Prism99

I would stick with the Singer for now and save up for a better quality new sewing machine. Many of the low-end new machines have a small harp size (area under the arm where the bulk of a quilt needs to be while machine quilting) and do not handle thicknesses well. In these respects, your old Singer is likely to perform much better.

A new low-end machine will have the convenience of a needle-down setting (not a necessity until you get used to the feature!) and some fancy embroidery stitches (not necessary for quilting). If you save up for a Janome 1500 or 1600P (probably around $1,000 or so in the near future) you will get a heavy-duty machine with all the conveniences, a large harp for machine quilting, tons of embroidery stitches, and something that will last many decades.

fixfido

COULDN'T AGREE MORE!! I love the vintage machines. I own 40 machines; some of which are computerized with all the bells and whistles, but those vintage machines sew circles around them in my opinion.

RDM

The older Singers had great motors, metal parts, and can be mainted for unlimited use. With your budget, I'd save the cash, continue with what you have for now. Especially since it's working for you. Many low-end new machines have a lot of plastic parts. If later you want a machine that does more, reasearch for a good quality used machine. Hopefully you have a local store that carries your machines accessories, parts, classes, and maintenance is a good way to go.

Val in IN

I love my 3 old Singers WAY better than I love my new fancy, shmancy machines. The decorative stitches on the newer machines are all I use them for. The Singers sew straighter, more consistant, perfect stitches than the newer ones. As in Rock and Roll, heavy metal rules!! I'd take an all metal "oldie" over a new plastic one any day. Just my humble opinion of course.

deemail

this is absolutely where i take all my friends when they ask me for recommendations... many machines are traded in because the owners want newer, more complex machines...not because they are worn out... others are sold because mom/grandma/aunt susie passed away and no one wants her old machine.... you will be able to get a better machine with more capabilities if you buy used. they will let you sew on them in the repair shops... here are just a couple of things to look for.

Pick up the machine, then pick up 2 or 3 others...you WANT metal inside your machine and the weight is one of the simplest ways to see if there is ANY in there or not. This is the biggest problem (for me.... just for me, my opinion) in the inexpensive machine in chain stores. They weigh almost nothing because they're all plastic inside.

Don't be fooled by testing ONLY the denim scraps, you need to see those, but also ask for 2 layers of more normal weights fabrics ...everything sews denim well.... sew straight across the entire scrap for at least 6" and then check both sides for tension quality...the dots in between the stitches should be the same size on both sides.

How does it sound? is it running smoothly, loud is not preferable... but also not as important as 'smoothly'... does it stop and start immediately when testing? if you put the needle down inside the fabric with the wheel, the motor should start and stop right away. How do ALL the cords and connections look? nothing should be loose (that 'non starting problem' could be a loose wire), or frayed. ask him to replace if you like the machine.

How does the belt look? is it one of the new 'plastic-looking' polyester belts... they are usually amber colored and will simply never wear out. It is also a sign about what the repairman did for the machine before putting it up for sale. If they aren't even replacing an old belt, they probably didn't do much else.

Now, what comes with it? extra bobbins (i consider a dozen a necessity, the round ones can be used as spools so there is no waste), zipper foot, hemming foot and normal sewing foot are essential and I would buy them if i found that i loved the way the machine looked and sounded and sewed but not much came with it. However, if all those things are true and they did include the basics, super, you may have found yourself a repairman to keep. if this is all true, give the person their due, ask for a few extra cards to give to your friends for maintenance. and ask his opinion... how often should you have basic maintenance done? if you like his work and his prices are good, trust his opinion and spread the word...you will want him to stay in business. Also, ask (and buy) for his recommendation of a good machine oil to use and ask how often he suggests cleaning and oiling. It is much more often than a lot of us do this simple chore. Also ask his opinion on canned air...most will steer you away, but ask and then ask how to use it if he suggests it for amateurs. (the repairpeople use it when they have the machines open, but that is a different thing.

Now how about extras? are you into piping? they have a piping foot that makes it a breeze. does the machine have a 1/4" foot? this makes piecing a joy. is there a an extra light bulb? ask the repairman how to take it out and replace it...there are 3 main types and sometimes they are hard to figure out. Now buy that light bulb...the old one will burn out at midnight when you're really in the mood to sew. The end of the extra bulb will help you remember what type you have in the machine, so you can get it out. And lastly, what kind of books come with it? I consider this an important thing to have but would not be a deal-breaker for me because almost all models of machines, new and old, are online now and many are free for the downloading, some have a small charge.

sewing on the machines is the most important thing and if they won't let you....you need to be somewhere else... good luck... think heavy, think needs (yours, not the machine's) and sew before you buy.....

raptureready

Check with your local LQS. They sometimes have floor models or trade-ins that would be far above your budget in quality but not in price. Also, most LQS's also work on machines. That's a great benefit to have. H

However, that said, I bought a $200 Brother on Craigslist for almost nothing and it's still a great machine. I'd still use the old workhorse for the heavy quilting though. I just started quilting a quilt that I pieced on the Brother but I'm quilting it on a 1951 Singer.

Dolphyngyrl

The machine will be okay for piecing, but kind of small for FMQ

Buckeye Rose

I recently had to buy a new machine as my brother (cs6000i) died and would have cost more than the original purchase price to repair it. The repairman suggested an older singer, usually able to buy for under $200. But I wanted a few of the bells and whistles available on the newer machines. I found a used Janome 6600 from a dealer for $1000. It came with a limited warranty and all the free classes I wanted. It has the built in Accufeed System that is absolutely wonderful, as well as the thread cutter, needle down and needle threader. It is great for quilting with the larger throat area. Yes, it was a bit more than I wanted to spend, but I will have that machine for a long time.

irishrose

I just looked at a pic of your machine, It looks like a regular low shank machine. Any generic feet for low shank machines will fit. My Janome walking foot for my Elna was $24.95 and other feet are available at your sewing machine dealer or online. Ebay has several boxes full right now. All you need to clean the machine is sewing machine oil and a regular screwdriver. Maybe grease - the 1956 Singer needs it, the 1973 Elna doesn't. My 13 year old GD did a great job cleaning the 1978 533 Styylist I was given. Her dad says she can take it home as soon as it jams and she learns how tro unjam it. She pieced an entire quilt top without a jam, so he may have to rethink that. It sews a pretty seam, but at the moment won't zigzag. She took the bottom off and oiled everything in there, too. Have at it - the only thing I really miss that's on a new machine is the needle down feature when I'm FMQ. You can quilt with these machines. The 301 has a 7 1/4" opening and just did a wide twin size quilt.

tngal22

Thank you! Being that info seems to rare on this machine, I wasn't sure if it was a low shank. I found a couple online that said it would work and they were about $25. The only thing I got with the machine was the table...no accessories or manual. I did find the manual on Singer but well it is pretty limited with information about the actual machine.