Anyone with input on a sewing machine?

[OrionFyre]

Well now that i have my brand spanking new clark hammock I figure I might as well get to making and tinkering.

I slept out in it with my 0dF sleeping bag and a fall weight synthetic rectangular bag underneath me. It got down to 14dF and I was comfortable. But Oh the hassle of adjusting and messing and cursing... I figured I would make and underquilt.

I am without sewing machine and was perusing craigslist in my area. There are quite a few to be had, some much more $$$ than I want to plunk down. But one of them caught my eye.

There were a few that caught my eyes. The ones that I saw as "reasonable" were all the old Singers, one ad has a "19-51" singer with cabinet and attachments for $50

My aunt has a new sewing machine, and she has always done seam work and made her kids' costumes. She even made a Beautiful PROM dress which looked like it came right out of a fashion show! So she'll be able to help me get started on my projects... I'm sure on the order of difficulty "prom dress">>>>"baffled quilt"

I just don't want to impose on her and have my own machine.

[Ekul]

walmart 79$

I have a 1951 singer also with cabinet and it only sews straight. I like the ability to zigzag, button hole, etc. If you are buying a sewing machine from craigslist beware the old monsters as mine was family owned since 1951 and I still gave up trying to make it work. GL

[SmokeBait]

OrionFrye, there are some good used machines out there but please do yourself a favor and try it before you buy it. Ekul's advice above on a new one is a sure fire way to a machine that is guaranteed to sew.

stumo

[OrionFyre]

walmart 79$

I have a 1951 singer also with cabinet and it only sews straight. I like the ability to zigzag, button hole, etc. If you are buying a sewing machine from craigslist beware the old monsters as mine was family owned since 1951 and I still gave up trying to make it work. GL

*whines* but the new ones don't have the old world "style"

yeah I know.... my aunt insists it won't be a bother but i still don't like feeling like i'm imposing

[pedro]

OrionFyre-

You need to know the model number before determining whether the machine is worth buying or not. 19-51 does not appear to be a valid model number. Some machines were awesome nearly indestructable tanks, and some of the others were built cheaply enough so that every housewife could afford one. This meant, among other things, that they had plastic gears in them. Those gears are prone to breakage. If the machine requires a funky bobbin that's hard to get, that's a problem too. Find out what the model number is, and you will be able to get much more info.

[gargoyle]

Take her up on the offer.
I would gladly accept any help from someone who has experience.
Looking back at my rookie days of thread injecting..the frustration, the broken needles, the pm's to ramblin' rev..

Dude, swallow your pride and get some lessons from someone experienced. It'll save a lot of wasted time and fabric and thread and...

Lots of tricks to learn, learn from somebody elses mistakes.
Free advice....PRICELESS!
Take her up on the offer.

[pedro]

Instead of a 19-51 could it be a 15-91? Those are pretty neat looking machines.

[Ekul]

this is similar to what I think he talking about.

well this is what my 1951 singer looks like

http://sleepycathollow.files.wordpre...10/singer1.jpg

[pedro]

this is similar to what I think he talking about.

well this is what my 1951 singer looks like

http://sleepycathollow.files.wordpre...10/singer1.jpg

That looks like a Featherweight, which they were still making in '51. The problem is, they were making cheaper, "junky" models at the same time.

[OrionFyre]

I typo'd yeah. 15-91

It isn't a matter of learning from her. I deffinitely would be taking some lessons I just don't feel right about the whole "ok can I come over, make a mess of your house and use your sewing machine AGAIN."