IAmCatOwned

I stuck with my Brother for 6 years. Every time I would quilt with it, the tension would go all awry. I highly recommend getting a machine that is specific for quilters. The wider space between needle and motor housing helps A LOT!! I felt I needed classes and help, so focused on higher end machines with dealers not too far away. I had it down between Janome 5500 and a Bernina and only went with the Bernina because of a special closeout price (about $3000). The Janome Memory Craft definitely fits your budget including accessories.

Also, when making your choice, consider the actual cost of buying the machine. Bernina was offering free financing. I could buy a lot more machine without paying a dime in interest vs. the Janome that (with a rough calculation) would have cost at least $600 in interest. Since I happen to have no other debt, I can afford these payments and in my case, it will be paid off in a year. Had I waited a bit longer, they had an even better deal last month where you could stretch it out for 48 months with no interest.

quiltingshorttimer

I bought a new Elna Quilt Pro Queen last spring and LOVE it and it was just under your $2K mark. It is a lot like the Janome 660--I think both are made by the same Swiss company actually based on the print materials I received. I had tried out several machines at an International Machine Quilters show and decided I wanted to buy locally for service, lessons on using it, etc. I had decided either on the Janome 660 or the Elna and the shop that had the Elna booth was offering an end of show 1/3 off discount--so I went that way and do not regret it. My favorite 2 features (besides the smooth operation that I wasn't getting any longer with my 60yr old Deluxe or my $90 Brother) are the speed regulator (so important when I'm FMQ) and the programmable up/down. Good luck--it really makes a difference! Only thing I think I like better that I've upgraded since starting to quilt is a cutting table that eliminates bending to rotary cut!

Wintersewer

The Brother PC420 is under $500 and is very well thought of. Please do not compare this with the cheapie Brother's sold at Walmart. I am told that those work well for a time but they are really considered to be "disposable", because when they break the repair cost is more than a new machine. I advise you to join the Yahoo group for Brother machines and check messages about this machine. There is a member there, Randy, who is very knowledgeable about sewing machines and the above are his thoughts. You could also check Janome's, if you have a local dealer.

I have a Babylock Decorator's Choice (among others) which is a comparable machine (to the PC420) and have had no problems with it. It is loaded with features.

mengler

Once you narrow your choices to a few machines or at least brands--check out craigslist or ebay. I've had great success with craigslist. I upgraded my Viking and sold my old but trusty Viking #1 for a few hundred dollars, which was a work horse-to a quilter who had had bad luck with a brother quilt machine. All she wanted was to quilt, sew around curves and do free motion which that vintage machine did easily. I checked with her 6 months later and she was delighted. I was in the market for a sewing machine for my daughter and granddaughter and found a Viking Freesia on Craigslist for $110! It retailed for almost 1000 and sewed like a dream. The owner was leaving the country and in a hurry to sell. You can usually try them out before purchasing as they are for sale locally. People who don't sew are selling them for relatives or in estate sales and price them low. Anyway that's my suggestion. Make sure you know what a fair price is before venturing out on your own. Ebay can give you an idea of what the going rate is. Good luck.

quilter309

I love my Janome 6500, and they are around $1200. Several in our area are trading them in to get the 7700. you might be able to get a used one. The most important aspect is to have a dependable dealer in your area. In our area that's a Janome dealer. If I had a Baby Lock, Brother or Bernina, it would be 100 miles or more to get service.

Denise S

I bought a Juki TL-2010Q about 2-3 months ago. LOVE IT! It is a high speed straight stitch machine. I did not want/need any other stitches. I use it for piecing and quilting.

Like someone else said, figure out what you need/what/and will use and research those machines. Alot of my research was done on this board. I knew I did not want a computerized machine ( I am more of a mechanical girl). The Juki is very easy to learn to use and is so fast...it is like the Indy car of sewing machines.

purplefiend

I sell new Singers and Husqvarna Viking machines, I agree that the new Singers are just not up to snuff. The HV Sapphire is the machine I use for machine quilting and most of my quilt piecing. It has a 10" throat and that makes it so much easier when quilting. The Sapphire 835 is with in your budget. Dealer support is a big help, interest free financing is available too.
I have antique Singers, they are fabulous machines; I have featherweights and treadle machines. You might also consider an older Pfaff made in Germany, I have 2 of those, both have the IDT(full time walking foot).
Sharon W.