Best sewing machine ?
 

What are the best sewing machines for making quilts? I am talking kind for piecing, not top quilting.

As long as a machine stitches you can piece with it.
Some on here use treadles and vintage machines.
Others have sophisticated modern machines.
And of course, all sorts of machines in between this.

So in short ... any working machine is all you need.

I guess I am speaking of the most modern newest models etc.

Go to your local dealer with Sewing machines and try them out. Decide what fits you price and what you want it to do for you. You are going to get as many answers as there are sewing machnes. Check several out before you make a decision. good Luck , PS> I am a Janome fan myself

And I am a fan of Pfaff.

Many are a fan of bernina or elna or singer or babylock. Mic-pa had the best advice.

Be prepared for a shock when you see the prices on the most modern, newest top of the line machines whatever brand you look at!

I am a fan of Brother machines.

I love my Baby Lock - wouldn't trade her for anything. But then, she has a lot of features that I don't need. When I research a machine, I write down the MUST HAVES, the WANTS or WOULD BE NICE and find models that support the features. Then I read lots of reviews. Patternreview.com has lots of info on machines by users. Then I go test drive the ones I select. From there it comes down to fit and price.

And honestly, it is what I said before ... any machine that works!

Best is a hard thing to define ... what is best for you, may be the best for others.

It's best to check out a few possibilities and compare the features.
Consider what you need now, and what you might need in the future.

I always suggest to buy something one level (or two) above what you think you need, to give you some room to grow with the machine. Otherwise, you may be right back in a few months and buying something else.

An important part of this whole scenario is your dealer ... are they there to help you when you have problems and questions? do they have service/repair on-site? will they be around in a year? several years?

The best machine may not be the best choice, if you don'thave the best dealer!

Brother just came out with a NEW machine this month...look up their website and it will probably be there.

I just got the janome 7700 and I love love love it

Ask 10 quilters and you will probably get at least 6 different answers.

The very best machine, for you, is the one with which you feel most comfortable. Look at machine reviews, online. Choose several, with the features you want, then compare reviews. Before buying, look at the machine and if possible, do some sewing on it. Then decide if you think it's best for you.

neesie has it,, The one that works for you.....

I now have over 20 home type machines, It took that many to find what I like, the pitt's is I already had the best one LOLOL.

I would definitely look at the new Brother Dreamweaver Sewing/Quilting machine. Looks great for quilting. I am lusting over it now, but I am also wanting a mid-arm for quilting. Trying to decide.

I just got a deal on a Husquavarna Viking Sapphire 850 that is a 2008 and been used twice. I am not getting it in my possession for a couple of weeks but am so excited. I did this just for me! Please let me know if any of you have this model and if you like it. Thanks for all responses!

I love my Pfaff with duel feed. It makes piecing a breeze and goes over seams like they are not there. You won't go wrong with Pfaff.

I agree about the Pfaff, still sewing on my Creative 1471 I bought in 1986, would not part with it.

I learned to sew on my grandmother's 50's-era Pfaff (that thing was built like a TANK) so I have a soft spot for those machines, but my "baby" is a Janome 6600. LOVE my machine! I also have my first machine, a 90's-era Kenmore (which was apparently also made by Janome) and I love that thing too; it's not very sophisticated but it's a workhorse and has taken a LOT of abuse from me over the years and still works perfectly!

I would say any machine with good tension balance and true timing. Straight stitch and if desired a basic zizzag are all you really need for piecing. I would by preference choose a sharp needle (I personally use the Schmetz quilting or metafil needles) at the start of each project. A method to find your 1/4" from the needle seam allowance is also helpful. On the up side, I have just purchased a Bernina 1300MDC serger that I am contemplating using for basic piecing. So anything that you are comfortable with and will use works. Oh, yes, don't forget to clean the bobbin race area and the feed dogs --- our passion for piecing can create a lot of dust bunny lint in those areas.

I agree with the others. What works for one may not work for you. In the end as long is correctly stitches a perfect seam any machine will work~new or old. Dont discount a vintage machine they are some of the best machines around right now. Good Luck with your decision and keep us posted!!!!

I too vote for test driving whatever machines you are considering. You don't buy a car without test driving, you are investing in a major tool for your creative use and should try it out and ask all kinds of questions. Take along samples of the fabrics you will be working with. Ask questions. Contemplate and go home and think several times about what you want and what the machine you tried actually did. I go by the 3 day at least think about phase --- don't buy a sewing machine of any sort on impulse!

I also believe very strongly in after purchase support.....you are going to need it sooner or latter. Either for purchasing additional feet or to show you 'again' how to wind a bobbin or for your annual service and cleaning. The store that is there for you afterwards is almost more important than the machine. Now I am not saying you have to buy it from them to begin with, a good used Bernina purchased from a neighbor is wonderful, but that good wonderful Bernina dealer/repairman is also important in your decision.

