What sewing machine do I buy?
#21
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,146
thats what I was thinking of for my first one just something really cheap so that i can learn the basics, but all those other ones are so PRETTY and sound so NICE it just makes you want one. I m sure i will only be using one stitch for a long time :lol: Then again I don't want to regret not getting something that had a little more.
#22
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the middle of a mess...
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I learned to sew on my Mom's Singer Touch N Sew.
When I got married and started making clothes for my girls, my mom and dad bought me a cheap $80 Singer. I used that for about 20 years and ended up giving it away. It needed a HUGE cleaning and that was going to cost me about $100, so didn't feel I needed to pay that. I did have a Kenmore standby that I used. That one is probably about 15 years old and works great too!
My main machine is a Kenmore Ergo3. It retailed at the time for almost $2000 and I got it for about 1/2 that. What I liked was that it had the embroidery machine built in as well, so I "bit the bullet" and bought it. I just love it! I've had it for about 4 years now and it's going great!
When I got married and started making clothes for my girls, my mom and dad bought me a cheap $80 Singer. I used that for about 20 years and ended up giving it away. It needed a HUGE cleaning and that was going to cost me about $100, so didn't feel I needed to pay that. I did have a Kenmore standby that I used. That one is probably about 15 years old and works great too!
My main machine is a Kenmore Ergo3. It retailed at the time for almost $2000 and I got it for about 1/2 that. What I liked was that it had the embroidery machine built in as well, so I "bit the bullet" and bought it. I just love it! I've had it for about 4 years now and it's going great!
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,146
what a deal though! my husband wants to buy me a machine and keeps aking which one i want but I don't know thats why I started asking here. He seea all those fancy ones that do all the awesome embroidery, which I also like. but it seemed that you could buy so many different embroidery software that I was intimidated by this. Do you have to buy different cartridges or software for your machine? just wondering if that is an added cost.
#24
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,822
My good 'hand' quilting friend did the same as you:)She went around and tried everyone's machines and bought a Janome like mine;)She just finished a flannel quilt on it!:)You won't be sorry!:)You can go to the site direct of machines, such as janome and select what features you are interested in and the list of machines will pop up:)(helps with learning different options)I started out w/the janome 3200 and have since upgraded to the 6600 for more speed and a bigger throat area to make machine quilting on it easier. Was doing all of it on the 3200...which worked fine...just tight on those bigger quilts:)Good luck and enjoy the search!Skeat
#26
I'd back up what Terri said by saying start with a basic cheap one - we all quilt differently and the features indispensible to some of us a re useless to others - you need to discover what kind of machine quilter you are first! Just my 2 cents!
#28
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the middle of a mess...
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Darn tootin, Loretta!
I'd love to have a $5000 machine, but will it do something different than the one I have? Probably not. Might have a bigger throat for FMQ, but if I'm going to spend that much on a machine, it better cook dinner for me and draw me a nice bubble bath too! :)
I'd love to have a $5000 machine, but will it do something different than the one I have? Probably not. Might have a bigger throat for FMQ, but if I'm going to spend that much on a machine, it better cook dinner for me and draw me a nice bubble bath too! :)
#30
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: chicago, IL
Posts: 9,589
I've read all the posts, and I think the most important thing to do is to test drive a machine....Go to all the sewing machine dealers in your area, and check out the machine that they recommend to you, and a few others...just explain to the sales person that you are just trying to find a good fit for you... they will understand.....PLEASE, make sure that you get a machine with a strong enough motor, quilting takes it's toll. Many of the cheapy machines can't handle 1/2 hour of stippling without shutting down...
P.S. I have worked for a dealer for many years, and have helped many newbies find the right machine for their needs. Good Luck, Susie
P.S. I have worked for a dealer for many years, and have helped many newbies find the right machine for their needs. Good Luck, Susie
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