I started sewing on my mother's hand singer, and then she upgraded to an Elna. I was given a teeny tiny Elna as an 18th birthday present, which I loved. Did so much sewing for friends at university and it lasted me for 30 years. Only when my daughter did textiles a level did I upgrade to a Bernina (sorry Marilyn) and I love it. I looked at new machines (all sorts) at the knitting and stitching show last year and could not believe how expensive they are. They seem to do so many things I don't need ....but there was definitely a element of 'want' ...just in case it might do some new wonderful things I'd only dreamed of. Dream on ...
I learnt to sew on a very basic Singer hand machine that my father bought for my mother in the 40’s hoping she would turn his shirt collars for him , one withering look from her(she had 7 children) and he taught himself, then he taught me, next thing at age 12 I was doing all the sewing in the house, cushion covers, curtains, after marriage I won a White sewing machine, then bought my first Janome, I am a Janome girl, couldn’t stand the hype around the Berninas, everyone referring to My Bernina in reverend terms, vowed never to become part of the Bernina cult, yes, it is a cult, google it. Have upgraded my Janomes over the years but at age 90 happy to stick with the one I have, never gives me any problems. only serviced it once, just because I felt it should, went through the service with flying colours, have never had to fiddle with the tension. I take meticulously care of her talk to her, her name is Serafina and she performs like a dream .No Bernina cult for me. Tried one in a workshop once, not impressed.
😂 your mum sounds like someone you wouldn’t mess with! We all have our preferences, and it’s what works for us that counts more than anything anyone else says (cult or not 🙃!!)
I don’t have all of them still! The classic Bernina is under the desk, The Beast is on the desk; smaller travelling Bernina is in a case under the bookshelves, and vintage Singer is in the cupboard!
Learnt to sew on my Gran's hand cranked Singer that Papa had converted to electricity. Moved on to investigating the wonders of dressmaking on my mum's updated Singer bought when my dad won a £100 on the pools & that he then used to put together a make your own trailer tent kit. Experimented with free motion embroidery but was banned from that as I broke too many needles! Used a small legacy to buy myself a Riccar for my 21st. Inherited a top of the range 1946 treadle Singer complete with attachments which looks more suited to a torture chamber. Another legacy brought one of the last metal bodied Husqvarna into my life, second hand as I had actually been to a class on machine embroidery & finally figured it out! Had an emergency when both my portable machines needed repaired so husband bought me a 3/4 size Janome, perfect for classes. No one told me I couldn't quilt a full size quilt on it, so I did 😏 When it wore out after years of teaching quilting, I bought a basic mechanical Brother as youngest used that model at Young Quilters(she now has it at university )& I could carry it for classes. And a Pfaff, because it had the biggest throat. I love that Pfaff, nearly as much as my Singer Featherweight. Which machine I have spent a fortune on attachments for but never used for fear of messing with that beautiful straight stitch! They're all different and perfect for different things - none but the Featherweight could stitch a decent hem on organza. And that's the ones I use - there are at least 3 hand cranked models & one vintage electric waiting service in the shed, plus another treadle currently in use as a TV stand, and a 70's straight stitch Singer to be set into a table. I think that's it. Not to mention another 2 that were "rescued" by my husband as they headed to the tip, so got sorted out & passed on. And no, I am (deliberately) not counting how many that is...it is too many, but, sewing is my only vice so it could be worse😉
WOW!! That’s a lot, but they all sound like super machines, right tool for the right job at the right time! I wouldn’t ask you to choose but I’m guessing the Pfaff? Those Singer attachments - oh my. I remember being so intimidated by them all, particularly the ruffler!!
Yup, the integrated walking foot was almost as much of a revelation as the first time I used an accurate 1/4” foot. It's not a hugely expensive model in the scheme of things but it ticked all the boxes for me - needle down function, adjustable needle & a beautiful blanket stitch.
My first sewing efforts was on my Mum’s old hand operated New Home sewing machine. It later had a motor fitted which made a sewing session really swing! My first machine purchase was a Singer straight sewer - it went forwards and backwards only - but it made me lots of clothes until I then upgraded to yet another Singer which added zig zag and a couple of other fancy stitches. I’ve still got it, under a table in my sewing room. It will sew all manner of heavy fabrics and does the tough stuff!
