Newbie Quilter Needs Your Input & Recomendations Desperately!!
06-18-2010, 08:41 AM
#51
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Beautiful Washington State
Posts: 844
I have two machines, one for retreats and classes (Janome Gem Platinum - not the gold, though) and a fancier one for most of my sewing. I like that both are the same because they share bobbins, attachments and all the processes are the same on them. I absolutely love my Janome machines. I have owned a phaff and a viking but I connected with my Janome 6600 right away. I love it!! I do not care for the 6500, though. Isn't that strange? You just have to test drive them I think. Some shops will let you check them out for a weekend which I would recommend. Good luck
06-18-2010, 09:22 AM
#52
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: British Columbia Canada
Posts: 40
I currently have a Bernina 440 and love it. I have also used a Pfaff that I bought in the 80's and both machines are real work horses. Features to look for are:
Needle up/down
Ability to drop feed dogs for free motion quilting
Walking foot
Darning/free motion foot
You really don't need a lot of bells and whistles for quilting.
Hope this helps.
Needle up/down
Ability to drop feed dogs for free motion quilting
Walking foot
Darning/free motion foot
You really don't need a lot of bells and whistles for quilting.
Hope this helps.
06-18-2010, 09:56 AM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 451
What ever one you should decide to buy. I would see if I could buy a floor model from the dealer where you are shopping. I did this with my serger and my babylock quilter, which I do like for what I do.
I think a Bernina would be great but I myself like mine for what I do and enjoy.
Just a suggestion
I think a Bernina would be great but I myself like mine for what I do and enjoy.
Just a suggestion
06-18-2010, 10:09 AM
#54
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,521
I have 3 berninas and love them all. They all work great and I haven't had a moments trouble with them. One is a 830 record from the seventies, one 180 artista six years old and the newest one (to me), aurora 440 with the built in BSR is a couple years old.
I also have a three year old mid- range memory craft janome that is a little work horse. Originally I had a old dressmaker singer, and it worked fine.
I also have my mom's old "portable" singer with a rounded wooden top on the case. It was made january 15 th 1951 and she used it until she passed a couple years ago. Those babies had every foot imaginable and went and went... It doesn't matter the age of the machine really. It is whether or not you love it and it functions for your use.
I also have a three year old mid- range memory craft janome that is a little work horse. Originally I had a old dressmaker singer, and it worked fine.
I also have my mom's old "portable" singer with a rounded wooden top on the case. It was made january 15 th 1951 and she used it until she passed a couple years ago. Those babies had every foot imaginable and went and went... It doesn't matter the age of the machine really. It is whether or not you love it and it functions for your use.
06-18-2010, 10:45 AM
#55
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Just outside Boston, MA
Posts: 183
My Kenmore Sewing machine I have I bought years ago when my boys were small (both are in their mid 30's now). I still use that machine to piece my quilts. I have never had it serviced. Hope this helps.
06-18-2010, 10:48 AM
#56
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 291
I have 2 vikings and a brother. I like all of them. first is do you want to do free motion quilting on your quilts? Or just piece them and send them out to be quilted? do you want decorative stitches for crazy patch quilting or quilt first then assemble? I find I like my older machines for free motion quilting. Top loading bobbins I have to remove my slippery piece of vinyl before changing out a bobbin. You most likely will want a machine where the feed dogs drop, needle up/down position, one with a large size bobbin, so your not having to change bobbins all the time. Many older machines do a very good job of piecing and quilting and some you can get parts for even faster than some of the newer machines. I'd give anything for my 1962 Kenmore that I traded in. It was a work horse, but back then I wasn't into quilting, but it had beautiful straight stiches and went through just about anything. Hope you find something you will be happy with and good luck in your quilting.
Suzy
Suzy
06-18-2010, 11:04 AM
#57
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: High Entropy Zone
Posts: 1,247
I think you are seeing a lot of us giving thumbs up for our personal likes for machines. I think starting with a list of what you find important features, price range, etc. is the best place to start. I would then make a "test drive kit" to take when you test drive your machines. I also am a huge believer of controlled experimentation. All the anecdotal advice you are given really is nice but when it comes down to it, you have to use the darn thing.
