What sewing machine should I get???
11-30-2015, 11:43 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
I just got a Bernina 350. It is on the lower end for price, but a huge step up from my Singer Genie 353 (from the 1970's). It comes with a bunch of feet for sewing & quilting. I also looked at the Bernina 215 -- it is the sister machine to the Activa 210 that Leah Day uses for piecing. Looking back, I almost wish I went with the 215 so I could pick my own accessories -- e.g., an open toed metal darning foot rather than the plastic closed toed one included with the 350. But they are both nice machines.
I personally believe that it doesn't make a lot of sense to invest a huge amount of money into a machine when you are still new because you don't know what kind of features you will end up liking as you advance. I went with a lower priced machine this time because I am saving to get a mid-arm (like the Sweet Sixteen) that will give me a huge harp space & has a stitch regulator. It is difficult to get a machine that does piecing & quilting well with the features I want and I wouldn't have known that about myself earlier on.
A lot of the fancier machines just have extra stitches. I don't use any of those. I made sure to clearly communicate to the people at the store when I was looking at machines that I didn't want to waste time trying out the decorative stitches because I have zero interest in doing those. I'm glad they're an option for those who like them, but they're not for me. I wanted a reliable work horse, and the all-metal Berninas are a great choice for that. However, they have the tiniest harp spaces of any machines I've ever seen. Yes, the top of the line Berninas do get larger harps (up to a max of 11.8" with the 880) so if your budget allows for that & you want all the other features, go for it! Just keep in mind that the fancier machines are really more like computers than sewing machines because you have to spend time programming before you start sewing. That's true even on a much smaller scale with the 350. Every time I turn my machine off, it resets to the default & I have to reprogram it for the few options I use. In addition, Bernina parts are possibly the most expensive on the market. Bernina claims that if they discover you using non-Bernina parts with your machine, it will void the warranty. I'm not sure how they'd know, but so far I'm too nervous to try.
The one thing I was really surprised about at the dealer I went to, they were reluctant to let me try out the darning (FMQ) foot on my test drive. I was ready to walk when they changed their mind. The entire reason I was upgrading was to be able to get better results on my FMQ -- so make sure to advocate for test driving the features you actually plan to use. The 350 did give me slightly smoother results than the 215, so that's a big part of why I chose to go with it.
No matter what machine you ultimately choose, good luck & enjoy the process of picking one; shopping for a new machine is nearly as much fun as using it!
I personally believe that it doesn't make a lot of sense to invest a huge amount of money into a machine when you are still new because you don't know what kind of features you will end up liking as you advance. I went with a lower priced machine this time because I am saving to get a mid-arm (like the Sweet Sixteen) that will give me a huge harp space & has a stitch regulator. It is difficult to get a machine that does piecing & quilting well with the features I want and I wouldn't have known that about myself earlier on.
A lot of the fancier machines just have extra stitches. I don't use any of those. I made sure to clearly communicate to the people at the store when I was looking at machines that I didn't want to waste time trying out the decorative stitches because I have zero interest in doing those. I'm glad they're an option for those who like them, but they're not for me. I wanted a reliable work horse, and the all-metal Berninas are a great choice for that. However, they have the tiniest harp spaces of any machines I've ever seen. Yes, the top of the line Berninas do get larger harps (up to a max of 11.8" with the 880) so if your budget allows for that & you want all the other features, go for it! Just keep in mind that the fancier machines are really more like computers than sewing machines because you have to spend time programming before you start sewing. That's true even on a much smaller scale with the 350. Every time I turn my machine off, it resets to the default & I have to reprogram it for the few options I use. In addition, Bernina parts are possibly the most expensive on the market. Bernina claims that if they discover you using non-Bernina parts with your machine, it will void the warranty. I'm not sure how they'd know, but so far I'm too nervous to try.
The one thing I was really surprised about at the dealer I went to, they were reluctant to let me try out the darning (FMQ) foot on my test drive. I was ready to walk when they changed their mind. The entire reason I was upgrading was to be able to get better results on my FMQ -- so make sure to advocate for test driving the features you actually plan to use. The 350 did give me slightly smoother results than the 215, so that's a big part of why I chose to go with it.
No matter what machine you ultimately choose, good luck & enjoy the process of picking one; shopping for a new machine is nearly as much fun as using it!
Last edited by Bree123; 11-30-2015 at 11:45 AM.
12-09-2015, 07:34 PM
#22
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 1
My two cents. . . try out the Janome 6600. I started out on an old Singer, I couldn't keep the tension right to save my soul. Then I purchased a Baby Lock Grace, traded up to an Ellure (Big Boo Boo--I hardly ever use the very expensive embroidery feature).
I joined a quilt guild. One of my mentors at guild has a Janome 6600 and a Bernina. A nice Bernina, too. She lives on the 6600. My sweetheart, Larry did all my cutting for me. He's now retired. A couple of years ago we were at the Mid-Atlantic quilt show, HE brought home a nice, new 6600. He caught on rather quickly (okay, I was a little jealous), but as I watched and LISTENED to his 6600.
It has one of the largest throats available on a domestic machine (which I love). We loved it so much we bought a second barely used 6600. Find someone with a 6600 and use it for an afternoon.
Berninas are nice, but they are nice and expensive, too. I've used another friend's Bernina, it's an awesome machine, but like my friend, I enjoy the old mechanical Bernina over today's $$$$$ models.
If you're just starting out, you don't need a $4000 sewing machine. Our local dealers will allow you to trade up within three years. . .ease your way up, that's what I did. (Save some of your $$ for fabric!)
The Janome 6600 is very precise, which is part of the reason I love it. I love it for FMQ, too. Although my Ellure is no slouch, the 6600 has a bigger throat. SWEET!
I joined a quilt guild. One of my mentors at guild has a Janome 6600 and a Bernina. A nice Bernina, too. She lives on the 6600. My sweetheart, Larry did all my cutting for me. He's now retired. A couple of years ago we were at the Mid-Atlantic quilt show, HE brought home a nice, new 6600. He caught on rather quickly (okay, I was a little jealous), but as I watched and LISTENED to his 6600.
It has one of the largest throats available on a domestic machine (which I love). We loved it so much we bought a second barely used 6600. Find someone with a 6600 and use it for an afternoon.
Berninas are nice, but they are nice and expensive, too. I've used another friend's Bernina, it's an awesome machine, but like my friend, I enjoy the old mechanical Bernina over today's $$$$$ models.
If you're just starting out, you don't need a $4000 sewing machine. Our local dealers will allow you to trade up within three years. . .ease your way up, that's what I did. (Save some of your $$ for fabric!)
The Janome 6600 is very precise, which is part of the reason I love it. I love it for FMQ, too. Although my Ellure is no slouch, the 6600 has a bigger throat. SWEET!
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