Quality used machine from a trusted sewing friend or dealer, Janome, or certain brother machines. The brother CS6000i has gotten great reviews, and is avail from Amazon for $170. I just bought my sons a brother HS 2000 from a dealer, and I'm pleased with it. I think you could get one for about $200. Good luck and don't get discouraged! Quilting is for everybody!

Okay here is my quilting machine and I only have $20 tied into it. This is my go to machine that is hands down my most favorite machine in my collection. Parts are easily had for cheap and you can not kill it if you tried. I have made and quilted King sized quilts on it no problems at all, true my bench is 146x36 but it still is a Model 15 in a treadle. It has drop feed dogs so I can FMQ and with my attachments I can do any decorative stitches I need.

Your would be better off buying a good used vintage machine like this one than to drop a lot of money on something that will be in the trash in 2 years or less.

Billy

When I first started sewing we went to a Janome shop and grabbed a new $500 machine ( it is the 4623LE... they no longer make that model ). I knew nothing about machines. I just picked one that was a price we could live with if sewing became a hobby I wasn't thrilled with. Let me tell you...I ran that thing roughly for 9 years. It did everything I asked it to do and consider that I was completely new to sewing. Those were rough miles! I still have it. I have a machine now that cost 4 times that but the truth is, if it weren't for the bigger harp space and the fancy stitches I'd love the 4623LE just as much. There are some quilt snobs in this world that think if you don't sew on something about the price of a small car then it's junk. Hogwash. There are fine machines in a reasonable price range.

Check out what you have in other major brands at any local businesses and don't be afraid to try talking them down on price. Just like a car, they grossly inflate the tag price.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

a couple years ago I bought a Singer that I'd paid close to $200 for. Within a couple months something flew apart inside the head. I didn't save my reciept becasue who the H would have thought a Singer would blow up on you? Anyway, I had the shipping box and WallyWorld looked up the date of purchase from the Singer & Walmart info on hte box. got my money back.

We use brothers in our quilt group, and have done many large projects on them, its a pain but when funds are limited go with what you can afford. Check out second hand stores they will let you sew on them if you bring the supplies that you need, needle and thread and such. we get regular mechines there all the time. service them when you get home. they run great. like i said go with what you can afford.

I have a dinky Brother that has served me well. Bought about 7 years ago at Costco for about $100. Mechanical. No problems with it at all. then came into a lower end Brother that also has served me well, the little I use it because it is at my son's to use when I am there. Some people on this board have very expensive machines and some of them have problems too. My daughter in law in WA State and I picked out yet a different mechanical Brother for me to use at her house, for mending mostly, and some valance sewing. It worked like a charm right out of the box and I have had zero problems with it over the years.

You can use the machine you are piecing with if you can put a quilting foot or walking foot on it. There is nothing that special about a machine that quilts unless you go for the wider throat (7"-10") . It is just tough and time consuming to quilt on a sewing machine. Call and ask around about someone quilting it for you. I found a lady two hours away that quilts for $26.00-$40.00 a quilt. Unbelievable price! She's in a small town with people with fixed incomes. I save up my tops and then bring several at once. We stop to visit family and friends on our way back.

I wonder if she would accept orders by mail. If so, can you PM me her info?

thanks!

I purchased a Janome 3128 sewing machine for my young granddaughter. Well, I haven't seen her to give it to her so I started sewing with it. In fact, I made a full size rag quilt with it for my other granddaughter. I fell in love with that little machine. So, I ordered one for my other granddaughter and myself. The machine costs
$90.00 (it did me, anyway). It is a regular workhorse. It is a small machine, but it sews straight seams, zigzags,does the hemstitch and makes buttonholes. Also has an extension table that can be removed for a freearm. For regular sewing I would rather sew with that than my good Viking and Pfaff. It doesn't have any bells and whistles, but does all it is supposed to just great. I love that little machine. The fabric store couldn't believe that I was buying 3 of them. And another feature they gave me, was if we wanted to upgrade in a year, we would get the full purchase price of this one for a machine again as much in price or more. Didn't figure I could go too wrong with that kind of a deal. Good luck on what you do decide.

I bought a Wal-Mart Brother a few years back for my daughter when she thought she wanted to learn to sew. She was 8 at the time. I still have it and I have used it for piecing. I tried to quilt on it and it bounced all over the place. It was just to lightweight for quilting. We payed around $300.00 for it too. So just be careful with what you buy. I would try to find a dealer and get a good used machine. It being just after Christmas you might come out better that way.