. I really do try to 'not buy any more' for the above reasons but I probably won't be able to resist if I see another that I really HAVE TO HAVE....... that's probably a Singer 222 at this point. I don't have one of those.

My favorite ones TODAY are my FW 221 for piecing, my 15-91 for FMQ, my 127 hand crank to straight line quilting and I have to include the Viking 1+ because it's the only one I use for zig-zag when I need it. I don't need it much.

Okay, who's next?