Maire

I've had great experiences with low cost Brother machines from big box stores, they were not throw aways. Only once did one need repair, Brother dealers must repair these machines when they are still under warranty. I had no problems getting it repaired at no cost.

klswift

I am asked this question every week. For a beginner, they only need forward, reverse and a zig zag! They will figure out what bells and whistles they like for their next machine and this one will always be there as a back-up or for another beginner. I personally do not care for brother machines because they are very difficult to adjust or fix (the basic, inexpensive ones). I also discourage people from getting the very, very cheap ones that are more like toys than actual machines. You can find GREAT older machines (METAL!!) at many sewing machine shops that have been refurbished for around $100. Also, stores like Joanns run their sales on singers often and you can get a very reliable machine on sale for $119 or $149, Singer's tech support is truly bad, but their manuals are very good, simple and can get you thru most problems. Again, for a first timer, these are good machines. Then they will discover what features are important to them and can upgrade to the next level of machines.

nativetexan

the remark on Dealers was a good one. some people depend on them. i'm not near a dealer either though. so i shop where I can.

Onebyone

The Brothers made for box stores are not made for dealers because there is no profit in them. They are made using the same materials at the same plant. Of course they are cheaper to make so cheaper to sell. They are not made for heavy duty or fast speed. I see a lot of Walmart Brothers at classes and I know these women have thousands of dollar machines setting at home. If they weren't good they wouldn't be using them. I like Eversewn Sparrow 30. For the money it's the best over all machine I have used and like it better then my Bernina.

My guild had a national teacher do a workshop. When someone asked her what machine she used she said well that's a story. She said she was meeting a deadline with a quilt and her very expensive machine quit on her. It was late at night and she had to have a machine to finish. She went to Walmart bought a Brother machine that had the decorative stitch she needed and finished the quilt. She said she like the Brother machine so much she is still using it and her expensive machine is sitting in the closet still not repaired.

Sheri.a

I love Costco and grateful for their return policy. Not sure about this machine, but in addition to asking a machine to sew the straight stitch, reverse and zig-zag, I want a machine that will sew on light fabric as well as thick. If I purchased this machine, I would test it right away to make certain it can.

sewingpup

[QUOTE=Onebyone;8315830]The Brothers made for box stores are not made for dealers because there is no profit in them. They are made using the same materials at the same plant. Of course they are cheaper to make so cheaper to sell. They are not made for heavy duty or fast speed. I see a lot of Walmart Brothers at classes and I know these women have thousands of dollar machines setting at home. If they weren't good they wouldn't be using them. I like Eversewn Sparrow 30. For the money it's the best over all machine I have used and like it better then my Bernina.

I just bought a "red machine (Bernina 215)" while they were on sale for $600. A bit pricey for a beginner....but gotta say....I am really liking this little machine....it has a heavier motor and can stitch through layers of denim. It is simple yet has enough stitches and you can easily adjust width and length and is light enough to take to class or retreats. When I was young, my mom got me a cheaper Kenmore because that was all she could afford. It was hard to use and I ended not liking sewing very much and stopped doing it for 25 years! Then I got a bottom of the line Viking and it was a joy to stitch on....so while I have fancier machines now....I think a good brand basic one would serve a beginner well in that if the machine is easy to use and works well, they just may take up sewing forever...and then that little beginner machine would be a great one to take to class....or retreats...just my two cents! Linn...

Jannie

I was at Costco today and saw that machine. It probably is an ok machine for a beginner. I would not be happy with it because the throat space is so small. Also, serious quilting would be hard to do on this machine because of the limited throat space. With that being said, I have been amazed at some quilts I have seen that have been done with limited throat space -- so it can be done.

Onebyone

My grands started sewing on a machine at age 2. I started them with a vintage Singer with no needle. They ran it fast, turned knobs, etc until the novelty of operating a machine wore off and they wanted to sew with pretty string. The eight year old has graduated to my Bernina.