I agree, good dealer support is important. There are a lot of good sewing machines out there, but sooner or later you will need a repair and it's good to have someone nearby. Also, free lessons come with the better machines. They will help you get the best out of your sewing machine. I have a Bernina that I love to sew on. I also love my Brother 1500. And last, but not least, my little Singer Featherweight still sews perfectly. It is 64 years old like me! My local dealer services all of those models which is very handy sometimes. Good luck on your purchase and have fun looking.

I agree with those who say that good dealer support is important. All my life, I had wanted a Bernina; but it took me 50 years of sewing to get one. During those years, I lived no where near a Bernina dealer. I've had several different brands, Elna, Kenmore, etc. I always loved my current machine. I love my Featherweight which is my back up machine. Best wishes on finding the perfect machine for you!

I love singer but I am sure it is not the best. It has all that I need and does not give me any trouble. Stitches are even, it takes any thread I throw at it, and it has never, ever failed me. I own four singers with one being a treadle, one serger, one classroom model 5050 (my favorite), and european version of 5050 that my husband is in a process of modifying to work on 110. I learned to sew on 1892 singer, and I remained loyal, but I will not claim they are the best. Singer is the best for me, for you it may be Bernina, or Brother, or no-name machine you picked up at a yard sale.

A handy item for the machine to have would be a single stitch plate. It saves a lot of trouble when you are piecing pointy, little bits of material. The single stitch plate stops the machine from chewing up the end bits. Most machine brands have high end and low end machines. I would be looking at how much support and free lessons and the expense of repairs and parts.

I am a big Juki fan - but when all is said and done, almost any machine with a 1/4" foot can be used to piece.

I do not mean to be a prune but I saw a number of comments about dealer support and have an addition. Another part of dealer support is honesty. We will not go into names and places and war stories but honest dealing between dealer and customer, both directions I imagine, is crucial. And that honest dealing is before and after the sale. Please talk to other sewers in your area and see what they have to say about the dealer(s) they have done business with.

Good luck. I hope you are delighted with your new machine and the place you will be getting it and that pleasure continues far into the future.

Pat

I had a cheapy Brother from Costo and thought it was great, until I brought it in for cleaning and they let me borrow a low end Janome. Wow! what a difference. I loved how the feed dogs fed the fabric so much more evenly, and they seemed to be farther forward, so I didn't feel like I had to jam the fabric under the presser foot to get the machine to catch the fabric.
A week later, when my Brother was ready to pick up, I ended up trading it in for a 1yr old used Janome 6600. I LOVE this machine. Once I even got so excited that I kissed it! My husband got a real laugh out of that. Oh, and it's so much quieter than my old sewing machine. If I'm finishing something up while DH is watching TV, he doesn't need to turn up the TV to hear over the sewing machine.

I think it's kind of like pretty babies, everyone will say it's the one they have!

For portability and quality of stitching, hands down a featherweight in spite of their age.:)

You will get many answers on who likes what as for me I prefer the Pfaff with the IDT foot as it really holds the fabric in place but the best thing to do is cut some strips then check with your dealer and try sewing your strips together then pick the one that fits your budget and you like the preformance of always remember they demonstrate with that stiff fabric which is nothing like your quilting fabric

This is like saying " what's the best car?" You have to try them out, and see what you like. I'm sure with all the quilters on this board, you'll get a million different answers and be more confused than when you started! One of the most important things, though is a good dealer, who can provide service and education on the machine if you need it. Many people who are starting out as beginners and get a machine from a "big box" store because it's the cheapest one they can find, are surprised when the store personnel can't help them with questions about it or service problems. A good dealer is a great support. Good luck with selecting a machine.

I have a really nice machine and a average machine and I like them both. The average machine has never let me down. The really nice one has had to go to shop numerous times and I end up using my average one to take its place. My really nice one does everything, but I only do a couple of things with it, so I kinda didn't need this nice of one. I could have just went up a notch.

I love my Bernina...others love their Pfaffs, others their New Homes, etc...best thing to do is go to different sewing machine dealers and try out the machine for what you want to use it for.

Well, there are so many good ones out there, that it is hard to say. When I was growing up, I learned to sew on a Singer 66 which was a workhorse. Much later I discovered that "Nothing sews like a Bernina". I have returned to the older, vintage, all-metal machines for piecing (Singer 66, 201, 301, Pfaff 1222E, Viking 6570), but quilting is a joy on my Bernie.

"A chacun son gout" = "To each his own"

I sent you a PM.
Diana

So agree
Annie

I'm with you - LOVE LOVE LOVE my Babylock. There's a new machine with the quilter in mind - The Symphony. Local prices here (MI) is around $1800 (that's what my neighbor paid for hers). She is very happy with this machine. She was an avid Janome owner but once she started using the Babylock machines when we meet for our Project Linus group, she really liked The Symphony. I have an older model (Esante) which is sewing and embroidery combo. It's only been in the shop once in 4 years to have it cleaned and replace a bobbin case (from too many broken needles)....all my own fault.

So, as others have suggested -- check out some of the different machines, decide what you gotta have, would like to have and really don't need, and sit down and actually sew on them, then decide what's best for "you".

Any Janome :thumbup: