Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

[Vridar]

I have just tapped the surface of sewing and in particular piecing and quilting. My sewing interest was piqued from my interest in sewing machines. I have fallen hard into vintage Singers. Singer 201s and 15s in particular are my favorites. I understand the Featherweight, Singer 221 and 222, are the quilter's favorite. I'm interested if others use vintage machines and which ones are used.

[Quiltfreestyle]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I have a Singer featherweight from around 1940's. it is the best straight stitcher, great for piecing. Its a work horse, I've never had any trouble with it. Ive even sewn leather with it, when my boys were in Boy Scouts. It was like sewing butter
I don't know how well it would do for FMQ the throat isn't very big. I suspect it would be hard to do anything larger than baby quilt.
I'm sure someone else will pop up with opinions, I believe a few of our members use antique hand crank machines.

[New York Sue]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I LOVE piecing on Mom's 1942 Singer Featherweight! (She won the beauty at BINGO, while stationed at a Naval base in Cuba during the War.)
The throat is small, but the stitch quality and reliability is undeniably better than any contemporary machine, IMHO.

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

Our forum member, Stitching Woman, ( Bernice) uses her Featherweight for piecing all the time. She works at MSQC, you might run into her if you go down to the shop.

[Bubby]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I use my Singer Featherweights for piecing . They are simple and sew the best stitches of any machine I've ever had. They would be too small for FMQing plus the feed dogs don't go down. Some say you can tape an index card over the dogs, but I wouldn't put anything sticky of my precious machine. These are the perfect machines for taking to classes.

[snippet]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

One member uses an old hand crank machine.

[Squeaky]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I recently caught the vintage machine "bug" and picked up a Singer 301A (1954) which seems to be perfect for quilting. The stitches come out beautifully and it has more space in the throat than my Kenmore from the early 90s - plus the feed dogs drop.

My MIL now says I can have her mother's 401, so looks like I'll be setting one up for piecing and one for quilting. I am currently waiting on my FMQ foot so I can give it a whirl on the Grace frame too.

[Cat n bull]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I have a Kenmore 1931, and a Singer 503a that I LOVE for piecing.

I quilt on my computerized Pfaff's though, they just do it so beautifully and so easily, especially free motion.

[bhaggerty]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

Love the Singer Featherweight for piecing. Have the 221.

[QuiltingRN]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I sew on my 1930 Singer handcrank, model 99. I use it for piecing and have recently used it for quilting. I love it and it sews great!
I also use my 1933 Frister and Rossmann handcrank (German machine) for piecing, I haven't quilted with it yet.

I have a 1957 Featherweight, haven't used it yet, a1952 Singer model 128, electric. I've pieced on it, sews well too. I just got Great Granma's Singer 1934 treadle, my hubby has to put the belt on it and then I am planning on piecing the box of 2 1/2 inch squares I got from mom.

I've used my handcranks for years and love sewing with them!

[stitching woman]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

Yes, I love my Featherweight for piecing and for traveling. Would love to meet you I normally work on Wednesday so if you are at the shop on a Tuesday or Wednesday be sure to ask if I am there.

[Claire Hallman]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I, too, love to use a Featherweight to piece with. It goes to class and retreats easily and I am very happy with the 1/4" seam I get with it. I do my FMQ on a much bigger and newer machine though.

[madampolo]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I use my vintage machine for piecing using it to stack all my fabric and rulers on.

[lhayes1976]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

Featherweight for piecing and a 15-91 for FMQ. Actually I do not us the 15-91 anymore, I bought a Brother 1500 because I really wanted a needle down feature and a larger harp space, but the 15-91 did a great job for me in the beginning.

[cyndiofthevortex]

Re: Does Anyone Use Vintage Machines For Piecing, Quilting, or FMQ? Which One?

I just caught the vintage sewing machine bug and bought a 1961 Singer 500a Rocketeer. I don't have the manual for it (on the way!) so I haven't tried it out yet. I'm hoping it sews as great as it looks!