Pennysgirl says hello!
05-07-2019, 01:20 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4
Pennysgirl says hello!
Hi! I am a self taught sewer who recently fell in love with quilting. I found this place when I was looking for advice on buying a new machine. My Singer Quantum feed dog bolt broke and they discontinued the replacement part (what??.) So sad! I was in the middle of free motion quilting for my first time (I usually just stitch in the ditch, do x’s, or lines... simpler stuff.) I don’t make perfect quilts- mostly for myself and close family- because we appreciate them. If anyone has advice on a good machine that would be great! I really don’t want to spend more than 500 but will if it’s worth it... definitely want to keep it under 1000.-best regards,
pennysgirl
05-07-2019, 02:27 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Alturas, CA
Posts: 9,393
Welcome to the board. Janome and Brother have a fairly good reputations, even on the low end. There's also a new brand, called Sparrow, they also have a good reputation. Personally, I wouldn't buy any Singer younger than the 60's. LOL
05-07-2019, 02:34 PM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,460
Welcome from Ontario, Canada. Buy the best machine you can afford. If you plan on FMQing, get needle down function and large throat space. A nice buttonhole stitch for fused appliqué. I like doing ruler work with my ruler foot so a machine that can use a ruler foot in the future might be a consideration.
05-07-2019, 03:04 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,056
Don't rule out vintage or used machines, but be sure to take them on a good test drive. Dealers have trade-ins, Craig's list is full of "gently used" machines around here. Sometimes people are downsizing and you can get a heck of a deal on a cabinet system including the machine.
I had a good modern sewing machine back before they went computerized, a major part broke and I could not get it replaced/fixed -- of course, it was not included in the warranty either. For the last 20-30 years I used the same vintage machine that was older than I am the originally belonged to a friend's grandmother. Just this past fall a friend gave me a modern Bernina that she didn't like, I have to say I love the advantages and options but they aren't strictly necessary. For me though, the big thing was the throat size of my old machine was just too small for quilting and other than the simplest things and small projects, I was going to have to find other ways to quilt stuff down.
I don't know the Quantum so I'm not sure of the features you are used to, I can see how it would be sort of hard to go from a modern machine to a vintage one, but the very simplicity has a lot of appeal. You can do your own maintenance for example. Really all a quilting machine needs is a good steady smooth straight stitch, everything else is gravy. Nothing wrong with liking gravy and going full smothered and covered though! And, if you do anything fancy you need a machine that can do fancy stuff. Me, mostly I just straight stitch but I'm trying to learn the new machine.
I had a good modern sewing machine back before they went computerized, a major part broke and I could not get it replaced/fixed -- of course, it was not included in the warranty either. For the last 20-30 years I used the same vintage machine that was older than I am the originally belonged to a friend's grandmother. Just this past fall a friend gave me a modern Bernina that she didn't like, I have to say I love the advantages and options but they aren't strictly necessary. For me though, the big thing was the throat size of my old machine was just too small for quilting and other than the simplest things and small projects, I was going to have to find other ways to quilt stuff down.
I don't know the Quantum so I'm not sure of the features you are used to, I can see how it would be sort of hard to go from a modern machine to a vintage one, but the very simplicity has a lot of appeal. You can do your own maintenance for example. Really all a quilting machine needs is a good steady smooth straight stitch, everything else is gravy. Nothing wrong with liking gravy and going full smothered and covered though! And, if you do anything fancy you need a machine that can do fancy stuff. Me, mostly I just straight stitch but I'm trying to learn the new machine.
05-07-2019, 05:29 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,414
Welcome from North Carolina! I had a high priced computerized Viking H. that broke down after about 3 or 4 years and it couldn't be fixed. No repair person would look at it. They all said that it wasn't worth fixing. I bought a Singer Heavy Duty one at Walmart for $99 and it does everything I ask of it. I sew about 6 to 8 hours a day and I've had it for several years. It just chugs along without a problem. Sometimes less fanciness is much better.
05-07-2019, 08:54 PM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chula Vista CA
Posts: 7,340
Welcome from Southern California! If you have a local sewing machine dealer go in and test drive a few different machines. I have a Janome MC6600 that I fell in love with during a test drive. It had a lot of bells and whistles I never used before so was very worried I was spending a lot of money for something I would never use. But I took the classes that came with the machine and learned to use. them. So now I do. So I agree with the idea that buying the best machine you can afford. (That does not mean spend more than you should, just be willing to stretch yourself not your budget.)
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