I really am a Pfaff fan, hate Berninas for a lot of reasons (doesn't make them bad machines, just not for me), bought my daughter a Janome (DC2010, try it you might like it, the price was hard to beat), etc. The off-the-shelf machines at Walmart look like a good deal and you might be lucky to get a good one, but usually you get what you pay for. Also, Walmart and places like that do not service your machine. You would have to find someone that would. Your personal requirments might be different than mine. I also look at the dealer (how long have they been in business, local or not, are they going to be around to honor those service agreements, etc.).
I know this sounds like such a daunting process. Don't impulse buy or let someone else tell you what you should pick. Because I was very new, I went by the advice of someone that I thought would know. I ended up with a DOG of a first machine (Singer) that never worked right, they repair people even gave up on it. She couldn't understand it because her Singer was wonderful, never needed adjustment or repair. (Then I saw her machine. Of course it was wonderful. All metal construction, industrial, built like a tank. The one I bought was all plastic gears, never timed right, etc.) Learn from my mistakes.
I would also take a machine out of the box at the store and try it. The one you test drive can be wonderful and the one you get home may has issues. Most places understand, those that don't probably aren't the place I'd want to spend money.
I really am a Pfaff fan, hate Berninas for a lot of reasons (doesn't make them bad machines, just not for me), bought my daughter a Janome (DC2010, try it you might like it, the price was hard to beat), etc. The off-the-shelf machines at Walmart look like a good deal and you might be lucky to get a good one, but usually you get what you pay for. Also, Walmart and places like that do not service your machine. You would have to find someone that would. Your personal requirments might be different than mine. I also look at the dealer (how long have they been in business, local or not, are they going to be around to honor those service agreements, etc.).
I know this sounds like such a daunting process. Don't impulse buy or let someone else tell you what you should pick. Because I was very new, I went by the advice of someone that I thought would know. I ended up with a DOG of a first machine (Singer) that never worked right, they repair people even gave up on it. She couldn't understand it because her Singer was wonderful, never needed adjustment or repair. (Then I saw her machine. Of course it was wonderful. All metal construction, industrial, built like a tank. The one I bought was all plastic gears, never timed right, etc.) Learn from my mistakes.
I would also take a machine out of the box at the store and try it. The one you test drive can be wonderful and the one you get home may has issues. Most places understand, those that don't probably aren't the place I'd want to spend money.
06-18-2010, 11:42 AM
#58
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: At the beach, drinking a mojito
Posts: 1,743
Originally Posted by CherylR
Hello everyone. Hope you can help me out. I want to purchase a new/used or refurbished sewing machine with all the features to make my quilting easier - hopefully within the next 6 months. I would love to have a computerized machine, but I'm not able to spend a whole lot of money. If I can find one at a decent price though, I'd get it. My problem is that there are so many choices and so many conflicting reviews of each machine when I search that I'm so confused and don't know where to turn! I think I can rule out Singers and definately the Brother 6000, (but there are great reviews on that one too). I've read that BabyLok's can be quite tempermental, so I'm going to avoid them. I have read a lot of great reviews on Janome and have also been told by another quilter that they don't like their Bernina! I have read reviews on many different machines and half the people love that particular machine and the other half hates it. I have also read that top loading bobbins cause a lot of problems with thread binding up than front loading bobbins (from a quilting book, not from a person). I would absolutely love to have a self-threading machine.
Here we go:
1. What machine/s have you used and what do you like and dislike about them? What is your favorite machine and why? Suggestions on what brand or machine to definately stay away from would help. Also, can you give me an estimate on cost of a good machine to "grow with"?
2. I am not only a beginner quilter, I have yet to finish my very first quilt. (I just need to add the border and finish it off). What features and accessories do I need (it seems there are millions of them)!? What features are on your machine that you absolutely can't live without? What features are on your machine that you never use when quilting/sewing and wish you hadn't paid the extra money for?