I now have a Pfaff which I like. It came along because I started quilting and ‘messing around’!! I also have a Husqvarna Viking tucked in another cupboard. I like manipulating the machine and the Viking is buttons for everything. I think it will be sold - 1 lady owner, only driven 6 times!!
I couldn’t live without my sewing machine to play with and is such a wonderful way to while away many happy hours. 😂
It certainly is, Mary! Buttons are my nemesis…dials, knobs and levers every time for me. Telepathy would be good - if they could invent a machine that could just read my mind!
Izzy you have hit the nail on the head—you don’t know what you don’t know. I learned to sew on Mom’s 1950’s mint green Singer. An army tank of a machine. Straight stitch only. (I don’t know what happened to that machine…) I asked for a machine for Christmas as a senior in college. Asked for one with a zig zag and stretch stitch. Dad gave me a new 1979 Singer. It worked great until the plastic parts started to wear out. Replaced one part, for about $90, which I thought was expensive (machine new was about $125-150). When the next plastic part started to wear out, it was relegated to the closet,and a new Viking Emerald was purchased. It did much more (including lowering the pesky feed dogs for free motion quilting), but ultimately was NOT the quality I was looking for. I had been interested in a Pfaff, with an even feed capability, but was hesitant to spend the extra money, two kids in college budget. Fast forward a few years, spending more time swearing at the Viking than sewing, empty nesters now and hubby says why don’t you get a new machine? You’re obviously not enjoying this one. So the feature list making begins. And the shop visits. Narrowed my focus to Bernina and Janome. Purchased the Bernina, because the shop was more helpful. Made to feel like I was imposing on the Janome shop staff, and it was a burden to answer my questions. Six years later, wish I’d found another Janome dealer and bought that. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Bernina, it’s a good machine, but not as good as the hype. Its features are not intuitive and it’s finicky. The ‘get to know your machine’ class was poorly taught, so much so that when I was ready to retire and use my machine more, I paid for another class at a different dealership, after talking with the woman teaching classes there. Get to the class a month later and it’s being taught by the woman from the first shop. Didn’t bother taking the second half (for an additional fee). Sigh. Just finished Christmas presents last month when the presser foot began acting up and died. First it wouldn’t stop stitching when you took your foot off, then it quit altogether. Took it in for service. It was the capacitor. (Back to the Future anyone?) It was fixed (note: not replaced). Online research says this is a common problem with Bernina foot pedals. Was going to replace it with Machine #4, a Janome (my niece swears by hers), was in the research phase, when my range died. Needed a new range, the sewing machine was a want. Back-burnered for now, but not forgotten! Next hiccup with the Bernina and I’m going to Janome. The disagreeable old bats at the Janome store must have retired by now, right?
What a ride! I’m fairly certain you can sometimes get a ‘Friday afternoon’ job, like our dishwasher that developed a ‘quirk’ almost immediately and despite receiving a new circuit board which changed nothing, has now been replaced by the exact same model less than two years later - which works perfectly. For what it’s worth, you can replace the foot pedal. My ‘beloved’ Bernina that died a death also developed a bit of a reluctance in the pedal department. Sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn’t…luckily they’re interchangeable, so I could use one from another machine. Thinking about it, that pedal gets a lot of action so it’s inevitable that things wear out eventually. The machine itself should be good for much longer, flux capacitor notwithstanding!!
It is really sad that Bernina stopped making a mechanical machine. They did this after I stopped working at the sewing machine shop, so never found the reason why. Mind you, I’m sure those boffins could have made a new casting mould if they really wanted to.
It does mean that even more folk are sourcing older mechanicals that still work beautifully. 😊
I started sewing on my mother's hand singer, and then she upgraded to an Elna. I was given a teeny tiny Elna as an 18th birthday present, which I loved. Did so much sewing for friends at university and it lasted me for 30 years. Only when my daughter did textiles a level did I upgrade to a Bernina (sorry Marilyn) and I love it. I looked at new machines (all sorts) at the knitting and stitching show last year and could not believe how expensive they are. They seem to do so many things I don't need ....but there was definitely a element of 'want' ...just in case it might do some new wonderful things I'd only dreamed of. Dream on ...
