Question for quilters with multiple sewing machines

**Flying_V_Goddess** · 06-21-2011, 10:43 AM

Lately I've seen several topics on here asking "How many sewing machines do you have?" and quite a lot of the answers were more than one or two. One poster said she owns eleven sewing machines.

I just have one sewing machine. My mom bought it for me around seven years ago for about $60 when I started learning how to machine sew in high school. I really only need one sewing machine to quilt with. But I don't have the room or the funds for more than one anyways.

I see these posts about having multiple sewing machines and I think "Does one really need that many?" I can kind of see where two sewing machines might be an advantage if you're working on two projects at once or have one machine for piecing and the other for FMQ.

So I'm a bit curious. If you do have more than one or two machines, how many do you have and why do have that many? Do you use them all?

**nygal** · 07-16-2012, 03:11 AM

I have four machines and three are Brother's. First one I use for every day sewing, second is an embroidery machine which I love...third and brand new last week is a quilting machine. Fourth is my mom's old Kenmore which is still in her wooden machine cabinet. I dont' use it..I lost the parts but I don't need to use it. I like having it for memory sake.

I recently considered getting serger but after studying up on them I realized I don't have a need for one with the sewing that I usually do.

**twoxover** · 07-16-2012, 03:36 AM

i've got a few....

a viking tribute 140c--this is my newest. remember me? i was the one who had the bernina on layaway when the quilt shop closed.....so, i got this machine. LOVE IT! to be honest, i wanted a newer, "fancier" machine (more stitches). and hey, it was a treat to myself....

Viking 350-i bought about 15 years ago, when the pfaff hobby i had died...... Now that i have the tribute, this will become a travel machine.

1937 featherweight-still love to piece on her. and she's beautiful

babylock ellure-i use solely for embroidery. she's about 10-12 years old, but not going to trade "up". i don't do machine embroidery often enough.

singer treadle red eye--needs to be rehabbed--really, a good oiling and a new leather loopy thing. my dad bought it at an auction

singer 99k-my dad bought at an auction because he thought it was a fw. needs a good cleaning and oiling

singer spartan-i bough on ebay. does not work. the guy refunded my money for misrepresentation and told me to keep it because it would cost to much to send back

simplicity serger-which i actually do use!

so...out of 8, four get regular usage.

**nhweaver** · 07-16-2012, 03:38 AM

I guess I never considered having more than one machine "excessive". It is like asking a carpenter why he has more than one saw. I have my Janome which is my machine of choice. I inherited my MIL 401 (which needs to be repaired), a Viking Sapphire, which I bought for the larger harp area, and use it for topstitching, and 5 featherweights, one is permanently at my dd's house (i use when babysitting), one I take to classes, and the other 3 I rescued. Oh, I have a serger that I have had for 20 years (when I used to make doll clothing for my GD american girl dolls). I am 65 years old, and over the years, my collection has grown.

I am looking for a reasonable priced red eye treadle machine, just because, one day a hurricane might land in DE, and the electrician (my dear son), didn't put my sewing room on the generator grid. I had to choose heat and airconditioning, refrig, freezer and water (well) and a bit of lighting.

**Quilt-Till-U-Wilt** · 07-16-2012, 03:42 AM

I have an old Singer in a cabinet that I got when i first got married and can't bear to part with. I don't ever use it. I have a Janomne 6500 that's my main machine and a Janome 720 for classes. I have a treadle and a featherweight that I also don't use but don't want to part with. Once you get them you can't bear to give them up. I do intend to use the featherweight. It's so handy to carry with the tiny case.

**happyquiltmom** · 07-16-2012, 03:58 AM

I have 4:

vintage 1950's Singer 401A for piecing/straight line quilting/general sewing

vintage 1970's Bernina Record 830 for FMQing

1951 Centennial Singer Featherweight for classes/retreats

1889 Singer 27 treadle in non-working condition. I intend to get her up and running some day when I have time.

**Patti25314** · 07-16-2012, 04:12 AM

I have two sewing machines and a serger. The nice part about having 2 is that I can set one up for embroidery and sew with the other or serge. Also the newest one is lighter weight. So she'll be going to classes with me in the fall.

**ArtsyOne** · 07-16-2012, 04:41 AM

I had one heavy Kenmore for more than 30 years, but when something went wrong with the tension and I had to take it to a repair shop half-way through a project I realised that one machine is not enough. Not only is the Kenmore too heavy to cart to classes, but having a backup machine is wonderful. I bought a $65 newer Kenmore at an estate sale; all of my accessories fit the new machine and it's great to take to classes. Then a friend bought a hugely expensive embroidery machine and I was envious, so I bought a combo sewing/embroidery machine from Craigslist for less than $200. Now I wish I had an actual sewing room so that I could have them all out at once.

**quiltingweb** · 07-16-2012, 05:03 AM

I have 3 that I use all the time. My Bernette serger that I got when I was in high school about almost 30 years ago. It sews as well today as it did then (knock on wood). I have a Kenmore that I use most every day for general sewing, piecing, etc. I have a Nolting Fun Quilter that I use for quilting and I love it.

There are a few that I don't use as often. I have a Viking/Husky for embroidery and decorative stitching that I bought thinking I would enjoy embroidery, but I really don't love it. It's a good sewing machine, but it may have to find a new home. I have a treadle machine I acquired a couple of months ago for $5 and my daughter just used it to piece her first quilt top. It was fun taking a machine that was old and neglected and turning it into a usable machine. I also have a Necchi that will be my downstairs machine. It's nice to have one close to my quilting machine for issues that pop up. It also has a lot of cams for decorative stitching, so I think it will be fun to use. I have a vintage Kenmore that I bought for my daughter at Goodwill for $4 in the cabinet. I've since realized that it's an awesome machine! Oh, and there are two in the garage that don't work quite yet. I may have to give up on the Singer, but she's a newer machine with plastic gears and I may donate her to someone who has the interest in fixing her. The New Home treadle...now that one I WILL fix and move into the house. It's pretty and when it works, it will be a joy to use...so...8. I agree, it's hard to part with them.

**BeckyB** · 07-16-2012, 05:10 AM

I have 5.... 1.)old pfaff that embroiders 2.)Singer featherweight (just cuz and maybe a class if I ever take one.)
3.)pfaff 4.0 for sewing and 4.) juki straight stitch for stippling and putting smaller quilts together 5.) just got a 18" tin Lizzy long arm for putting quilt tops together

Thread: Question for quilters with multiple sewing machines

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