So it may finally be time to put the sewing machien that i have had since I was 12 to rest based ont he fact that it may be more expensive to repair than it really is worth...

I need some help with my comparison shopping! I have been going back and forth between going brand-spanking new and going vintage.... i don't do a TON of intensive sewing, but I do like to quilt and make my own clothes. i would like a variety of stitches, but I don;t planon doing embroidery or any of THAT by machine (gack--- there was a machien with a computer monitor for $4500!!!!!1 at the repair shop today! and there I was with my lil' ole Kenmore.......what does one DO with a $4500 sewing machine!??!?!??!?)

Does anyone have any recommendations/thoughts/ideas...? Something to sell me cheap?????

sallyann

i love my mom's Singer 403 slant-needle from the 70's (or 60's?). i believe the 401 and 403 are both slant-needles, and are great machines. ours used to belong to my aunt, who was a master quilter, and now we use it to sew everything from Cordura operating table covers to lacy dresses. i've seen a lot of those models at thrift stores, and i think most of the time they're worth rehabilitating. they really dont make them like they used to, in this case. i'd rather put a few hundred dollars into buying and having repaired a 401 than buy a plastic, complicated new machine that has cheesy functions i will never use.

stella

I totally agree with the Singer recommendation. I was just in the market for a new sewing machine and did a lot of comparison shopping. I ended up buying a used Singer from the 70's. I know people who have bought these from thrift stores and for a low price have had them fixed up. At one sewing machine store, the salesperson recommended a used Singer over the new machines. The parts are all metal as opposed to plastic, which makes repairs easier and cheaper. It's a simple machine, and I LOVE it!

You folks have given me the encouragement that I needed to make my mind up that what i really want in a vintage Singer machine. Your posts reminded me of using my friend's slant needle 403 a few years back and how incredibly buttery smooth the motion of the machine was.... I admit, i never really liked my Kenmore--- it is very jerky and just doesn't encourage you to want to be sitting and sewing on it all day....

If anyone else has a favorite old machine, please let me know about it! I will be checking 'round here in the next few weeks to scope out my options!

Sallyann

Hey. I can't help but throw my two cents in because my mom owns a quilt store and sells sewing machines - yes even the really expensive ones. But she also carries some not so expensive ones and I've played around with them and they seem to be pretty nice machines. Husqvarna Viking makes a couple of good little machines that shouldn't cost you more than a couple of hundred dollars. Not every machine is in the thousands. Brother also has some nice lower end machines. I'd maybe warn against buying a Singer or Pfaff at the moment. Both companies have filed for bankruptcy in the last 6 months and their futures might be unstable. You don't want to be saddled with a machine that the company no longer makes parts for, especially if its vintage and might need repair every so often. I'd shop around for a new, or newer machine. Check out ebay. Lots of sewing machine dealers will put up demonstration machines for cheap. You can also just shop around. Tell the dealer at the store that you're looking for a good, reliable machine that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. When trying them out the most important thing to look for is smooth stitch. Many lower end machines are poorly made and will jerk and jump when stitching. Good luck.