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I recently bought a Husquavarna Viking Sapphire 870 and I love it! I bought it froma local shop that has been in business for over 25 years. These are popular machines in the Midwest.
Features: automatic tension adjustment for thicknest of fabric (love it!) needle threader you can operate by using start stop buttons or large foot pedal button to cut thread (love it!) can refill bobbin while machine is still threaded presser foot up/down buttons needle up/down buttons 5 speed control settings(love it!) loads of stiches easy to use buttons and screen which tells you what function you are on and what foot to use large throat for machine quilting you can select "fix" to make several stiches in place to fix your row of stiches check it out online and read review. I think it's great but it's always good to get a machine that is siold and serviced locally so maybe it's not available in your region. Goog luck! |
I have a pfaff hobby,an elna jubilee boughtnew also a bernina 1630 given to me used from a friend two singers and am elna 9000. I love them all I mostly do top stitching by hand I had had a few top stitched on a long arm but I have done sme stippling by machine on most of them. Hope you find one that you like. I invest enough on fabric and notions not on a fancy machine good luck on your quest
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CherylR,
I have a couple Berninas, and thats all I've ever sewn on. I wouldn't buy anything else but a Bernina. The needle down/up is a great feature as well as the knee lift. My 180E is a older machine but still sews perfectly. With this type of machine you can piece quilts and machine embroidery. What I don't use is all the decorative stitches. To keep within a budget consider buying a used machine, you can then buy a "good" machine that will give you quality performance. Buying a new "cheaper" machine may not give you a quality performance. Its kinda like you get what you pay for. Don't rush your purchase, research the information on the net and test drive all the machines available. Waving back from Missouri. |
I have a Pfaff. I have had Pfaffs for over 30 years. I just recently burnt out the motor on the Pfaff I used the most. It served me faithfully for 20 years. The thing I like about the Pfaff is the IDT, Integrated Dual Feed. It is a built in walking foot. I bought a Pfaff Creative 4.0 to replace my old Pfaff. So far I just love it. I looked at all sorts of different brands when I went to replace the machine I burnt up. I always came back to the Pfaff. Buying a new machine is definitely a personal thing. You must go out and try as many as you can. Don't be in a hurry to buy a machine. Look at them all.
Good Luck. |
Hi,
I also was new at quilting a few years ago - did it all by hand - hated sewing - never wanted a machine. Then I decided putting on borders by hand was boring and maybe I should buy a "cheap" machine (not the $5000 Husquevanas that my quilting friends had) just for borders. Well Janome had a small machine that 3 of the 14 friends bought. (Now I think there are about 20-25 who have it and love it). It is the Janome Gem platinum (they found a good deal for $400, including walking, 1/4 inch, and darning feet) (feet can be expensive), loved it, and told me that is the one I should get for a starter machine. I did - LOVE it - a little work horse - only thing missing is the scissors cutters - only has 60 stitches but a good place to start for me. Since it's small the quilting "bed" is very small and hard to use to quilt larger pieces (even twin size). BUT, it is small and light (only 12 lbs) so is great to take to classes and on weekend retreats. A GREAT STARTER MACHINE - until you decide what features you really want/need on a machine. I will NEVER get rid of it! Use it all the time now - hand work is now only redwork and applique - pieceing is done on my little Janome). I just bought the Janome Horizon (about $3000) which I now know has some great features that I wanted. Haven't used it much yet but it is getting great reviews and selling fast. Does not do embroidery - I "never" want to do machine embroidery - however, if my "never" changes and I still love my Horizon - Janome does have a machine that does just embroidery - so I could just get that machine and still keep my Horizon piecing and quilting while the "embroiderer" is busy embroidering on its own - don't like the idea of tying up my "pieceing" machine to do embroidery. Some of these comments (embroidery) come from hearing my quilting friends. They have Vikings, Bernina, Phaffs, Janomes. Heard lots of complaints about Vikings. Heard lots of praise about Phaffs (like have 3 and never would be without one - by a teacher - who bought the Janome 6600 (predecesor to the Horizon/7700)a year ago ($1200) and loves it). Also have 3 other friends with the 6600 who love it. SO - I guess my advice sums up to be to buy the little Janome Gen PLATINUM to use till you see what features you really want/need. SORRY FOR THE LONG STORY and GOOD LUCK with whatever you decide! |
I think Lab Fairy made a lot of good points. The walking foot, feed dogs the drop, etc. I have a 20-something year old Pfaff which I LOVE! When I first "invested" in this machine, my DH took me to the fair and made me "test drive" every model that was there. It was a good plan.
