I am curious now...

My main machine these days is an Elna Quilter's Dream 6003. I bought it in 2002 because my daughter wanted the very basic computerized Elna that I had purchased in 1995. She was having trouble with the Elna Supermatic that my parents bought me in 1966 (I think it just needed cleaning and oiling). The Supermatic went to my sister who had burned out the motor on her Supermatic that was just like mine. I also have an Elna serger that must be about 20 years old. I am definitely an Elna woman; they've all been great machines. I also have a Singer 401 that I bought on a garage sale; it's a great backup machine.

Julia in MN

I have a Janome 6600 because my old Singer died on me.

Although at a yard sale yesterday for $20.00 they had the bottom to a treadle machine....all I need is a marble top for it. If it isn't sold I want to go back for it.. I can see that tin my sewing room with a mason jar lamp filled with buttons ....or a fish tank on it. Any ideas of what to do with this bottom part??

Pami

My main machine is a Janome JA1512, a basic machine I also have the following Featherweight Singer treadle Singer 201 and a handcrank dating from about 1908 which, (as I have since found out was common at the time) was imported from Germany and rebadged.

Dee in Oz

Hmmm My main machine is a Singer 15-91 knockoff called a Spartan, teal colored, bought from eBay for $16. Also have a Singer 834, Singer 401 in cabinet with stool waiting to be cleaned and put in use, a white FW

My sister still has the treadle machine that my mother promised to me, being used as a conversation piece.....

My youngest machine is about my age ;)

Ginger in CA

Pami-

I also have a treadle bottom framework. It came with three pieces of 2X6 lumber that were stained and glued/screwed to the top of it to use as a table. (Estate auction- $8.00!) I want to get a nicer top for the base. I use it to hold a lamp next to my recliner which usually lives in my studio. But in this house the sewing area is too cramped for the recliner and the table. Phooey. I miss that lovely, peaceful, quiet corner for reading- mostly reading quilt books and magazines. VBG A marble top sounds lovely- good idea!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Well, I think I'm a lightweight in the sewing machine collection category. I have my original sewing machine that my 1st husband bought me when we were first married. It's a Singer Genie. Never had any trouble with it. I never knew you were supposed to clean your machine or get them serviced. It's still never been serviced, but I now know how to clean it. I just got it back from a friend who had it for about 2 years & she made slipcovers, drapes & various other things with it. It's a keeper. (Made in France - who knew!!) It is probably 30+ years old.

I have a Viking #1+ - that is my primary machine & it's a great, great machine. I thought I'd use the embroidery feature. You'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to embroider. I have absolutely no, zero, zilch interest in embroidering.

My "new to me" machines are a Singer Featherweight, vintage 1939 & a white Featherweight - I forget how old she is. I just need a tan/brown FW to complete the line-up. I love, love, love my FW. I had my Viking in for servicing recently & used my FW a lot & when the Viking came home, I left it in it's case, until just recently. Did I mention that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my FW! I'm going on retreat next week & that's what I'm bringing with me.

Pauline Northern California

I was wondering how long it had been Leslie. Good luck with your MD visit Monday. I hope you can do some weight bearing activity as well. Wow - 10 weeks! Your spirits have been amazingly good.

I don't know what I have. They come here from ebay. DH gets them going and go is exactly what they do. Right this minute there are twins in my sewing room - two Bernina Virtuosa 155s and two sergers. There is a worn Bernina

Oh boy, oh boy, oooooooooohhhhhhh Boy! Do you mean Monday like *Tomorrow* Monday? Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO."

I have 3 machines:

2- A new Bernina I received from my mother for Christmas shortly after I began quilting about 4 years ago. This is the one I use for everything, but that is going to change soon. It will be mainly for my quilting and lightweight stuff now. I love her, but she can be temperamental at times.

As to preferences - Haven't had enough experience to have a brand preference - I've only just started. I do have an age preference - Most of the time I must say I really like my newer (computerized) machine. Having the needle stop up or down is really nice, and when I had to use my mothers old back up machine (non-computerized

My main machine is a Janome 6600 that I have had for 1 year. I also have a Janome 9500 I use for embroidery. A Janome 644 serger which is 6 months old.

These replaced my New Home Limited edition which I bought around 1992 I think. I also have an old Singer fashionmate that my wife used (before she found out I could sew, then no more LOL)

Denny in Fort Wayne

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Well needless to say I have accumulated 9 sewing machines over the last few years. My first was a junior miss in a carrying case that I got when I was about 10 years old. My second was a singer 503A I got in l963. Next was a Brother 907 1992 Next was a Viking Rose with embroidery Unit 2000 Next was a Euro Pro 9106 40 stitches 2004 Next was a Designer 2 with embroidery Unit 2004 next was a singer 66 treadle l925 2004 next was a singer 15-91 1952 2006 and finally my last one was a viking 905 serger 2007. I use at least one or two every day. I do a lot of Machine embroidery on the rose and the designer 2. Usually make most of my christmas presents. I have

Oh dear Polly.... the sewing through canvas and beer cans just brought to mind the most incredible red neck version of a wedding gown that one could ever hope for.... if one could actually hope for such a beast? LOL

I actually wish now we had done a redneck or Halloween wedding now that I know us so much better than I did when we got married. It would have been a HOOT! Maybe for my 10th we will get re-wed and I will get you to design me the canvas and beercan gown ok? Oh but you would have to be sure to make the hubby a cumberbund and ball cap out of the same stuff since we would have to have something to match us up with!

