I am having no luck with my sewing machine. What would be the best second hand sewing machine to buy? I believe it should be more heavy duty to with stand a lot of quilting am I correct?

A vintage Singer 301 is pretty versital. It's light weight to take to class, and you can still FMQ with it.

What kind of sewing are you doing?

I will be sewing tops of quilts together. I would like to do the sewing appliques. I also will be sewing the finished quilt as well. Mending clothes, heming jeans. Sewing rag quilts including denim. I will be block pieceing and I also make purses. I need a machine very durable. Also where would be the best place to get one?

If you are looking for a good machine Juki would be my choice. A new one is less then a 1000. and they are work horses. I am getting one as soon as I finish paying for my most wonderful worthless Bernina. I am getting the tailoring machine which is about 1400.00 those prices are for new machines. A used one should be much less. I recommend Ralph's Industrial sewing out of Denver. Of course there is shipping.

Is there a web site for me to go look at that you know of?

Here is the link
http://www.powersew.com/

[quote=Grandma58]If you are looking for a good machine Juki would be my choice. A new one is less then a 1000. and they are work horses. I am getting one as soon as I finish paying for my most wonderful worthless Bernina. I am getting the tailoring machine which is about 1400.00 those prices are for new machines. A used one should be much less. I recommend Ralph's Industrial sewing out of Denver. Of course there is shipping.


Just curious.....what's up with your Bernina?

I love my Bernina all three of them but they are for fun sewing not real sewing. Or maybe I should say they are fine for light weight cotton, but not bags and wool coats or anything with substance. I use them a lot and I do have 3. One is usually in the shop, sometimes a problem and sometimes just it's annual check up . One I use exclusively for needle felting. Over the last couple of years I have found I am sewing more heavy duty stuff and Bernina's are not built for it. I also have my grandmothers old machine from the 50's, that thing could sew through everything, it is a work horse.


[quote=NancyG]

I have a Pfaff and I love it. I had a 1222E (e means electronic) and it was the best!! I could sew thru 11 thickness of denim and then go to lace and not have to change the tension. I now have a 7570 and I love it. I think you best bet is to buy an older model of the best you could afford.