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Just to chime in, I have a new Babylock for quilting and I love it. It practically sews by itself. I'm using it to teach my grandchildren, age 6 and 9, how to sew also. It has three speeds. Slow for beginners, medium for most uses and FMQ, then let her rip for long continuious seams. I gave away my Singer that was 42 years old because it frustated me with sloppy tension. I'm now in the market for a good little machine for portability. Thanks for all the discussion on this topic.
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I'm waving back at you! I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland near Salisbury and have visited your area more than a few times. Had a nephew stationed there in the navy a couple of years ago. Now I have another nephew who lives down there with his girlfriend.
You'll get a lot of ideas about sewing machines, probably enough to confuse you. I used to have a Bernina 1230 and loved it, loved it, loved it. Now I have a Bernina 440. It's great but I don't love it. I miss the metal bed from the 1230, have had to replace the plastic one on the 440. Somehow, fabric just doesn't glide over the plastic one (when machine quilting) like it did the metal one. |
Reminds me of an old Singer model called the touch 'n sew. If you got a good one it was great, not so much if you got a lemon, then you called it the touch 'n jam. Fortunately, my grandmother had a great one, I learned to sew on it. If she'd had a lemon I probably would have given up.
Originally Posted by CherylR
Sharon B
I eliminated the 6000 because of the reviews by owners. I did see some reviews that praised the machine, but most of the others were having a lot of problems with "clunky noises" after 2-3 projects and not being able to get someone to figure it out. They also said that the thread gets all bunched and tangled up. From what I've read on the 6000 - it's either feast or famine. They either have absolutely no problems out of it and wouldn't trade it for anything and the others hate it because of the noises and thread and jamming problems. Thanks so much for your input! |
I learned to sew on 2 Sears Kenmore machines as well as a treadle sewing machine. Look into Kenmore machines at Sears. They are priced very well and always worked for me - simple to operate.
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I have two machines, one for retreats and classes (Janome Gem Platinum - not the gold, though) and a fancier one for most of my sewing. I like that both are the same because they share bobbins, attachments and all the processes are the same on them. I absolutely love my Janome machines. I have owned a phaff and a viking but I connected with my Janome 6600 right away. I love it!! I do not care for the 6500, though. Isn't that strange? You just have to test drive them I think. Some shops will let you check them out for a weekend which I would recommend. Good luck
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I currently have a Bernina 440 and love it. I have also used a Pfaff that I bought in the 80's and both machines are real work horses. Features to look for are:
Needle up/down Ability to drop feed dogs for free motion quilting Walking foot Darning/free motion foot You really don't need a lot of bells and whistles for quilting. Hope this helps. |
What ever one you should decide to buy. I would see if I could buy a floor model from the dealer where you are shopping. I did this with my serger and my babylock quilter, which I do like for what I do.
I think a Bernina would be great but I myself like mine for what I do and enjoy. Just a suggestion |
I have 3 berninas and love them all. They all work great and I haven't had a moments trouble with them. One is a 830 record from the seventies, one 180 artista six years old and the newest one (to me), aurora 440 with the built in BSR is a couple years old.
I also have a three year old mid- range memory craft janome that is a little work horse. Originally I had a old dressmaker singer, and it worked fine. I also have my mom's old "portable" singer with a rounded wooden top on the case. It was made january 15 th 1951 and she used it until she passed a couple years ago. Those babies had every foot imaginable and went and went... It doesn't matter the age of the machine really. It is whether or not you love it and it functions for your use. |
My Kenmore Sewing machine I have I bought years ago when my boys were small (both are in their mid 30's now). I still use that machine to piece my quilts. I have never had it serviced. Hope this helps.
