Mousie

you got lots of great advice here, but I thought what Mary said about going to the website and looking over the machines and their features was a very good idea.
Also, do yourself a favor: don't be manipulated by a salesperson, and for pete's sake, (cause there are plenty out there), don't just watch one of them sew on machine, showing you this thing it does, and that thing it does. Take your OWN FABRIC from home and SEW ON IT YOURSELF and take all the time you need.
Make a list of features, here's an example:
*How high does the pressure foot go...how much thickness will it accomodate?
*Can I control the speed of the machine...something i never want to be without again.
*Does it have a drop in bobbin?
*Is it easy to thread?
*How convenient will it be to have serviced? What does a typical servicing cost?
*How much do accessories cost?
*What do consumers say about it? (Consumer Reports.com)
*Look at the manual before buying. Is it user friendly?
*Does it have needle up or needle down feature? very handy thing to have!
*And of course, how wide is the throat space?
These are just examples of features I would consider. I have a Janome QC6260 and have been pleased but would like to upgrade one day or maybe even try out a Bernina. If you feel pressured or unsure, go home. breathe. It will be there later if you want it. I don't like that most stores have no price tags and dealer doesn't tell you until they have been showing it to you for a while. They know you are excited and not thinking your clearest. Ask up front, how much is this one? If they start jabbering about features...ask again, until you get an answer. :wink: I wish you the best, it's a big step, bc we have them for years. :D

Mousie

P.S. take a good level-headed friend with you to help you think and so you will feel comfortable. :-)

GailG

I have a little White "school sewing machine." (I think they're advertised this way because they are the ones that are used in the schools.) It's one of those that you see advertised yearly at the sewing machine shops. I paid mine 149 about 15 years ago. It's a work horse. Doesn't have many bells and whistles, but it's a sturdy machine. It has 3 stitch lengths, 3 zig zags, a buttonhole feature, a blind hem stitch, and a couple of stretch stitches. It makes a beautiful stitch. I recently used it to make a quilt -- machine quilted and all. I've used it in classes that I taught (the students used it). It's the machine I pull out when my Janome is in the shop.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to but a strong dependable machine. Shop around and talk to the people in the shop to see what machines come in for repairs the least. My "sewing machine man" is very trustworthy and has always given me good advice.