My First Sewing Machine

The most important thing to  a quiltmaker these day is their Sewing Machines.  Growing up I sewed on many of my moms sewing machines, and had a kid's sewing machine, but not really owned my own machine until, I was married.

Original Feet

The one shown above, is the first machine I ever bought and she was used.  My New Home 344 Limited Edition, I bought when my kids we little.  She did not have an instruction book and had limited feet to it due to she was used. I didn't really know much about what to look for in sewing machines at the time when it got her.  I just wanted a machine to sew on and she was all I could afford.  She does a fabulous job as she has made the kids lots of pajamas, Halloween costumes, church banners, and pieced quilts over the years.  

She has had her tortures also.  My oldest and most quiz-able son, decided one day to cut the electrical cord on the machine, just because he want to see how it worked.  I took the cords to my dad, who was able to put a new electrical cord on it for me.  She has also been a world traveler over the years, she has been in Montana, Idaho, Germany, and now in Maryland as we moved with the Military.

Over the last several months, I have been doing research on the internet to find her some new feet and a instruction book.  I finally found a site that sells copies of sewing machine instruction books called Relics.  They had the manual I needed.  Then I found out she was a low shank machine and finally bought her the feet that she should be using for her projects.  I'm so happy with her now. I think I will start using her a little more, for piecing my quilt tops and when I go to shows. She is smaller and easier to carry. 

What was your first Machine, and do you still have it?

Tina