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I have 2 vikings and a brother. I like all of them. first is do you want to do free motion quilting on your quilts? Or just piece them and send them out to be quilted? do you want decorative stitches for crazy patch quilting or quilt first then assemble? I find I like my older machines for free motion quilting. Top loading bobbins I have to remove my slippery piece of vinyl before changing out a bobbin. You most likely will want a machine where the feed dogs drop, needle up/down position, one with a large size bobbin, so your not having to change bobbins all the time. Many older machines do a very good job of piecing and quilting and some you can get parts for even faster than some of the newer machines. I'd give anything for my 1962 Kenmore that I traded in. It was a work horse, but back then I wasn't into quilting, but it had beautiful straight stiches and went through just about anything. Hope you find something you will be happy with and good luck in your quilting.
Suzy |
I think you are seeing a lot of us giving thumbs up for our personal likes for machines. I think starting with a list of what you find important features, price range, etc. is the best place to start. I would then make a "test drive kit" to take when you test drive your machines. I also am a huge believer of controlled experimentation. All the anecdotal advice you are given really is nice but when it comes down to it, you have to use the darn thing.
I really am a Pfaff fan, hate Berninas for a lot of reasons (doesn't make them bad machines, just not for me), bought my daughter a Janome (DC2010, try it you might like it, the price was hard to beat), etc. The off-the-shelf machines at Walmart look like a good deal and you might be lucky to get a good one, but usually you get what you pay for. Also, Walmart and places like that do not service your machine. You would have to find someone that would. Your personal requirments might be different than mine. I also look at the dealer (how long have they been in business, local or not, are they going to be around to honor those service agreements, etc.). I know this sounds like such a daunting process. Don't impulse buy or let someone else tell you what you should pick. Because I was very new, I went by the advice of someone that I thought would know. I ended up with a DOG of a first machine (Singer) that never worked right, they repair people even gave up on it. She couldn't understand it because her Singer was wonderful, never needed adjustment or repair. (Then I saw her machine. Of course it was wonderful. All metal construction, industrial, built like a tank. The one I bought was all plastic gears, never timed right, etc.) Learn from my mistakes. I would also take a machine out of the box at the store and try it. The one you test drive can be wonderful and the one you get home may has issues. Most places understand, those that don't probably aren't the place I'd want to spend money. |
Originally Posted by CherylR
Hello everyone. Hope you can help me out. I want to purchase a new/used or refurbished sewing machine with all the features to make my quilting easier - hopefully within the next 6 months. I would love to have a computerized machine, but I'm not able to spend a whole lot of money. If I can find one at a decent price though, I'd get it. My problem is that there are so many choices and so many conflicting reviews of each machine when I search that I'm so confused and don't know where to turn! I think I can rule out Singers and definately the Brother 6000, (but there are great reviews on that one too). I've read that BabyLok's can be quite tempermental, so I'm going to avoid them. I have read a lot of great reviews on Janome and have also been told by another quilter that they don't like their Bernina! I have read reviews on many different machines and half the people love that particular machine and the other half hates it. I have also read that top loading bobbins cause a lot of problems with thread binding up than front loading bobbins (from a quilting book, not from a person). I would absolutely love to have a self-threading machine.
