Ok spin off Featherweight machine

What is it that has everyone here up and arms about the Featherweight sewing
machines 221 I think..

what about the singers from the late 50s, the singers from the 60 & 70s Are
they Not just as good?

and while I am at it.. I might as well get this one out too..

What makes a sewing machine worth 1000-5000 (Viking/Pfaffs/ etc) just
because it has a on board computer

Mine cost only 250.00 Kenmore 28 stitch bought in 92.. and it makes quilts
just as nice.

In article m,
"Dustbunny" noneworking@ wrote:

What is it that has everyone here up and arms about the Featherweight sewing
machines 221 I think..

what about the singers from the late 50s, the singers from the 60 & 70s Are
they Not just as good?

I know 301's are becoming somewhat collectable. Mine says 1957 :-)
It's a nice straight stitch machine that's great for piecing.
But....doesn't have a nice satin stitch or button hole stitch for
machine applique. It's darn loud when it sews so it's hard to listen to
Horatio Hornblower when I'm piecing :-) But, it's great to take to
class and it works just fine for my son or as a loaner or when my nice
machine is in the shop.


and while I am at it.. I might as well get this one out too..

What makes a sewing machine worth 1000-5000 (Viking/Pfaffs/ etc) just
because it has a on board computer

Computers can do lots of whizzy stuff that an old machine likely can't.
Some quilters/ sewers really like those extra features and stitches and
do neat things with them. Computers are expensive...so are all those
fancy ads in the magazines and the celebrity endorsements.


Mine cost only 250.00 Kenmore 28 stitch bought in 92.. and it makes quilts
just as nice.

I'm in the middle of a 5 week beginners class. All the women showed up
with machines from at least the 1970's. Some work just fine. Others not
so much. Two of the ladies ended up buying new machines - Elna Quilters
Dream for around $900. Both agree that the machines sew a nicer stitch,
work better - easier to change the feet and stitches (no cams!), and run
smoother and more quietly. It was worth it to them. The other ladies
continue to be happy with their machines and yes, their quilts are just
as nice.

If you have an older machine and it works great...then keep it. If your
machine gives you fits and starts or doesn't have features that you now
need, then perhaps it's time for a new one.

marcella
don't sell them, just use them and buy them ;-)

221's are a classic. The do what they do wonderfully and often
there is a but of nostalgia to owning one. A Singer 201 is hands
down the best straight stitch machine Singer made. 15's are great
too. A 401 or 500 from late 50's or early 60's are workhorse
too. The computer machines have a lot more capabilities than
mechanical. I had a 8 yr. old TOL Kenmore when I bought my
Bernina. They both sewed but the Bernina is a machine in it's own
league. There is no comparison on a satin stitch. For straight stitching
you don't need anything fancy. Many wonderful quilts are made on
lower end machine. Kind of like the car you drive. Compare a Toyota
to a BMW. The Toyota will get you where you are going but the BMW
will do it in style.
Taria

Dustbunny wrote:

What is it that has everyone here up and arms about the Featherweight sewing
machines 221 I think..

what about the singers from the late 50s, the singers from the 60 & 70s Are
they Not just as good?

and while I am at it.. I might as well get this one out too..

What makes a sewing machine worth 1000-5000 (Viking/Pfaffs/ etc) just
because it has a on board computer

Mine cost only 250.00 Kenmore 28 stitch bought in 92.. and it makes quilts
just as nice.

Dustbunny wrote:

What is it that has everyone here up and arms about the Featherweight sewing
machines 221 I think..

I don't have one of them, but if anyone gave me one, it would never
leave! there are three main attractions:

Stitch quality - impeccable
Size & weight - small and light, so easy to take to classes
Looks - they are seriously cute machines!

what about the singers from the late 50s, the singers from the 60 & 70s Are
they Not just as good?

Up to about 1964, Singer's were fine. After that they went off the boil
and slid downhill, quality wise. When they stopped making the old cast
metal machines with all metal innards, they lost the quality. It wasn't
a sudden thing, but no, later machines were just not as good. They may
be better again now, but I have yet to come across a modern Singer that
does as well as other makes in the same price bracket.

I have two old Singer machines, a 66 hand crank built in 1923, and a
15-81 treadle built in the late 30's/early 40's. Both have an
impeccable stitch and very nice manners. They will sew through just
about anything short of plate armour, given encouragement. They do
straight stitch only, and the hand crank doesn't even go backwards.

and while I am at it.. I might as well get this one out too..

What makes a sewing machine worth 1000-5000 (Viking/Pfaffs/ etc) just
because it has a on board computer

It isn't just the computer. I did a LOT of research before buying my
Lily, and I needed that same impeccable stitch quality I get with the
old machines, coupled with multiple stitch choices (like buttonholes and
blind hemming). To get that stitch quality, reliability, and motor
strength needed to do all the things I do (not just quilting!), I needed
either an older singer or a new TOTL machine. I wanted the added
versatility of the modern machine. I got a good deal on the day I
bought it, and it serves me very well indeed. It makes a MUCH better
stitch than most of the cheaper machines I have tried (I get to use
quite a few while teaching in odd places), AND a better stitch than
some equally expensive.

Mine cost only 250.00 Kenmore 28 stitch bought in 92.. and it makes quilts
just as nice.

Scale that up to today's prices, then look at what you could get for the
equivalent spending power. I bet it's a lot more! You probably
wouldn't get as good a machine as yours is for $250 today.

The thing is, that like everything else, you get what you pay for, and
as with any tool, the skill of the operator is an important factor. As
is the level of skill they wish to aspire to. I can do wonderful things
with my old hand crank that another sewing person might only gasp at no
matter how marvellous her machine, because she has less experience at
handling both the machine and the fabric. On the other hand, there are
quilters here that I stand in awe of, because no matter how wonderful my
Lily is, even with her help I do not have the skills to do what they
do. If you are happy that your skills can grow, and your machine will
meet all the challenges you want, why change the machine? As a
professional dressmaker, I needed to be able to provide things that I
could not easily provide without all the bells and whistles of the new
machine. Just a small example: I love the blind hem stitch on my
machine, and can do hems on it really fast. I can also do very good
hems by hand, but they take longer... Where a machines hem will suit the
garment, it's very cost effective for the customer to pay for less than
an hour's work rather than 3 hours work.

Pop over to my web site and see some of the really silly things I do
with my machines! I have a quilting project in mind for the treadle...
URL below.

--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!