Hi! I'm completely new to this board. I haven't found a general sewing forum that seemed as easy to navigate as this site!
(If someone has a favorite general sewing forum site, please let me know!) I've reading just about every thread here that I can, trying to make a machine decision! I've been sewing on a Brother LS1217 since I began (it misbehaves), and want to upgrade a little--max. $450 or so, so that I have more variety and could try quilting without frustration. But alot of what we do (daughter) also is clothing and doll clothes (hense the interest in some fun decorative stitches). We are 1 1/2 hours from sewing stores, so trying out a machine is difficult.
My first plan was to get a less expensive machine to try together with my daughter and call "hers". Then, after seeing what I liked, get myself an upgrade in the $400-600 range. So, after much research, I was just about ready to jump on the cs6000i--
except for the small throat space (does anyone have a measurement on that???), difficulty in sewing thru layers, and a couple comments on it "blowing up". Then, I started considering the pc420 PRW which comes with a fantastic array of accessories (except table), but it is ranked like 83rd right now on Amaz.?!?! It has a good star rating, and doesn't seem to have great complaints. Lastly, I see the Singer 9960 Quant. Styl., ranked 19th--again, great accessories, probably excessive stitches, comes
with table and is $70 less than the 420, but folks talk about Singer "low end" recent machines being "plastic junk".
I welcome anyone who considered these machines or has them to please let me know pros, cons, opinions! If anyone has a different suggestion, I welcome that, too. I get a bit lost in the world of "janome, viking, juki"...Thank you so much!!