Lovequilting22

I think you ROCK for being so supportive of your wife and her desire to quilt. The thing that makes quilting fun for me is my husband's support and encouragement of my love of this hobby. In a recent trip to Amish country in Indiana, he went in all the quilt shops with me and helped me pick out fabric! That's a husband that loves me! . I say all that to say this: keep on encouraging her to continue.

I agree with the others who have encouraged you to check out used machines and to find a reputable dealer. That can make all the difference. Dealers are not dealers for (only) the money. My dealer is in it for the love of sewing and sharing that passion and love for sewing & quilting with their customers! They helped me find the machine I could afford and offered free classes to help me learn my machine! I know your wife just needs to know that the machine she has now is sufficient. Crafty.com offers some great classes about quilting on a basic domestic sewing machine. Everyone starts somewhere. I have two basic machines and they are both awesome. And I have done my first quilt on my domestic machine and it turned out very nice!

Good luck!

DebbE

My DH bought me a used machine the first year we were married (I was 18) -- I'd been hand piecing & hand quilting prior to that. When my mother passed away (I was 23 years old), I bought her machine from my father, and used it till it couldn't be fixed....and cried when I heard the news. I didn't get a nice machine until I was about 42 years old....my Husqvarna, which my DH insisted I purchase when he saw my reaction to the loss of my mothers machine. I got my Bernina when the kids were grown & DH wanted shop equipment. He got his shop equipment, I got my top of the line Bernina...that was when I was about 47. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING would stop me from quilting -- even if I went back to hand piecing and hand quilting. Most of the quilts I make are simple stitching, simple patterns, and each are loved by those I've given them to....THAT is the most important part to me. A quilter is not defined by the fancy tools we use, but by the effort, attention to detail and love we put into each project....just like our quilting sisters of many, many years ago.

enderwiggen

I'm going to pursue this with all of the great advice already given. I think it's right on the money. I do however want to clear up a few things.

1. She does not own a machine of any kind. She did a good chunk of this quilting by hand alone.
2. She's been sewing for quite a while. Long before she and I met. Embroidery is her thing and only recently did she discover quilting. She's always done her sewing by hand without the aid of a machine. Every time we go to a craft/fabric store I have to tear her away from the embroidery floss. We rarely escape without purchasing some.

So to answer the concerns of a few: she is not new to sewing. She is new to quilting and sewing with a machine only.

Jeanette Frantz

Well, I'm 68 years old. I'm still using the machine my husband bought for me for Christmas in 1963. It is all metal, has cams for decorative stiches, and I've sewed sooooooooo much on it, I'm sometimes surprised that it's still going. I've learned to take it apart (the tensions) and clean it up myself. It's only been in the shop once in my memory and it still sews up a storm.

That being said, if your wife doesn't have a machine of any kind, then I would suggest she start out on a relatively reasonably priced machine. I have eight or nine machines --most of which I've inherited. Not a one of them is newer than the 1980's. I have the buttonhole stitch cam, so I can do machine applique also!

I hope you continue to encourage your wife's creativity. Research the bells and whistles she really wants -- they can be found in fairly inexpensive machines. My 1963 Singer 328K only cost $150 new from the Singer dealer!

Best wishes. Encourage your wife to join this board. Many of us use the "vintage" or even antique machines!

God Bless.

Jeanette Frantz

Suziuki

I have no read all the post, so someone may have already made this suggestion. I would take your wife to a Dealer and maybe take some of your own fabric and ask if your wife could use the machine to get the feel of it. I think once she has used a standard type machine she will change her mind.

bigsister63

Lovingly remind your wife it is the person doing the sewing and not the machine that make pretty quilts. Also ask her if she would rather have an expensive machine or fabric to sew on that machine. As others have said have her pick the features she likes best on the machine. She will probably find that most of the features/stitches on the machine she does not use.You can buy good used machihne on Craigs list or shops due to someone is upgradiing . We all have our "boo hoo " moments when we feel sorry for ourselves due to we can not aford what others have. I can one of those gals. Oh well- on with life!!!!!

JustAbitCrazy

What she said....

madamekelly

This is my last thought on this subject. One of the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen was done with embroidered squares, set together with sashing. That your wife can embroider, is half way to making one of these for herself, and being able to display and enjoy all of her talent at one time. Please tell your wife that we can't wait to welcome her here and will give her any and all help and answers (hopefully) that she needs, to peruse what could become a lifelong passion as it has for so many of us. She has talent, creativity, and a supportive DH (dear hubby), she is already a quilter, she just needs to learn that for herself. Blessings on you both.

HankAndy

I would suggest a basic machine with straight stitch and zigzag. You should be able to pick up a machine for less than $350.00. Use the remaining monies to purchase a good rotators cutter, a nice size self healing cutting board. What about upgrading the lighting in the room your lucky wife uses! I would rather have upgraded supplies and a sewing room then an expensive machine. Your wife is VERY lucky to have a husband that supports her hobby

cathyvv

EnderWiggen, perhaps your wife really doesn't want to quilt and is using the fancy expensive machine as an excuse to get out of doing it.

Have a heart to heart talk with her about that. If she truly wants to quilt, then she will settle for a less expensive machine and do it. Otherwise, it's just something she thinks about with a bit of longing, but doesn't really want to do.

If she decides she really wants to quilt, she can get a good Brother machine at Walmart for around $200 that has lots of stitches and attachments and a slightly larger throat than the usual 4" on most domestic machines. I recently bought one and it sews wonderfully.

It is, by the way, my 3rd Brother. First one lasted 6 years and then was dropped on it's head while in transit between home and vacation and back - definitely not a fault of the machine. I replaced it with a Brother SE350, that I do love - enough bells and whistles for me, plus, if I ever decide to try embroidery, I can.

There are many good options for quilters these days. We don't need the 'best' machine made, we need the 'best' machine we can afford.