Here we go: 1. What machine/s have you used and what do you like and dislike about them? What is your favorite machine and why? Suggestions on what brand or machine to definately stay away from would help. Also, can you give me an estimate on cost of a good machine to "grow with"? 2. I am not only a beginner quilter, I have yet to finish my very first quilt. (I just need to add the border and finish it off). What features and accessories do I need (it seems there are millions of them)!? What features are on your machine that you absolutely can't live without? What features are on your machine that you never use when quilting/sewing and wish you hadn't paid the extra money for? 3. Of course, I'd love to have the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles - but again - money restrictions. I want to learn as much as I can so I can become a great quilter. I want to eventually do embroidery by machine as well. 4. I know that I should "test drive" any machine before deciding to purchase it and what to look for - ease of use, easy to understand, especially for a beginner, how it sounds when working, etc. I'm just trying to get input from other, more knowledgeable quilters. We have a few, but not a lot of sewing machine dealers here in Virginia Beach, VA (and the surrounding areas), that sell new, used and refurbished machines and also service them and the variety of machines are limited. I also want to be able to take it in for service without waiting weeks to get it back. I'm really close to Northeast NC and am willing to go there to find what I'm looking for. Any and all feedback would be so appreciated! I'm willing to travel an hour or two if I can find what I'm looking for and get an awesome deal. I know this request is kind of lengthy and I apologize. I'd appreciate it soooo much if you could spare a few minutes and give me some feedback and any and all suggestions!! Also, what machines do your quilting friends use that they absolutely love? Thanks so much! CherylR, waving hello from Va. Beach, VA. By the way, is there ANYBODY out there from the Mid-Atlantic region of the country? Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Franklin, Portsmouth, (VA) or northeast NC? I feel so alone!!!! |
The first thing you should do is decide how much you can spend on a sewing machine. That will greatly decrease your number of options. Then decide what features you would like to have. If you are a person who is easily frustrated a simpler machine might be best. Good luck. Take your time and test drive many models before making your decision.
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I agree you should test drive. I had yearned for a Viking for years, and a few years ago went to a dealer who carried many brands. He left me at a Viking to "play around with it" while he answered a long question on the phone. When he came back I was still staring at the "dashboard." He showed me what he bought his wife, a Janome. I bought it, came home and started sewing, checking the skinny manual infrequently as I sewed, while friends who bought more expensive machines in the same period were still reading their thick manuals. I had wavered over Pfaff with its built-in walking foot but thought it would get in the way. I bought a generic walking foot three years ago and just now started using it, just because I have it -- my machine seems to feed smoothly without it. I do agree with the comment about the open-toe darning/free motion foot, but I bought one at http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/quilting-supplies for $13 or $14 which works just great.
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I have 7 Singer 301's and a Viking, which is collecting dust. If you don't have alot of money, this machine is a workhorse! The feed dogs drop, it's portable, it's very easy to maintain. It has a slant shank which means the throat plate is very close to the edge of the machine, so you can see very clearly what you are doing. If you are a taller person, the slant shank is a must. You can get one in great condition with attachments for under 100.00
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I have the babylock elure plus (embroidery machine) This is my second one, I upgraded & gave the other to my daughter. I am real pleased with Babylock.
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I have 2 Babylocks and have had no trouble. They have not been tempermental at all. I have the Espire and the Ellure Plus. I also have a Singer Freatherweight (black). I will take anyone of them to classes depending on what I am doing.
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Not all Vikings are expensive. The Emerald 116 and 118 are mechanical machines and are great for beginners as well as more experienced sewists. I like the Pfaffs with the IDT(full time walking foot); I have an old Pfaff 1222E and it has the IDT, if it weren't so danged heavy it would be a take to class machine.
I also like the Singer Featherweight, but not the new Singers(not living up to the Singer name IMHO). I also have 2 older Berninas, the 930 and 1031. The only new machine I have is the Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 875. Its got a nearly 10" throat and does free motion quilting and walking foot quilting great. I love it! Its also great for garment sewing and makes fabulous buttonholes. You really need to take your fabrics and threads and go test drive several different brands. A good machine dealer is great to have so you can learn your new machine and answer any questions. Sharon W. |
I think sometimes my opinion of a machine is colored by the dealer so to speak. It is good to hear about some of these machines. When I went in to test drives machines for my daughter, I had to teach a dealer how to use their own machine (they couldn't make it do a buttonhole and thought the machine was broken). Needless to say, I decided to quit looking at that particular brand because the person who was going to do warranty/repair didn't know how the machine worked. I might have excused it if the machine had been a new model, but it wasn't.
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My Mom had a Singer touch and throw. OMG I hated that machine!!! I'm suprised I'm still sewing after that.