I’ve more to say on this, next time! The ‘new features’ thing…Look away, look away! Big isn’t necessarily better (and I do like my Bernina 😉)
Ha! Love it! Just out of curiosity, how many bikes does your husband have?!
He says…”erm…” (counting) “four, and two Brompton”. So that’s six then!!! It’s how it works…all balances out!
I think it sounds all very equitable!
It’s an arrangement that’s suited us well for many decades! Neither of us has a leg to stand on.
It’s like me and my husband. He doesn’t complain about my machines and I don’t mention his telescopes (he may have five…and a few in bits! 😉) 🤣🤣
😆
I learnt to sew on a very basic Singer hand machine that my father bought for my mother in the 40’s hoping she would turn his shirt collars for him , one withering look from her(she had 7 children) and he taught himself, then he taught me, next thing at age 12 I was doing all the sewing in the house, cushion covers, curtains, after marriage I won a White sewing machine, then bought my first Janome, I am a Janome girl, couldn’t stand the hype around the Berninas, everyone referring to My Bernina in reverend terms, vowed never to become part of the Bernina cult, yes, it is a cult, google it. Have upgraded my Janomes over the years but at age 90 happy to stick with the one I have, never gives me any problems. only serviced it once, just because I felt it should, went through the service with flying colours, have never had to fiddle with the tension. I take meticulously care of her talk to her, her name is Serafina and she performs like a dream .No Bernina cult for me. Tried one in a workshop once, not impressed.
😂 your mum sounds like someone you wouldn’t mess with! We all have our preferences, and it’s what works for us that counts more than anything anyone else says (cult or not 🙃!!)
Where do you store all these machines? I have 4 myself and I was able to grab 2 sewing machine trolley bags too but they are all so bulky.
I don’t have all of them still! The classic Bernina is under the desk, The Beast is on the desk; smaller travelling Bernina is in a case under the bookshelves, and vintage Singer is in the cupboard!
Oh. I imagined them stuffed cheek by jowl in a cupboard!
Nah, if you scatter them about it doesn’t look as many 😉
Learnt to sew on my Gran's hand cranked Singer that Papa had converted to electricity. Moved on to investigating the wonders of dressmaking on my mum's updated Singer bought when my dad won a £100 on the pools & that he then used to put together a make your own trailer tent kit. Experimented with free motion embroidery but was banned from that as I broke too many needles! Used a small legacy to buy myself a Riccar for my 21st. Inherited a top of the range 1946 treadle Singer complete with attachments which looks more suited to a torture chamber. Another legacy brought one of the last metal bodied Husqvarna into my life, second hand as I had actually been to a class on machine embroidery & finally figured it out! Had an emergency when both my portable machines needed repaired so husband bought me a 3/4 size Janome, perfect for classes. No one told me I couldn't quilt a full size quilt on it, so I did 😏 When it wore out after years of teaching quilting, I bought a basic mechanical Brother as youngest used that model at Young Quilters(she now has it at university )& I could carry it for classes. And a Pfaff, because it had the biggest throat. I love that Pfaff, nearly as much as my Singer Featherweight. Which machine I have spent a fortune on attachments for but never used for fear of messing with that beautiful straight stitch! They're all different and perfect for different things - none but the Featherweight could stitch a decent hem on organza. And that's the ones I use - there are at least 3 hand cranked models & one vintage electric waiting service in the shed, plus another treadle currently in use as a TV stand, and a 70's straight stitch Singer to be set into a table. I think that's it. Not to mention another 2 that were "rescued" by my husband as they headed to the tip, so got sorted out & passed on. And no, I am (deliberately) not counting how many that is...it is too many, but, sewing is my only vice so it could be worse😉
WOW!! That’s a lot, but they all sound like super machines, right tool for the right job at the right time! I wouldn’t ask you to choose but I’m guessing the Pfaff? Those Singer attachments - oh my. I remember being so intimidated by them all, particularly the ruffler!!
Yup, the integrated walking foot was almost as much of a revelation as the first time I used an accurate 1/4” foot. It's not a hugely expensive model in the scheme of things but it ticked all the boxes for me - needle down function, adjustable needle & a beautiful blanket stitch.
