Collecting Sewing Machines

As quilters, we have many collections;  fabric, thread, tools, rulers, notions.  I myself have a collection of irons, bought at an estate sale.  I will never be stuck without one when an old iron dies mid-pressing. <grin>

How many of you collect sewing machines?  You may not think of yourself as a collector, but I read recently that the average quilter has seven sewing machines.  Seven!  That’s just an average, which means that many quilters have more than seven.

I myself have five:

• a Bernina Virtuosa 150, which is my everyday workhorse
• a Janome Gem Silver, the portable which I take to classes and retreats
• a Janome 6600, which I got at a bargain price when a friend upgraded to a 7700.  I use this machine primarily for the 500 decorative stitches.
• a Singer Featherweight, circa 1953
• a Singer 99, the machine with the distinctive curved wooden case

I guess you could say that I “collected” the two antique machines.  Although I planned to use them when I got them, they’ve been sitting under my sewing cabinet waiting to see daylight.

When you consider that Longarm quilters have one or two longarm machines besides their regular machines, you can see how one person can easily have seven machines.  Then there’s the serger, the embroidery machine, and maybe a basic machine for when the grandchildren come to visit.  That’s how you start collecting sewing machines!

I’ve also noticed that most quilters tend to be loyal to one brand of machine.  That’s not me, but I do *love* my Bernina 150.  With a little bit of TLC once a year, she keeps on chugging without problems.

So, how many of you will admit to your machine collection?

P.S.  It drives me crazy that the person is using the machine backwards in the drawing at the beginning of this post, but it’s hard to find clip art where the person is sewing correctly.  If you find one, let me know. <grin>