| DogHouseMom |
11-20-2011 09:47 AM |
Hello and welcome. There are a lot of good machines out there, and a lot will depend on your budget, your needs, and your personal sewing habits.
Suggest you start with a budget that you want to remain within. Start by shopping online - figure out which machines are within your budget. Also look at machines that are a step up from your budget. Then go to as many dealers as you can and look at the machines in your budget and ask them if they have any used machines that were a step above your budget. Getting a used machine from a dealer is usually not an issue if it's a good dealer that also services their own machines as they'll clean and service them before they resell them, and usually offer a limited warranty on them as well (30, 60 or 90 days depending on the dealer and the machine).
Don't make a decision until you've visited and played with all the machines on your list.
Some features to consider: harp width (the size of the opening on the inside of the machine - the larger the harp, the easier it is to maneuver a quilt through it, but larger harp machines are typically more expensive), number of attachments offered with the machine price (or the cost of adding the attachments that were not included - needed attachments for quilting are a darning foot and a dual feed foot, and a 1/4" guide foot is used by many as well), needle up/down position is a huge help when quilting, thread cutters are nice - but is it necessary? Ditto for the knee lift. And of course additional fancy stitches.
good luck and happy shopping!
ps: I have an old 1982 Sears Kenmore that does straight stitch and zig zag, a Husqvarna Viking Lily 535 that does a whole lot more, a Janome 6600 that does even more than the Husky, a Brother 950 that sews and does embroidery, and a 1920 Singer treadle that does nothing but straight stitch. I use them all (except for the treadle, it's still in a state of refurbishment) for different things at different times. I like them all for different reasons.
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