3. Of course, I'd love to have the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles - but again - money restrictions. I want to learn as much as I can so I can become a great quilter. I want to eventually do embroidery by machine as well.
4. I know that I should "test drive" any machine before deciding to purchase it and what to look for - ease of use, easy to understand, especially for a beginner, how it sounds when working, etc. I'm just trying to get input from other, more knowledgeable quilters. We have a few, but not a lot of sewing machine dealers here in Virginia Beach, VA (and the surrounding areas), that sell new, used and refurbished machines and also service them and the variety of machines are limited. I also want to be able to take it in for service without waiting weeks to get it back. I'm really close to Northeast NC and am willing to go there to find what I'm looking for.
Any and all feedback would be so appreciated! I'm willing to travel an hour or two if I can find what I'm looking for and get an awesome deal. I know this request is kind of lengthy and I apologize. I'd appreciate it soooo much if you could spare a few minutes and give me some feedback and any and all suggestions!! Also, what machines do your quilting friends use that they absolutely love?
Thanks so much! CherylR, waving hello from Va. Beach, VA.
By the way, is there ANYBODY out there from the Mid-Atlantic region of the country? Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Franklin, Portsmouth, (VA) or northeast NC? I feel so alone!!!!
Here we go:
1. What machine/s have you used and what do you like and dislike about them? What is your favorite machine and why? Suggestions on what brand or machine to definately stay away from would help. Also, can you give me an estimate on cost of a good machine to "grow with"?
2. I am not only a beginner quilter, I have yet to finish my very first quilt. (I just need to add the border and finish it off). What features and accessories do I need (it seems there are millions of them)!? What features are on your machine that you absolutely can't live without? What features are on your machine that you never use when quilting/sewing and wish you hadn't paid the extra money for?
3. Of course, I'd love to have the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles - but again - money restrictions. I want to learn as much as I can so I can become a great quilter. I want to eventually do embroidery by machine as well.
4. I know that I should "test drive" any machine before deciding to purchase it and what to look for - ease of use, easy to understand, especially for a beginner, how it sounds when working, etc. I'm just trying to get input from other, more knowledgeable quilters. We have a few, but not a lot of sewing machine dealers here in Virginia Beach, VA (and the surrounding areas), that sell new, used and refurbished machines and also service them and the variety of machines are limited. I also want to be able to take it in for service without waiting weeks to get it back. I'm really close to Northeast NC and am willing to go there to find what I'm looking for.
Any and all feedback would be so appreciated! I'm willing to travel an hour or two if I can find what I'm looking for and get an awesome deal. I know this request is kind of lengthy and I apologize. I'd appreciate it soooo much if you could spare a few minutes and give me some feedback and any and all suggestions!! Also, what machines do your quilting friends use that they absolutely love?
Thanks so much! CherylR, waving hello from Va. Beach, VA.
By the way, is there ANYBODY out there from the Mid-Atlantic region of the country? Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Franklin, Portsmouth, (VA) or northeast NC? I feel so alone!!!!
06-18-2010, 12:25 PM
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tallahassee, Fl
Posts: 381
The first thing you should do is decide how much you can spend on a sewing machine. That will greatly decrease your number of options. Then decide what features you would like to have. If you are a person who is easily frustrated a simpler machine might be best. Good luck. Take your time and test drive many models before making your decision.
06-18-2010, 01:38 PM
#60
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 272
I agree you should test drive. I had yearned for a Viking for years, and a few years ago went to a dealer who carried many brands. He left me at a Viking to "play around with it" while he answered a long question on the phone. When he came back I was still staring at the "dashboard." He showed me what he bought his wife, a Janome. I bought it, came home and started sewing, checking the skinny manual infrequently as I sewed, while friends who bought more expensive machines in the same period were still reading their thick manuals. I had wavered over Pfaff with its built-in walking foot but thought it would get in the way. I bought a generic walking foot three years ago and just now started using it, just because I have it -- my machine seems to feed smoothly without it. I do agree with the comment about the open-toe darning/free motion foot, but I bought one at http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/quilting-supplies for $13 or $14 which works just great.
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