Originally Posted by
Violet_angel
the 6500 seems like a good bang for the buck (and that dealership is supposed to be good as well). In that case, I would just add a separate embroidery machine down the road. Anyone have any input or experiences they'd like to share? I'd appreciate it!
To be honest I think this is a reasonable place to start.. I fear that if you were to buy a machine that "does it all" that you may not fully utilize everything it can do, and you'll pay a premium for options that you probably don't really need. I don't think too many people who have just one all in one machine (meaning sewing and embroidery) are all that happy with the arrangement - some patterns take a very long time to stitch out and you end up being tied up watching the machine in case something happens (thread breaks, color change, whatever) so you really can't "set it and forget it" and walk away - having another machine available to use frees you up to do some piecing or other productive work while the embroidery is stitching away. I had an all in one machine before (the electronics went out on it 2 years ago, so I don't even have an embroidery machine now - it wasn't important enough for me to replace it right away, though I have considered getting a PE770) and I don't know that I'd ever willingly go that route again without having another machine to use as well.
I'd also like to add that it's worth the drive to test out some different machines - yes, even if you "lose" a day by driving to visit a dealer further away, the comparison is still worth it even if you don't like anything you went to try, and the expense of gas is fairly minor compared to possibly ending up with a machine you aren't 100% happy with because you didn't get the opportunity to try anything else. Don't just test what's in your price range either - test everything, you might be surprised at what you end up liking and not liking. My experience trying out machines a couple of years ago is that some higher end machines have some quirky features that I just didn't like... like the TOL Pfaffs without the presser foot lift lever - that immediately turned me off of even considering those machines... which was a good thing since they were a bit beyond my budget anyways.
You don't need a special machine for FMQ - harp space is generally helpful, but there are other things that make it easier (such as modifying the free motion quilting foot like Leah Day does) that can make FMQ much more successful on any machine. Small changes can make a huge difference... for me the supreme slider and the foot modifications were key for me to finally start to have some FMQ success, before that I struggled with jerky starts and stops and fabric bunching - it was a hot mess, but now it's much easier. Practice also helps a lot
