Sewing machines...old and new!

When I was about five, and happily modeling every pair of shorts and tops my mom sewed for me, I very much wanted to learn how to sew.  My parents gave me a small, light brown, metal Singer sewing machine, Model No. 20, Made in Great Britian (pictured above is the box it came in).  I can't say that I remember producing much from that tiny machine, but it now sits in my sewing room, reminding me that once one finds a passion in one's life, it can provide a lifetime of pleasure and adventure. 

Having started off with a Singer at such a young age, quite naturally, when I bought my first machine, it was a Singer.  My daughter learned to sew on it, and she inherited it when I fell in love with another brand, Janome.  She still sews with that Singer, which is now 29 years old.  A friend introduced me to Janome, around the time I started a sewing camp for girls at Camp Mechuwana in Winthrop, Maine.  Through generous donations from local businesses and churches, I purchased 12 Janome Sewist 521 machines for the sewing camp.  They are excellent for beginning sewers, easy to use and easy to clean.  Myself, I own a Janome Sewist 625E, a wee bit of an upgrade from the 521, and perfectly adequate for all my sewing needs.  I purchased the Janomes from the Fabric Garden, a wonderful shop in Madison, Maine.  Every now and then, I window-shop for machines, just daydreaming about the fancier ones.  But I love the one I have right now, and if it does as well by me as the old Singer, I am surely blessed.

What is your sewing story?  Did you start at a young age?  Who inspired you/taught you to sew, or did you self-teach?  What is your favorite sewing machine brand?  Feel free to share with us about your sewing plans for a blanket, quilt, or shawl for our in-gathering worship Saturday, June 15th at Gordon College in Wenham, MA.