Make sure that the portable machine is light enough that you can lift and carry it.

I have a new-ish Bernina, a 301a and a rocketeer. I do have a bit of trouble when I first switch to a new machine. Yesterday, I was working on a garment on the Bernina and then switched to piecing on the rocketeer. It takes a bit of adaptation but I figure it's probably good for the brain to have to think more. :D It's really not that hard once you get used to it.

I quilt on a pq1500s which has needle down function and the old vx560 which doesn't have needle down and often have a hard time remembering to reach for the handheld before letting go of my quilt with the other hand :eek:

I have 3 or 4 older machines but, use either my Juki TL98QE or Babylock Jane. They are very similar. Both have needle up/down, one has a thread cutter, one has a knee lift which I don't like.

If you switch between machines on the same project, be aware that not all machines/feet have the same seam allowance. A dear friend learned this the hard way, she discovered that her seams didn't match up.

My Bernina was just in the shop and the old basic singer I used was rather easy to adjust too except for the knee lift. I would push my knee and lift the foot with my hand at the same time. Haha. When I went back to the Bernina I kept using my hand to lift the foot and forgot about the knee lift. I am back to normal now, as normal goes.:D

I don't really have any issues with it. I use my little low end brother all the time and it has nowhere near the features of my dreamweaver

I had my 36 year old JCPenney machine tuned and brought it to my summer home and have been doing piecing only...at first I missed the thread cutter and needle up/down but, hey, it's the machine I cut my teeth on just out of high school and it still does a fine piecing job. I'm sure when I return to my winter home, I'll appreciate the bells and whistles on my Janome.

I switch between the epic at home and a little brother when we are in our RV. Don't have a problem except I have to be real careful about the 1/4 seam with the brother. The epic is pretty much on with that. It is going for cleaning this week so I will be using the Viking platinum. I think I will be FMQ on it. Will see how that works out. The brother has a lot of features that the epic has. Platinum is more manual.

I have to laugh my neighbor's DGD has the computerized and newest long arm quilting HQ and other machines. She has to go to her gma's to get grounded and use one of the 3 treadles that are always set up and ready to work. I only have my 401 and 2662. but still a bit of a difference. I don't use the auto matic threader. Never could get it right.