Necchi BF Any Good For FMQ?
 

Hi Everyone :)

I've recently bought my very first sewing machine - a Singer 401! Since acquiring it I have become interested in learning how to free motion quilt, but I don't think this is the machine for it. I've come across what I think is a Necchi BF for $95 (CAD) on craigslist: http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rd...905952198.html It looks absolutely beautiful, but is it a good choice for FMQ?

any machine that has a nice, even straight stitch is ok for quilting- if the feed dogs drop it is good for free motion quilting (people do find ways to cover their feed dogs if their machine does not have a 'drop' feature. a nice, even stitch is more important.

If it is in good working condition and has all of the accessories it is an excellent machine. Necchi's are know for very close tolerances so it may be gummed up. If it needs a new belt you can only get them at Allyn or Allen or some such spelling. Those are the minor negatives. The positives far outweigh them. Great machines. Oh, and they are powerful and fast.

I have one of these in perfect condition. I just gave it to my son to sell. I just don't have room for all the machines..

If I am going to buy another machine just for FMQ, I want to make sure it is very good for the task. I'm wondering if it has a vertical bobbin, as I've read that the horizontal ones aren't very good for what I want to do (hence part of the trouble with the 401). Does "very close tolerances" mean that I will be fighting with it a lot? Does anyone have any experience FMQ on one of these machines? Powerful and fast sounds great, but is that something I necessarily want for FMQ?

I can't answer your question about this Necchi in particular as I don't own one (yet:>). If you don't get your answer here, there's a vintage Necchi group on yahoo that I'm sure can help you. I agree that finding a machine that's a good FMQer is important. Some machines are simply better at it than others and the 401 and 500 machines are not good machines for it. Yes, the horizontal bobbin system is preferred by many for FMQing as lots of people(myself included) think the tension is better and stitch quality is better.

Have you shopped around for a Singer 301 or 15?

Powerful and fast is a good thing for me since I sew and FMQ like a speed demon:>

Yes, the BF has a vertical bobbin. When my 301 needed a cord repair, the BF was my only back up machine that would FMQ as well as the 301. My 15 clone wasn't good enough for me. It still has the original round black rubber belt, but I bet an cogged orange one be found to fit. My LQS has them with only 1/8" variation in diameter.

Yes, the machine has close tolerances but I'm used to that with the Elna. You just need to keep it oiled. That one has been serviced so it should be good to go. I do like the knee control.

The horizontal is better? Or did you mean to type "vertical"?

Yes, I have put up a wanted ad on craigslist for a 15-91. Someone has offered one for $75 that she says needs some cleaning and oiling. I am waiting on photos. :) The 301's seem harder to come by and if I buy another machine I want it to be one of the really old style ones. :cool:

Duh, I meant to type vertical bobbin is preferred by many:> I just rehabbed a 15. Look for bad wiring and broken bobbin winder springs. None of those things is a deal breaker, but it would help you negotiate if it needs more than just oiling and cleaning.

Hi lemonswade, welcome! :)

I didn't realise you were in Vancouver when we started talking about the FMQ stuff from the Slant yahoo group. I think a 15-91 is a great machine, I used to have one, but it went to a working home, as opposed to sitting in my sewing room looking longingly at me every time I walked in.

The 15-90 is pretty much the same machine, but with a belted motor instead of a gear driven motor. For FMQ, the "power" of a gear driven motor isn't a necessity. My first (and so far only) actual quilt was FMQ'd on a 15-90, the one in my sig. It didn't so much as hiccup. Some people also say some of the clones are even better than the Singers.

I tend to prefer the 301 for FMQ, for 2 reasons:
1. I sew more if I leave the house. The 301 is -way- lighter to carry around, even to another room of the house.
2. If I want to watch TV, or carry on a conversation, or just not have the neighbors lodge a noise complaint, I use the 301. The 15 is a fairly loud machine compared to many others, even other singer made machines.

Feed dogs don't have to be dropped or covered. Just set your stitch length to "0" and go for it. This is what I do even on my 301 which is dead easy to drop the dogs on. I think this is part of why I can FMQ on a 401 too, not raising the plate removes one more issue to overcome.

The other thing to do is turn the machine so the nose faces you. This overcomes the issue with throat / harp space, which is the biggest complaint about the 301, but the 15 isn't so much bigger that you'll think "Hey this is downright roomy". It's nothing like the newer machines built for quilting, but it's also not priced in the multiple thousands either. ;)