Good Machine for a beginner?
10-04-2012, 09:59 AM
#21
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
I second the Janome Gem line of machines. They are wonderful and will give you years of service. They are inexpensive so you can save your money for a top of the line machine. As you advance in your quilting you will know more what you are looking for in a machine and have time to test run different brands.
Last edited by BellaBoo; 10-04-2012 at 10:01 AM.
10-04-2012, 10:15 AM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Farmington, Missouri
Posts: 430
You have gotten alot of good feed back. However, take a list with you of the features you are wanting, that way you will be sure to get what you want and not be overwhelmed by a sales person.
Carolyn
Carolyn
10-04-2012, 11:25 AM
#23
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 37
About needing a machine on the lower end of the budget...
Know that feeling really well. I got suckered into buying an entry level Babylock at a LQS because I wanted a machine I could take to a group quilting meeting. I have a nice embroidery machine but did not want to haul it over the river & the railroad and through the woods and the potholes on the highway. The BL9 is a good machine for what it is, but not for quilting. I didn't know & relied on the dealer who said it would be great for quilting. Yeah, not so much. Oh well.
I did some further research and ran across the Juki 2010Q. Have had it about a year and love it. All metal, not a lot of bells and whistles (other Juki models do have them, tho), but not suitable to take to class since it weighs nearly 38 lbs. Sews like a dream, auto thread cutter, knee lift, larger throat, quiet. I got it from icanhelpsew.com located in Meridian, MS. I also managed to get it with 6 months no interest financing. I later bought a Juki serger from an online dealer in San Marcos, CA which came with 12 months no interest financing. Being on a fixed income and with not a lot of "play" money, it was a major help to me and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
That said, for someone with limited sewing experience, assuming you have one, a local dealer is super and worth the difference between online $ and local $. I do not have such an animal. My closest Juki dealer is 125+ miles one way. If I want Husqvarna, Pfaff, Janome, Brother or Babylock from a reliable dealer, it's at least 115 miles, one way. I do have a Singer dealer about 60 miles away, but he has all the personality of a wet mop after a hard day's scrubbing. The Bernina dealer charges 20% more because the machine came from her. Bernina is out of my price range, anyway.
Even Joann or Hancock are 60 miles from me so online was the best option for me. However, if you would be going to a city when they are having a sewing expo (http://www.sewingexpo.com/) they have all kinds of machines for you to try out, some super deals on a lot of them and some have no interest financing to boot. If you're feeling lucky, they usually give away 2 sewing machines each day at the expo, too.
BTW, if you go to buy a machine and the dealer says "This is a 1/4 inch foot", make him/her put it on the machine, sew with it & PROVE it is a true quarter inch. My BL9 has 3 such feet (and two made by BL) and none of them sew the right size seam. Can't move the needle, either, so I have to wing it. Ditto for the free motion foot. Make 'em put it on & show you it will do it. Same goes for the walking foot. Try it out and sew several lines of crossing or intersecting quilting lines to make sure the pressure on the presser foot is not too high & will not give you ridges of fabric on the back where the lines cross. Learned those tips the hard way.
Know that feeling really well. I got suckered into buying an entry level Babylock at a LQS because I wanted a machine I could take to a group quilting meeting. I have a nice embroidery machine but did not want to haul it over the river & the railroad and through the woods and the potholes on the highway. The BL9 is a good machine for what it is, but not for quilting. I didn't know & relied on the dealer who said it would be great for quilting. Yeah, not so much. Oh well.
I did some further research and ran across the Juki 2010Q. Have had it about a year and love it. All metal, not a lot of bells and whistles (other Juki models do have them, tho), but not suitable to take to class since it weighs nearly 38 lbs. Sews like a dream, auto thread cutter, knee lift, larger throat, quiet. I got it from icanhelpsew.com located in Meridian, MS. I also managed to get it with 6 months no interest financing. I later bought a Juki serger from an online dealer in San Marcos, CA which came with 12 months no interest financing. Being on a fixed income and with not a lot of "play" money, it was a major help to me and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
That said, for someone with limited sewing experience, assuming you have one, a local dealer is super and worth the difference between online $ and local $. I do not have such an animal. My closest Juki dealer is 125+ miles one way. If I want Husqvarna, Pfaff, Janome, Brother or Babylock from a reliable dealer, it's at least 115 miles, one way. I do have a Singer dealer about 60 miles away, but he has all the personality of a wet mop after a hard day's scrubbing. The Bernina dealer charges 20% more because the machine came from her. Bernina is out of my price range, anyway.
Even Joann or Hancock are 60 miles from me so online was the best option for me. However, if you would be going to a city when they are having a sewing expo (http://www.sewingexpo.com/) they have all kinds of machines for you to try out, some super deals on a lot of them and some have no interest financing to boot. If you're feeling lucky, they usually give away 2 sewing machines each day at the expo, too.
BTW, if you go to buy a machine and the dealer says "This is a 1/4 inch foot", make him/her put it on the machine, sew with it & PROVE it is a true quarter inch. My BL9 has 3 such feet (and two made by BL) and none of them sew the right size seam. Can't move the needle, either, so I have to wing it. Ditto for the free motion foot. Make 'em put it on & show you it will do it. Same goes for the walking foot. Try it out and sew several lines of crossing or intersecting quilting lines to make sure the pressure on the presser foot is not too high & will not give you ridges of fabric on the back where the lines cross. Learned those tips the hard way.