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Reminds me of an old Singer model called the touch 'n sew. If you got a good one it was great, not so much if you got a lemon, then you called it the touch 'n jam. Fortunately, my grandmother had a great one, I learned to sew on it. If she'd had a lemon I probably would have given up.
Originally Posted by CherylR
Sharon B
I eliminated the 6000 because of the reviews by owners. I did see some reviews that praised the machine, but most of the others were having a lot of problems with "clunky noises" after 2-3 projects and not being able to get someone to figure it out. They also said that the thread gets all bunched and tangled up. From what I've read on the 6000 - it's either feast or famine. They either have absolutely no problems out of it and wouldn't trade it for anything and the others hate it because of the noises and thread and jamming problems. Thanks so much for your input! |
A great place to test drive lots of different brands of machines is a larger quilt show. I am lucky enough to attend the International Quilt Festival in Houston,Texas every year.
All the major machine dealers are there and you can test drive any or all of them. Sharon W. |
...bought my daughter a Janome (DC2010, try it you might like it, the price was hard to beat), |
Oh! That was my first machine too. I love the "Touch and Throw" description. It was enough to lose your religion over. When I got married and my mother-in-law saw that machine almost run, she told me that I needed a new one ASAP. I can still see her look of horror as I cut the fabric off the plate.
I learned a lot from that experience. Never, ever let someone else pick your machine for you. Someone told my parents that this would be a good one because of brand reputation. This is one of those "should never have happened" piece of engineering as far as I am concerned. Try to always test the exact machine you are walking away with because there is the occassional blooper in any brand. |
A friend of mine had a Touch and Throw, that flung its cams out on a regular basis. She said that sewing shouldn't be that exciting. rofl
Sharon |
I have a viking, designer se and it does sewing/embroidery. I use the embroidery unit to quilt with and it's wonderful. I quilt from baby to king size and get excellent results. I love the IDT, needle up/down feature, blanket stitch and darning stitch, which repairs holes. It's pricey but worth every penny! Good luck in finding the right machine for you.
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Spent to much money on a new Designer 1 several years ago and just found out it is discontinued. So go for a machine that will be around for awhile. Love my D1, but waiting for the ball to drop that says parts no longer available. I will inherite(?) some machines off of Mom (older machines, but can not beat 'em for dependability). So I should be set there.
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I have an old Brother mach. that I love and would never get rid of. All my quilting is done by hand,so I just need mine for piecing and misc. sewing. You might be able to get a good one on Craigs list!
I hope you find a quilting buddy in your area, try you LQS. |
My first sewing machine about 45 yrs ago was a Pfaff with the straight stitch and a simple zigzag. I still have it and I am sure it would still run beautiful if I took it in. I also had a Sears sensor100, it had 100 zigzag and decorative stitches. This was about 30 yrs ago, it ran well for a couple of years and then I had to have it worked on about every couple of months. It liked to run on its own and I was trying to make DD#2's wedding dress and all the other dresses for the wedding. Got the dresses done but was looking for a new machine. 13 yrs ago I bought a Bernina1530 but have just recently started using it. Broke my hip and leg and ended up having many surgeries on the leg. Had it cleaned up and adjusted and it is a dream. Did buy a walking foot, expensive, but I would not use any other machine. My friend who I quilt with also has a Bernina and loves her's. What ever machine you decide on try to use it before you buy it If that is not possible, make sure they have a return policy.
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I have an old Pfaff and a newer Viking. The old Pfaff has a built in walking foot, which is really great. Not nearly as bulky as the attachment walking foot for the viking. The Viking has a needle down position (always stops with the needle down) but the Pfaff does not. Both have a built in needle threader which I love. I also have a single hole throat plate for the Viking. This is great for piecing. It would be nice to have all of these in one machine.
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I have a 10 yr old Pfaff...and I love it! It is computerized, a 2030, and cost $1400 new, but I've got my money's worth from her! The Pfaffs have the built in even feed, so you don't have to use a walking foot for quilting...this is the best. Also like the needle down feature. You might see if you can buy one used. If you don't want to go computerized, even the mechanical Pfaffs have the even feed. That's what I started with, then traded it in on the 2030. Check Pfaff dealers to see if they have used machines traded in.
