Quote from Forum Archives on June 24, 2001, 12:28 pm

Posted by: dhaley <dhaley@...>

Julie I would have to say a Bernina though I really like the Viking too.
Pfaff is good so I'm told. I have found in the areas that I live that
service for a Bernina or Viking seems more readily available than for Pfaff.
I have friends that own Berninas and wouldn't trade them for the world. One
friend chose to purchase the least expensive Bernina available, but to
purchase new. She has not been disappointed. She has found that for the
type of sewing she does for her family of 8 it has met all of her
expectations. She dosen't plan to smock, do fancy embroidery or anything
like that. Mostly mend, sew jumpers for the girls, buttonholes, make
curtains, etc.

Now don't laugh, I've found my old Singer treddle machine to be very
reliable. It just keeps going and can sew through anything.....even
leather. My 15 year old son loves to sew on it.

A few years ago when my best friend bought her Bernina hubby took compassion
on me. He knew I'd wanted one for a very long time but we just could not
afford it and had no peace about going into debt for one. It was hard
helping her do research for her machine....very humbling. However, it was
right after Christmas and we happened to be at Sam's. There before my eyes
was a $300 Brother sewing machine for $100. It had been the display model.
No book or anything (Brother sent me one when I sent them a letter). Hubby
bought it for me. Though it was not the Bernina I desired I can honestly
say this machine has never had a problem, does far more than I'll ever use
it for and has been good for our family. I've used it for 5 years without a
problem.

Another machine I saw alot of the Amish gals sewing with was a Necchi. They
really liked them and use their machines ALOT. I also have an older machine
I that I have given to my daughter. At least not yet? It's a 1980's free
arm Singer machine....has quite a few bells and whistles. I bought it for
$20 at an auction last summer and put another $40 into it having it cleaned,
tension adjusted, etc. I had intened to put it in my treddle sewing machine
because it was set up for a belt. It looked like a flatbed machine when I
bought it. I was pretty horrified to discover it was a free-arm machine
with a flatbed attachment and therefore wouldn't fit into my cabinet. The
Amish ladies often buy modern machines that are belt driven and then put
them into treddle cabinets. It's fairly easy to do. Eash Sales in
Shipshewana, IN sales brand new machines complete with button holers,
smocking stitches, etc. That come set up for electric or treddle. They sell
Singer and Necchi I think. The prices were good and they do ship them.

This is probably more rambling than you desired. I'm nervous about going to
an auction this afternoon. We are in dire need of fencing and the price to
hire someone to come out and dig the holes with their tractor is quite dear.
We watched auctions all last summer and never saw a post hole auger for 3pt
hitch on a tractor for sale. Just when we are ready to start fencing ...one
is at an auction. There's one at an auction next week too. We can't afford
to make a mistake on this used. They are very expensive new ($1K) but if
you buy something that's shot for $300...well...you get my drift. Deanna