10-04-2012, 11:31 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 460
If I were you I would go into a sewing machine store and see what they have to offer in a used machine with the stiff you want then think about how much you want to spend and go with what you can afford. But don't buy something that you will have to replace because you have grown out of it. try to buy something that has more in your price range so you can grow into it. Buy something better than an entry level you will outgrow it fast if you really like quilting.
Last edited by debquilts2; 10-04-2012 at 11:34 AM.
10-04-2012, 11:37 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 5,896
Originally Posted by rhapsdy
Ok I've searched and there are tons of threads on this, but none of them seem to really come to any conclusion or are old enough that I'm not sure if the information is still relevant. If there is a great thread that I've missed - please point me to this!
Now - to explain my situation and get your opinions on what might work best for me.
I'm a newbie to sewing and quilting. I'm still working on piecing my first quilt top, but really enjoying it! I'm currently using a hand me down machine that sometimes has some quirks and doesn't have some features that I really would like to have (a bright light, a 1/4 inch foot or guide, a needle down option). As I get more into the quilting thing I definitely want to try free motion quilting on a home machine. There is no way anytime in the near future that I would be able to purchase a large quilting long arm machine, so a domestic machine will have to work for me. So, with that in mind, I'm thinking possibly I should invest in a machine that already has a longer than normal arm so that quilting will be easier?
Does anyone have any suggestions on a machine that might fit the bill? Yes, it needs to be on the lower end price range. I just can't afford something majorly expensive. If I can buy it second hand and have it work well, that would be fine as well. Mostly, I just don't even know how to being narrowing down the field.
Here are two machines I have been looking at and considering, any thoughts on these?
http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewin...i#.UGeTeU3A-5Q
http://www.joann.com/singer-confiden...ne/xprd687328/
Thank you for any help and suggestions!
If there is a great thread that I've missed - please point me to this! Now - to explain my situation and get your opinions on what might work best for me.
I'm a newbie to sewing and quilting. I'm still working on piecing my first quilt top, but really enjoying it! I'm currently using a hand me down machine that sometimes has some quirks and doesn't have some features that I really would like to have (a bright light, a 1/4 inch foot or guide, a needle down option). As I get more into the quilting thing I definitely want to try free motion quilting on a home machine. There is no way anytime in the near future that I would be able to purchase a large quilting long arm machine, so a domestic machine will have to work for me.
So, with that in mind, I'm thinking possibly I should invest in a machine that already has a longer than normal arm so that quilting will be easier?Does anyone have any suggestions on a machine that might fit the bill? Yes, it needs to be on the lower end price range. I just can't afford something majorly expensive. If I can buy it second hand and have it work well, that would be fine as well. Mostly, I just don't even know how to being narrowing down the field.
Here are two machines I have been looking at and considering, any thoughts on these?
http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewin...i#.UGeTeU3A-5Q
http://www.joann.com/singer-confiden...ne/xprd687328/
Thank you for any help and suggestions!
10-04-2012, 09:25 PM
#27
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 199
You mentioned that you "did not want to haul it over the river & the railroad and through the woods and the potholes on the highway".
Have you tried safety-belting it in, using the locking feature on the belt as you would do for a car seat?? That's what I do.
Have you tried safety-belting it in, using the locking feature on the belt as you would do for a car seat?? That's what I do.
10-05-2012, 05:15 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Clay Springs AZ
Posts: 3,229
Needle down holds your stitch line in place and pops the foot up just a little so you can slip your next piece to sew closer to the needle. It is a must for aplique since you wont lose your stitching line.
I use it all the time.
It is also good for free motion quilting as it holds you stitching line instead of jumping a stitch out of line.
It is automatic so you dont have to move the needle yourself
I use it all the time.
It is also good for free motion quilting as it holds you stitching line instead of jumping a stitch out of line.
It is automatic so you dont have to move the needle yourself
10-05-2012, 05:38 AM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: West Texas
Posts: 1,129
I am a multi decade seamstress but relatively new to making quilt tops. I don't quilt them myself (they go to a LA'er).
When i started making quilt tops a year ago - I went to my local wal-mart and bought the Brother SQ9050 - couple hundred bucks - it's been an excellent machine and has a number of bells and whistles, many I've not used. I actually have now retired my other brother, a singer and an older bernina and use this one exclusively. While there are vastly differing opinions on buying 'the' brands from a LQS vs big box junk stores -- I will likely replace, when time, with another Wal-Mart machine. This machine costs about the same as the last repair on my older bernina! As much as I hate to say it - its a disposable machine... but an excellent machine for the money. Let me also add please that I live over an hour from the closest 'city' that carries the other machines. We each do what works best for us!
When i started making quilt tops a year ago - I went to my local wal-mart and bought the Brother SQ9050 - couple hundred bucks - it's been an excellent machine and has a number of bells and whistles, many I've not used. I actually have now retired my other brother, a singer and an older bernina and use this one exclusively. While there are vastly differing opinions on buying 'the' brands from a LQS vs big box junk stores -- I will likely replace, when time, with another Wal-Mart machine. This machine costs about the same as the last repair on my older bernina! As much as I hate to say it - its a disposable machine... but an excellent machine for the money. Let me also add please that I live over an hour from the closest 'city' that carries the other machines. We each do what works best for us!
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