Originally Posted by
crafterrn1
Oh does this strike a cord with me. Many years ago I wanted to make a Trip around the world colorwash quilt. I paid for the class. I had the horrible experience of having the instructor picking out all my fabric. Then I loaded my Kenmore into the car. Drove 45 mins to the store. I was setting up when this same woman looks at me and says. Oh you have a kenmore machine. Think looking down her nose at me. Yes I said why? She luanched into a tirade on low end machines. Then I had the wrong thread(Coats and Clarke grey). I go to the thread rack to buy the "correct thread". They were out of the light grey so I bought the darker grey. I was never comfortable in the class. I dii finish my quilt. I actually sleep under it every night. I teach quilting now. I never ever say anything about a machine or supplies unless it really is a bad choice. But I do so with gentleness. I as a consumer would never take another class with them and I never did. BTW the 4 stores closed about 3 years later. Luann
I have been following this thread and just had to comment on your post. For many years Kenvore machines were made by Janome, as are New Home. Most of the big machines manufacturers were more than willing to make their machines for big retailers to be sold under a private label. Brother also makes machines for others. I noted a post that thought that the machines sold by JoAnns, Walmart had cheaper parts, not entirely true, unless they change a model number or private label it in someway. I teach sewing classes locally one on one and have seen so many machines that I can tell you that unless someone needs fancy stitches, if it straight stitches, zig zags, goes forward and reverse its really about all one needs other than a zipper foot. A lot of the old singers only did straight stitching, and forward/reverse and some dropped their feed dogs, not all. Perfect for quilting. Give me vintage metal gears any day over the plastic junk that is computerized and has gears guaranteed to disintegrate. I am sure some of the top of the line machines have better service records than others, but for me I know what I do not need. There is no place for snobbery in the marketplace, no wonder those people had business failures.
