libber

My mother bought me a 201-2, in a mahogany cabinet in 1957. I have that machine and use it frequently, along with my 222K and my 403a. Can you tell I am a dedicated vintage Singer person?

MadCow333

The one I have had the longest is my Featherweight. My aunt and uncle gave it to me in the late 1970s, when I was a kid. It was still in brand new condition at that time. The original sales receipt for it are still in the case with it. My aunt (my mother's sister) was a second wife and she had her own machine. The Featherweight had belonged to my uncle's first wife. She bought the machine brand new but died in a house fire very soon after that. The machine was undamaged, and my uncle had kept the machine for all those years, but I don't think anyone ever used it.

I took the Featherweight to college with me. It lived in my dorm room closet the whole time, just like any ol' $15 thrift shop machine. Nobody even stole it. Probably that was before people developed a renewed interest in quilting and Featherweights. I sewed all kinds of clothes on it for about 4 years, used it and abused it, and then I bought a free arm zig zag machine and didn't use my Featherweight much after that. Then I got it out to use one day, accidentally dropped it, and it fell onto the balance wheel, which bent the main shaft! I bought a replacement shaft, but I had to relocate to a region that lacks a good OSMG that I'd trust to install it. My aunt and uncle are both deceased now.

So, there you have it. I know: It's just a really weird little true story of my low mileage Featherweight. I've had it for 35 or 36 years now? That's hard to believe.

quiltjoey

I have my Kenmore I bought new in 1961. I still use it occasionally and it works fine. It's in a cabinet which has a power lift uses a knee lever or foot pedal to sew. I keep it maintained and in it's in excellent condition...

QuiltnLady1

I stll have my Elna Supra that I got in 1973 -- it was $1200 when I bought it. It has cams and the straight stitch ans serpentine stitch are dreams. I have the infinite width adjustment -- love it!!

nanna-up-north

Wow, how did I miss this thread? The machine that I've had the longest and still have is my Viking, top of the line, purchased in 1970, after my first year of teaching. I was able to get a teacher's discount or I wouldn't have been able to afford it. It still works just fine and I let my SIL use it to learn how to sew a few things..... she's sewing machine phobic.
I also have access to my grandmother's treadle (it's at my sister's house at the moment). That's the machine I learned on back in the early 1950's. That poor machine has seen better days, put aside when Mom realized that her 4 daughters needed a newer machine to do all the things we wanted to do. But I rescued it from a neighbor that let her kids climb all over it and I did get it back to sewing okay. I had to send it to my sister's house when we were moving and haven't gone over to get it back to my place. I need to do that.

Skyangel

I still have the Kenmore 158-1946 that I got for my HS graduation in 1978 from my parents. It's still going strong, although I don't use it much. Last year I loaned to to my Mom and brought hers (also a Kenmore since my Daddy was a Sears man) home to rehab it. She had taken it to a big-name sewing dealer in Portland for service. About a year later, it froze solid. I opened it up and could see a spray pattern of some sticky white stuff. Took me a week of PB Blaster and wiggling to break it loose, then I got it cleaned out and re-lubed with Tri-Flow.

I have my Grandmother's 66-6 that she got in 1928, the year my Mom was born. It's going to get restored to it's original glory and reunited with the #40 cabinet it came in. My Mom traded out the 66 for a 401 around the time I was born. I learned to sew on the 401, but then she got her Kenmore to sew knits in the 70s.

happyquiltmom

The machine I've had the longest is my 401A. My parents bought it (used) for me as a high school graduation gift in 1980. It's been my best bud ever since!

KittyKate

My Mother in bought me an ex demo model in 1969.
Her choice an Elna Lotus SP.
We were travelling around Australia in a Caravan with two small children at the time.
It was compact and was used to sew everything, curtains, clothes, including four bridesmaids dresses when my Daughter married in 1988.
Then I discovered patchwork and it did a pretty good job with a generic 1/4 inch foot and even did some FMQ.
BUT.....I bought a Bernina 1031 and sold Ellie to an American friend in 2000.
She went to live in the USA for the next ten years and was well looked after until I visited in 2010 and bought her back home.
She has since been serviced, has a new foot pedal, still has a lovely stitch and often accompanies me to my group while the bigger girls stay home.

miriam

I should have said I still have an Elna I got in 1975 to sew baby clothes. Then I literally wore out the machine by 1990. I couldn't bear to part with it. Even Ray White pronounced it dead.

AHA!!! LUCKY ME!!! Yesterday I found one like my beat up pathetic Elna but in very nice working shape. My old one has seen MUCH better days. I have waited for this since 1990. I have found others but they didn't rock my boat for some reason. This one does. Too bad the guy's X took the attachments and a Kenmore and left the Elna and the Kenmore attachments. LOL.

tropit

I purchased my Singer 403A in 1972...used. I had just moved into the first place of my own and wanted to make curtains and bedspreads for it. That Singer is still going strong and I will never give it up. I love that machine!

~ Cindy