My first sewing efforts was on my Mum’s old hand operated New Home sewing machine. It later had a motor fitted which made a sewing session really swing! My first machine purchase was a Singer straight sewer - it went forwards and backwards only - but it made me lots of clothes until I then upgraded to yet another Singer which added zig zag and a couple of other fancy stitches. I’ve still got it, under a table in my sewing room. It will sew all manner of heavy fabrics and does the tough stuff!
I now have a Pfaff which I like. It came along because I started quilting and ‘messing around’!! I also have a Husqvarna Viking tucked in another cupboard. I like manipulating the machine and the Viking is buttons for everything. I think it will be sold - 1 lady owner, only driven 6 times!!
I couldn’t live without my sewing machine to play with and is such a wonderful way to while away many happy hours. 😂
It certainly is, Mary! Buttons are my nemesis…dials, knobs and levers every time for me. Telepathy would be good - if they could invent a machine that could just read my mind!
Izzy you have hit the nail on the head—you don’t know what you don’t know. I learned to sew on Mom’s 1950’s mint green Singer. An army tank of a machine. Straight stitch only. (I don’t know what happened to that machine…) I asked for a machine for Christmas as a senior in college. Asked for one with a zig zag and stretch stitch. Dad gave me a new 1979 Singer. It worked great until the plastic parts started to wear out. Replaced one part, for about $90, which I thought was expensive (machine new was about $125-150). When the next plastic part started to wear out, it was relegated to the closet,and a new Viking Emerald was purchased. It did much more (including lowering the pesky feed dogs for free motion quilting), but ultimately was NOT the quality I was looking for. I had been interested in a Pfaff, with an even feed capability, but was hesitant to spend the extra money, two kids in college budget. Fast forward a few years, spending more time swearing at the Viking than sewing, empty nesters now and hubby says why don’t you get a new machine? You’re obviously not enjoying this one. So the feature list making begins. And the shop visits. Narrowed my focus to Bernina and Janome. Purchased the Bernina, because the shop was more helpful. Made to feel like I was imposing on the Janome shop staff, and it was a burden to answer my questions. Six years later, wish I’d found another Janome dealer and bought that. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Bernina, it’s a good machine, but not as good as the hype. Its features are not intuitive and it’s finicky. The ‘get to know your machine’ class was poorly taught, so much so that when I was ready to retire and use my machine more, I paid for another class at a different dealership, after talking with the woman teaching classes there. Get to the class a month later and it’s being taught by the woman from the first shop. Didn’t bother taking the second half (for an additional fee). Sigh. Just finished Christmas presents last month when the presser foot began acting up and died. First it wouldn’t stop stitching when you took your foot off, then it quit altogether. Took it in for service. It was the capacitor. (Back to the Future anyone?) It was fixed (note: not replaced). Online research says this is a common problem with Bernina foot pedals. Was going to replace it with Machine #4, a Janome (my niece swears by hers), was in the research phase, when my range died. Needed a new range, the sewing machine was a want. Back-burnered for now, but not forgotten! Next hiccup with the Bernina and I’m going to Janome. The disagreeable old bats at the Janome store must have retired by now, right?
What a ride! I’m fairly certain you can sometimes get a ‘Friday afternoon’ job, like our dishwasher that developed a ‘quirk’ almost immediately and despite receiving a new circuit board which changed nothing, has now been replaced by the exact same model less than two years later - which works perfectly. For what it’s worth, you can replace the foot pedal. My ‘beloved’ Bernina that died a death also developed a bit of a reluctance in the pedal department. Sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn’t…luckily they’re interchangeable, so I could use one from another machine. Thinking about it, that pedal gets a lot of action so it’s inevitable that things wear out eventually. The machine itself should be good for much longer, flux capacitor notwithstanding!!
Lovely to hear of your machine history!
It is really sad that Bernina stopped making a mechanical machine. They did this after I stopped working at the sewing machine shop, so never found the reason why. Mind you, I’m sure those boffins could have made a new casting mould if they really wanted to.
It does mean that even more folk are sourcing older mechanicals that still work beautifully. 😊
If I could keep only one machine….I think you can guess which one!
A Bernina perhaps?? 😉😘