Sue |
I have 5 sewing machines. 3 are Singers, one is 38 years old, the second is 26 years old and the last is a brand new Futura C250. I love them all. I am using the older ones to teach my granddaughters how to sew.
The other 2 machines and as follows: A brother about 6 or 7 that I purchased to have something to carry to class. The other is a Euro Pro, which my children bought for me for mothers day. The brother I use but can do without. The Euro Pro I love. First decided exactly what you want to do with your machine, then set a budget. If I had the funds I would love to have a Janome, most of my quilting friends own them, even a couple of award winners. |
I have Singer that was made to be used in home ec classes in school. Totally gear driven, no electronics, and I love that machine. It is just a total workhorse. Bought it at one of those "special" sales at JoAnne's. Also have a small Baby Lock embroidery machine (the Sophia model) that I really do like. I'm seriously considering trading it in on a much larger, slightly used model (Ellegante I think is the name) with a much larger throat and the ability to embroider on a field up to 6 x 10 inches. I suggest, like the others, that you visit dealers and try out a variety of machines. But then, I would search out independent sewing/vacuum sales and repair shops. We have one here in Bradenton (FL) that sells used, refurbished machines and gives a full 10 year warranty on any machine they sell. The place has been in business for about 40 years and has a stellar reputation. I've talked to a number of people who have bought their machines there, and not on single complaint. Good luck no matter what route you take.
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Originally Posted by lab fairy
Sorry, I can't help with location. I'm in Texas (but my parents still live in VA if that helps).
Things I think are a must with my machine: For piecing: 1. The built in "walking foot" (on my machine it is called IDT). 2. The sensor light that indicates when the bobbin thread is about to run out. 3. Adjusting my needle position so I can get an accurate 1/4 inch seam (It is important to me, maybe not so much to others.) For quilting, quilting: 1. Being able to drop my feed dogs. 2. As big a throat as I can afford so I could handle more quilt bulk. 3. Is there an big open toed free-motion/darning foot available? I hated the little darning foot that came with my machine. I couldn't see a thing. I'm sure there are more but I didn't think of them yet. I would think that the following would be part of things to think about: 1. cost of feet [Can you get a 1/4 inch piecing foot with a blade, stitch in the ditch foot (mine is called a knit edge foot because I wanted the all metal construction for durability), etc] 2. warranty and repair facility [Does the machine get serviced on site or does it have to be sent away? That is a big factor for me] 3. if the machine can download stitched from a computer, is the software compatable with the new Windows 7 and Vista updates. (My machine will not load the software on the those new operating systems but the machine itself is still wonderful. Just wanted to give you a heads up on the software issues since my old computer "ate itself and I bought a new one".) I own a Pfaff 7570 and bought it new. I paid a lot for things I really probably haven't used enough of like the computerized emboidery, but I can't say enough about how the way it handles all sorts of fabric. That is important to me because I sew a lot of other things besides quilt pieces. Front bobbin loading has never been an issue for me because I don't think I've ever owned a machine that didn't do this. However, I bought my daughter her first sewing machine, a Janome DC2010 (fairly economical, has some good features, access to feet that are inexpensive, serviced at the place I purchased, etc.) It has a top loading bobbin and I liked it a lot. That little machine sews pretty well and has handled everything she has given it so far. She hasn't pieced anything so I can't tell you how well her new 1/4 inch foot works yet (or the stitch-in-the-ditch one either). We do use those feet for other sewing needs and they've preformed well so far. My point of view is just mine, but I have bought many machines over the years. I have to say I'm getting better with each one I purchase. Make sure you take fabric and thread with you to test drive a machine (make a small quilt sandwich or two as well.) I'm sure other people will think of more things to consider. I always envision sewing everything when I buy a machine (I kind of sound like Alton Brown, all things should multipurpose not just single task) because I usually end up doing it. |
Hi!
I'm in Elizabeth City, not too far into North Carolina. I have a Janome and I love it. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, as they say, but it does a fantastic job. I bought it here at the local Singer's store. They carry other brands other than Singer. |
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