A machine for my wife
12-15-2012, 11:23 AM
#62
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
I also want to put my voice in and say that while it is really sweet that you want to get your wife a sewing machine, please let her have input into the decision. If she is a beginner sewer, a newer model that has some bells and whistles might make it fun for her. I'd think a mid priced Janome for the same money as a Featherweight would give her quite a few options.
12-15-2012, 11:55 AM
#63
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
Featherweight and Singer 301
A Singer Featherweight is a great choice. It will hold up to many more years of use and one can service it without a technician. No quilter would object to a Featherweight. In fact, it is a machine to be prized. It has a feed dog system which gives extreme precision in piecing.
I also urge you to consider a Singer 301/301A. It is very similar to a Singer 221 Featherweight but more versatile. It weighs about 4 pounds more but those pounds deliver the ability to free moton quilt or line quilt with a walking foot. It will be cheaper than a Featherweight.
I cannot free-motion quilt with my featherweight as it doesn't cooperate very well. However, I use the 301 all the time for FMQ. I have quite a few machines, and it is my favorite. I use it for piecing constantly. And I line quilt with it. With attachments (also true of the Featherweight) one can zig zag after a fashion and do other stitches.
Vintage machines, especially Singers, cannot be beat, IMHO. The quality is built in.
Your wife is a lucky lady to have such a thoughtful husband.
Cricket
I also urge you to consider a Singer 301/301A. It is very similar to a Singer 221 Featherweight but more versatile. It weighs about 4 pounds more but those pounds deliver the ability to free moton quilt or line quilt with a walking foot. It will be cheaper than a Featherweight.
I cannot free-motion quilt with my featherweight as it doesn't cooperate very well. However, I use the 301 all the time for FMQ. I have quite a few machines, and it is my favorite. I use it for piecing constantly. And I line quilt with it. With attachments (also true of the Featherweight) one can zig zag after a fashion and do other stitches.
Vintage machines, especially Singers, cannot be beat, IMHO. The quality is built in.
Your wife is a lucky lady to have such a thoughtful husband.
Cricket
12-15-2012, 12:19 PM
#64
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lumby, British Columbia
Posts: 2,769
Well sir I think your getting the idea of how personnel a sewing machine is! Unless you wife has hinted at wanting a featherweight I would reconsider. Now that being said they are fabulous machines, and I own two of them. But I would not want it to be my only machine. All you can do with them is straight stitch which is very limiting. Most quilters love machine appliqué and for that you need a machine with a zig zag or appliqué stitch. Unless she has asked for a FW take her shopping to select her own. Make sure you go with a budget in mind. Keep us posted!
12-15-2012, 01:28 PM
#65
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
Wow thank you all again. It seems like my wife and I will be going shopping. I would also like to say sorry to all of you, I am an only child so I can't play the role of match maker for one of you. I also noticed the other thread about getting a machine for christmas, but felt that I would post a new thread because I was thinking about a specific machine. Also the vintage appeal is there because both my wife and I enjoy the beauty classic pieces bring, her being a Art Historian/Librarian and myself working in the performing arts you can see where that came from.
And tisk to some of you! With a name like KnittingPlatypus do you think the best analogy is "Do you want your wife buying your guns or car"? But I jest, You have all been helpful, I'm not looking for a last min gift, or to buy something that doesn't fit her needs. I knew that new machines had all sorts of fancy stitches but I didn't realize the added abilities that you got from a machine that doesn't do just straight stitch.
*Also, I am really interested in knowing what the lasting machines are I read the one post about how she got a machine from Target that was nothing but problems. I don't want that, I'm sure my local sewing shop will have all sorts of great suggestions, but I always would like opinions from the seamstresses of the world!
And tisk to some of you! With a name like KnittingPlatypus do you think the best analogy is "Do you want your wife buying your guns or car"? But I jest, You have all been helpful, I'm not looking for a last min gift, or to buy something that doesn't fit her needs. I knew that new machines had all sorts of fancy stitches but I didn't realize the added abilities that you got from a machine that doesn't do just straight stitch.
