Newbie Quilter Needs Your Input & Recomendations Desperately!!
06-16-2010, 06:23 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,395
I have not done any machine quilting at all, but do sew all sorts of things and have begun doing some strip piecing on the machine.
I have a very basic inexpensive Brother LX-3125 that I just love. It does great straight stitching and has the basic zigzag options that I would be likely to use.
I'm sure that when I get ready to do machine quilting of a good sized project I will want a machine with more throat space, but that is in the future and this works great for me now.
I got it at Wal-Mart when it was the featured machine on sale.
Wish I still had the Singer I learned to sew on...one of the vintage black ones with the gold curlicues from the 40's.
I have a very basic inexpensive Brother LX-3125 that I just love. It does great straight stitching and has the basic zigzag options that I would be likely to use.
I'm sure that when I get ready to do machine quilting of a good sized project I will want a machine with more throat space, but that is in the future and this works great for me now.
I got it at Wal-Mart when it was the featured machine on sale.
Wish I still had the Singer I learned to sew on...one of the vintage black ones with the gold curlicues from the 40's.
06-16-2010, 06:24 PM
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 20,306
I have the Bothers CS6000i, not sure why you have ruled it out. I think it is a GREAT machine :lol: It has the needle up and down, you can move the needle from side to side . Comes with the walking foot and quilt extension table .
WalMart has it for about $150.00 Delivered to your door :thumbup:
WalMart has it for about $150.00 Delivered to your door :thumbup:
06-16-2010, 07:32 PM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Renton, WA
Posts: 2,045
Originally Posted by Quilting Mom
My advice on your new sewing machine: I don't believe the brand is as important as buying one from a trusted dealer close to you where you can get help when you need it. I have a newer Bernina & would not buy one again. They say it doesn't need oiling but when it starts to sound like a thrashing machine... it needs oil! I have 3 Elnas of early '70's vintage. One I purchased then, the others two I have picked up, one at a rummage sale and another as used in my local store. Love then & it is fun to teach my twin grandkids on them because they are all the same. Two features I do like on the Bernina that I would not want to do without are 1)The feature that allows me to stop my needly either up or down & 2) the feature that allows me to lift the pressure foot with the knee lever. But I am sure they are probably available on other brands. But I still think the most important thing is to buy it close to home where you can take lessons on it, talk to the person who sold it to you, get help when you need it, buy attachments as you can afford them, etc.
Features I have loved...on the Pfaff you have the IDF which is a built in walking foot. Loved this so much for piecing. Can't really piece with the Bernina walking foot. But I love free motion quilting with the Bernina more. The Pfaff had to be in darning mode and the lever is in the throat of the machine and always getting caught on the bulk of my quilt and popping out of darning mode. I said "darn" a whole bunch!
06-16-2010, 07:32 PM
#17
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 36
Hello Neighbor!
Thanks so much for your info. I will definately check them out. It's so great to know that other people exist in the Hampton Roads area who quilt! I live in Kempsville, so we're probably pretty close.
Thanks so much for your info. I will definately check them out. It's so great to know that other people exist in the Hampton Roads area who quilt! I live in Kempsville, so we're probably pretty close.
06-16-2010, 07:46 PM
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 36
Sharon B
I eliminated the 6000 because of the reviews by owners. I did see some reviews that praised the machine, but most of the others were having a lot of problems with "clunky noises" after 2-3 projects and not being able to get someone to figure it out. They also said that the thread gets all bunched and tangled up. From what I've read on the 6000 - it's either feast or famine. They either have absolutely no problems out of it and wouldn't trade it for anything and the others hate it because of the noises and thread and jamming problems. Thanks so much for your input!
I eliminated the 6000 because of the reviews by owners. I did see some reviews that praised the machine, but most of the others were having a lot of problems with "clunky noises" after 2-3 projects and not being able to get someone to figure it out. They also said that the thread gets all bunched and tangled up. From what I've read on the 6000 - it's either feast or famine. They either have absolutely no problems out of it and wouldn't trade it for anything and the others hate it because of the noises and thread and jamming problems. Thanks so much for your input!
06-16-2010, 07:50 PM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
I have a vintage Bernina which is new-to-me.
I decided early in my search that I did not need embroidery or computerized capabilities right now - but did want a quality machine. One concern that I had about the computer programs is that I now have Windows 7 at home with no access to XP, and some of the older machines/programs may not be compatible.
The critical stitches for me right now are a straight stitch and a zigzag.
I've finished 2 rag quilts so far, getting myself used to the machine.
What I like about the machine is the durability - it is all metal - not easy to move around by any means, but also less likely to break.
At a class I took recently, there was another student trying to figure out how to set up the automatic needle threader - and after watching her, I'm happy to not have that feature as it looked to be more trouble than it is worth.
My previous machine is a low end Singer - and is NOT my "mother's sewing machine." I learned to sew on Mom's 1960's heavy duty Singer. Some of the olders Singers are fantastic, it is the newer plastic ones that are not so much...
As to front loading versus drop in bobbins - the explanation I read has to do with the angle of the thread coming off the bobbin - the front load allows the thread to come straight off the bobbin while the top load involves a 90ish degree turn - one more chance for tangling.
Some day I may upgrade to a fancier machine. For now I'm very happy with my choice.
Cheers, K
I decided early in my search that I did not need embroidery or computerized capabilities right now - but did want a quality machine. One concern that I had about the computer programs is that I now have Windows 7 at home with no access to XP, and some of the older machines/programs may not be compatible.
The critical stitches for me right now are a straight stitch and a zigzag.
I've finished 2 rag quilts so far, getting myself used to the machine.
What I like about the machine is the durability - it is all metal - not easy to move around by any means, but also less likely to break.
At a class I took recently, there was another student trying to figure out how to set up the automatic needle threader - and after watching her, I'm happy to not have that feature as it looked to be more trouble than it is worth.
My previous machine is a low end Singer - and is NOT my "mother's sewing machine." I learned to sew on Mom's 1960's heavy duty Singer. Some of the olders Singers are fantastic, it is the newer plastic ones that are not so much...
As to front loading versus drop in bobbins - the explanation I read has to do with the angle of the thread coming off the bobbin - the front load allows the thread to come straight off the bobbin while the top load involves a 90ish degree turn - one more chance for tangling.
Some day I may upgrade to a fancier machine. For now I'm very happy with my choice.
Cheers, K
06-16-2010, 07:52 PM
#20
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 36
To: Jim'sGem, Pocoellie, Pam, Bustertruster, QuiltingMom, CraftyBear, LabFairy, tortoisethreads, Mom-6, Kas and Sharon:
Thanks so much for your feedback! Your information is invaluable and I have written your info down so when I go to the sewing store, I'll have a better idea of what to look for and what to watch out for. Thank you again - I appreciate all of the info and heads up. Lots of great info!
CherylR
Thanks so much for your feedback! Your information is invaluable and I have written your info down so when I go to the sewing store, I'll have a better idea of what to look for and what to watch out for. Thank you again - I appreciate all of the info and heads up. Lots of great info!
CherylR
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