~KK in BC~

: > My sister still has the treadle machine that my mother promised to me, : > being used as a conversation piece..... : >

: > My youngest machine is about my age ;) : >

: > Ginger in CA : >

: >

: > On Jul 15, 11:45 am, "~KK in BC~" wrote: : >> What kinds of machines do we own? and how old are these machines? and : >> what : >> do we prefer age/brand wise? (sorry if this is a repeat but I don't have : >> the : >> time to go back into the archives right now and I am a terribly curious : >> person) : >>

: >> I have: : >> 1964 Kenmore in original cabinet with all the original cams and : >> accessories. : >> My favourite machine to use at this time. : >>

: >> 1992 Kenmore. Just a simple machine with 10 stitches. Wonderful machine : >> for : >> hemming and mending of our uniforms and such. Light and easy to drag out : >> for : >> emergency surgery! : >>

: >> and my newest acquired machine : >> 1960's Bernina 731 with ALL the bells and whistles. I cant wait to try : >> this : >> baby out and possibly make it my new favourite machine! : >>

: >> Oh and I also own a brand new Kenmore serger that I have used once. I : >> must : >> learn how to use it and get comfortable with that kind of machine since : >> it : >> is a bit out of my comfort zone. : >>

: >> I find that I prefer the old, heavy, simpler machines to the new fancy : >> computerized ones. I learned on a simple Elna knee control and I guess : >> that : >> is where my loyalty lies when it comes to using machines. I know how to : >> rip : >> them apart and put them back together and they still work when I am done : >> with that! LOL (yes, that is important to me for some odd reason?) : >>

: >> ~KK in BC~ who is patiently waiting to inherit my mom's machines, a FW : >> singer of unknown age, a treadle that belonged to my grandmother in MINT : >> condition, another FW of unknown origin but sews like a dream, her new : >> serger from Singer, and her newest SM also a Singer (but computerized so : >> I : >> am not really excited about that one LOL) Sadly she has disposed of her : >> industrial upholstery machine before I could claim it. : >

: >

: :

I have an Imperial, which is an absolute bear to get any information on. I think it was probably made sometime in the 60's. It is all metal with plastic knobs and is that odd tan-beige that was the enamel color for home machinery in the early to mid 60's.

A Pfaff 130, early 1950's. I'm not sure if it was inspired by the model god used to sew sails for the ark, or if it was typical german engineering to enable one to sew tanks. It is a most awsesome machine.

A Bel-Air Bantam, copy of a Singer featherweight. I think it is probably a WWII vintage because it is cast zinc (mostly) rather than cast iron. A nice little straight stitching machine.

A Free-Westinghouse, probably one of the last to go out with that name, it came with a manual which is copyrighted 1934. A very easy sewing beast.

A 1928 Singer 99, still in the original bentwood case. I am still trying to figure out a good ergonomically correct table and chair combination to use it with. As is I have to sit on a couple of phone books.

I have a treadle by courtesy. When one of the old aunties died she left it to me because I am the only one amongst the sibs, wives, and cousins that really sews _and_ doesn't have to yell for help whenever the machine burps. I believe it is a Singer 27 or perhaps an extremely close cousin. Very ornate with a vibrateing shuttle bobbin. I still haven't really gone over it. It isn't _truly_ mine, you see. DH's cousin who is "slow" uses it frequently and I haven't the heart to take it away from her. She is better than 25 years older than me, and I am not sure she could learn to use a new machine (she is afraid of electricity). I've ended up teaching her how to make right triangle squares without having to sew bias edges, and she is going to town making new kinds of quilt blocks. There was a method to Aunty's madness.

NightMist

Hey Polly, in the course of my searchings I discovered that the Pfaff

NightMist

My dad made me a table for a treadle bottom he acquired and used cedar log halves with that thick pour-on finish on it. It's really pretty and sits in my living room by the couch. He made mom one years ago with a large marble top and they still have it.

Pfaff 2240 about 10 years old. Featherweight. And MIL's old Singer from about 1950 (made in Germany AFAIK). Roberta in D

"~KK in BC~" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:0Xtmi.44889$xk5.20877@edtnps82...

I started sewing in home ec class in 7th grade, and the summer after that class I was given the most basic Kenmore. I made my own clothes through college, and then drifted away from sewing into crocheting.

Then I couldn't crochet any more. A couple of decades later a friend offered to teach me to quilt. The Kenmore still worked [!].

But eventually I looked around and got a Bernina, one of the lower level computerized ones. I am happy with it, except that I wish it sewed over pins like the Kenmore did.

If there were a Janome dealer within 120 miles, I would have considered buying one, but there isn't.

Martha