*Also, I am really interested in knowing what the lasting machines are I read the one post about how she got a machine from Target that was nothing but problems. I don't want that, I'm sure my local sewing shop will have all sorts of great suggestions, but I always would like opinions from the seamstresses of the world!
the newer cheaper Singers are trash. Stay away from them
12-15-2012, 01:40 PM
#66
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 1,443
I love my vintage machines and my featherweight. I also love my modern computer machines and use them more than the vintage ones. Most of us started out with a new computer model then got bit by the vintage bug. Don't make sewing harder for your wife than it has to be, there are reasons black straight stitch machines fell out of favor when zig zag and decorative stitches came about. If it were not for quilters and a few collectors there would be a whole bunch of black straight stitch machines selling for scrap.
Take a serious look at Pfaff. They are running a great deal right now. Can't beat the built in walking foot for matching plaids and seams on knits. I have 2 and would give away DH before I'd part with one of them.
Take a serious look at Pfaff. They are running a great deal right now. Can't beat the built in walking foot for matching plaids and seams on knits. I have 2 and would give away DH before I'd part with one of them.
Last edited by Mitch's mom; 12-15-2012 at 01:44 PM.
12-15-2012, 01:40 PM
#67
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Small town in Northeast Oregon close to Washington and Idaho
Posts: 2,795
My recommendation is that you go to the local shop that sells machines AND offers classes. Look around and get a feel, then take your wife on and let her make the decision. A local dealer that offers classes is your best bet. Think about it this way, would you want your wife to pick out your next car or whatever your hobby is, without your input?
That said BabyLock, and Brother are both great brands. I don't know where you are in Indiana, but if you are near Richmond, the Stitching Nook is a very mice shop that sells machines. You are a very thoughtful husband
That said BabyLock, and Brother are both great brands. I don't know where you are in Indiana, but if you are near Richmond, the Stitching Nook is a very mice shop that sells machines. You are a very thoughtful husband
12-15-2012, 02:09 PM
#68
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Central Missouri
Posts: 462
Yes, by all means take her to look at machines and don't stop with the first thing you look at, look around., Janome makes a bunch of good machines, from less expensive (but still good) to top of the line and they are relatively simple to use. She should sit and sew some seams or something on different ones (brands and models) to get a feel for them. If she is a novice seamstress you want quality as well as ease of use. I haven't used the Brother's but have heard they are good machines, but have used Janome and did a lot of research before purchasing it and have not been one bit sorry with my purchase of it. A good machine and simple to operate and learn.
But this is something that she needs to be in on the decision making process. Good luck to you both and a Merry Christmas to you both. The Featherweights are a neat little older machine, but not what I think your wife might want for a first machine necessarily. I have one of those too and love it for some things, but not like my Janome machine.
themachinelady
But this is something that she needs to be in on the decision making process. Good luck to you both and a Merry Christmas to you both. The Featherweights are a neat little older machine, but not what I think your wife might want for a first machine necessarily. I have one of those too and love it for some things, but not like my Janome machine.
themachinelady
12-15-2012, 02:13 PM
#69
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 1,649
I agree with Mitch's Mom about considering a Pfaff. I have had 3 of them and love them. I now use a Pfaff 7570 which also has an embroidery module I can use. I also use a Brother CS1000i, which is a lot costly machine, but is very good. It has over 60 stitches, and all the other features, and only runs around $175 for a new machine. It also is lightweight enough to take to classes if I want to. I like your idea of getting her involved.
12-15-2012, 03:47 PM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Rosedale, Indiana
Posts: 2,003
I bought the Babylock Ellure Plus about a year ago and I love it. Brother is made by Babylock - or vice versa. I had a cheap Brother from Walmart, $125.00, that I used for years until I wanted an embroidery machine. My niece now uses the Brother and is very satisfied with it. It has a thread cutter and auto threader and an extension table. Quite a lot for $125.00. The first embroider machine i bought was a Brother, about $300 and did a great job. Never any problems with it. Then I wanted a machine that embroidered on a larger field . That's when i bought the Ellure Plus. My point is that Brother makes a really good machine - no matter the price range. All my machines go to the shop once a year for a D & C (dusting and cleaning) and are worry free if I make sure I do this all the time. In between times at the shop I keep the lint out of the bobbin area using an old make up brush to clean out the lint.
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