karenpatrick

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I love my new Singer. There are ways to tell it is a quality machine. I've been sewing for over 50 years and know a good machine when I sew on one. It has plenty of power to pull a heavy quilt through the needle. It has a beautiful stitch. It embroiders like a dream. Comes with plenty of software. I couldn't be happier.

JUNEC

That would be my suggestion - check out the machines at the LQS where you took your lessons - myabe if you take another one they will let you try some of their machines during the lessons

bmanley

Madquilter. I am hoping to get a BabyLock Espire today that I am buying from someone on this board. I have never had a real good machine so this is my first and I am so pleased to hear your reviews. Can't wait to get it. Might have to ask you some questions if I have trouble. Will you mind?

Caroline S

I am sure that you would have large quilt and sewing shows in your area. They always have sewing machine vendors at them and you could test drive their machines. I do agree with another poster to take a small project of your own to test drive the sewing machines. It would be even better if the vendor was local to you and you could take classes on your new machine and service the machine and warranty. Buy the sewing/quilting machine that best "calls" to you.

raptureready

Check them all out. Get the best possible deal you can for your budget. Also, check out what "extras" such as extra feet, lessons, or whatever else you can get with different machines. Some machines don't come with extra feet and some do---Bernina doesn't have many extra feet that come with the machines and purchasing them separately is SOOOOoooo expensive. Do the shops have an 'In Store' service department? That's something that, if you can find it, is worth so much. Find a machine that will do everything you want it to then upgrade as much as your budget will allow.
No one can tell you what machine to purchase. It's all up to what you want your machine to do, what you can afford and the machine that you find to be the most user-friendly.

Kathy Osterby

My question to all of you is this: what is a good machine when you have less than $500 to spend? My WM Brother gave out and dealer said it would continue to be a problem and not wothr fixing. Now I'm in a bind as to what I can afford-thousands strickly out of my price range.

larkspurlanedesigns

I work for a dealer that carries Bernina and Baby Lock but 6 years ago we were Viking dealers. When Viking was purchased by the same company that sells Pfaff and Singer, our repairman, who started out with Singers more than 30 years ago, says the new Vikings, Pfaffs and Singers all have cheap Singer parts now. I have a Bernina that I sew on at home that I love but if I want to do embroidery I go in to the store and use a Baby Lock machine. Even though my Bernina does embroidery it is SO much easier on a Baby Lock. The stitch quality on the Baby Lock is comparable to the Bernina and if I could afford any machine I wanted I would get the top of the line Baby Lock called the Ellisimo.

T-Anne

First, you could finish that quilt and give it to the local nursing home or a charity, they will love it tucks and all!

I just upgraded my machine and I bought a Viking Sapphire 875Q. I love it and it was under your budget amount. When I went to try out the different machines I took quilt sandwiches with me to use on the different machines and with different thickness battings.

I ended up purchasing my new machine from the same company where I purchased my Viking 1100. I love my 1100 but some of the new features spurred me on to upgrade! I got a little break on accessories and servicing due to my being a longterm customer and then 36 months same as cash!

What I like is: the longer throat, the self threader, the automatic knotting when you begin and the scissors that cut the thread at the end, the up/down needle position, automatic tension is awesome, has a excellent light and and easy to use programming and easy to read display. It has way more stitch options than I will ever use and it has the tapered sewing option I can use on my quilt corners and it is easy! It can run with the knee or you can do off/on,needle up/down, I could go on! LOL They tell you it does not require a walking foot, and I would agree with that on quilts that have the flatter batting, but for the fluffier batting I went and bought the walking foot.

I also liked the Pfaff (can't remember the model) but I was upgrading from the Viking that I bought new eons ago and I think I got used to the feel of the Viking. I found the Babylock/Brother (both made by same company) to be somewhat lacking in power.

larkspurlanedesigns

All the wonderful features on the machines you mentioned are also available on Baby Lock machines.

And I would like to clear up the misconception that Baby Lock and Brother are the same company. They are sister companies using the same factory in Japan but they are 2 different companies. Baby Lock is the only sewing machine company owned by an American family.A lot of their components are interchangeable but they are NOT the same company.

moneill

March 2009 Consumer Reports has a good issue on what to look for in a sewing machine and their ratings. Many of the machines would be well within your budget. I urge you to look at it either in the library or on line. Good luck and happy sewing. Having a good machine makes all the difference in the world. You will be very happy once you upgrade to a machine that fits your needs.