Help!!! Shopping for new sewing machine. What kind do you suggest.?
 

Well my singer machine my son bought me from WM in 06 I think is finally starting to go. It has given me problems before and I've had it worked on. Now it won't t even wind a bobbin for me with out it stopping in just a few winds and then all the lights for all the different stitches start blinking at once and then it stops. I've turned it off and back on and before it would start to wind it but now it won't. So I've decided to buy a new machine so if anyone could give me some ideas on different makes and what you like about them I'd appreciate the Help.

You really need to go to a large quilt show with a list of your must have and your budget. Try all the machines that are within your budget. It will be a nonstop shopping experience. Think of shopping for a new DSM as shopping for a car. You need to test drive them. There are also some nice deals to be made at shows. I still am quilting on my Bernina 1530 that I bought in the 90s.

I have a Juki 2010Q and it is a great machine for piecing and FMQing, straight stitch only though. The machine I want (to replace my Janome 1860, which is an okay machine) is a Juki HZL F600 Exceed. Check out the video review by the Craftsy Gemini on YouTube.

This all depends on your budget, I assume. I was just in your predicament. I ended up buying a Brother PR420PRW. It was $400 on Amazon and I am very happy. It has the largest throat space I could find for $400 or less (7.75"). If much budget had been $1100 I would have bought the Janome 1600P. In a heartbeat, but alas we must pay this silly thing called a mortgage.

Thank you for responding so quickly. That's what I love about this board. Everyone tries to help one another.
Maniac Quilters I've been to shows but I've looked but never test driven any.lol everything was fine then with my machine.
I never heard too much about the Juke but will watch the video and check things out about it.
Leesewzany I have been looking at brother I have an embroidery machine by them haven't used it much
But you all have given me alot to think about and Yes the Big thing is Budget as I'm on a set one and it hurts, but I need to somehow someway get another machine to keep myself busy and sane. Lol I still have Lot to learn with quilting. Thank you again.

If you budget is several thousand then any of the new Bernina 300 or 500 model machines. If you want one in the hundreds then a Brother or Janome. I would not hesitate to buy the Brother from Walmart Those machines are just fine to last for average sewing. I would buy the more expensive one there, not the cheapest they sell.

What do you need in a machine, and what do you want? What do you not need or think you'd never use? Are you in the under $500, or like up to $1000, or 1000-2500? Or higher?

I know I am at risk of being pelted with empty thread spools for this :), but here goes.....

I have the Brother SQ9000 from Wal Mart. I have had this machine for ages (at least 5 years). It is still going strong.
The price tag was $200.00 and came with a lot of extra feet. It's "big sister" the SQ 9050 is almost identical for about the same price. I bought my Janome 1153, it's a heavy duty home sewer for $60.00 off of Overstock.com about 9 years ago and it's also running like a champ still.

Check Wal Mart, Joann's Hancock's as well as Amazon and Overstock.com for a machine. Just because it comes from the LQS or a quilt show doesn't always mean it's better, just costs more.

I agree that the mechanical and lower end Brothers are good machines, based, not on hearsay, but on my own personal experience with three different ones. I'm sure there are plenty of fine machines out there. We have brand lovers of all different brands. I think buying a sewing machine is a very personal decision. I also have a number of nice vintage machines. But, in my neck of the woods, they are not easy to come by and some of them are not cheap and need work. It is nice to say "go get a vintage machine". If the buyer is up to the hunt and doesn't mind doing without a working machine while the hunt is on, that's great. Lots of us don't have the patience for that or the interest in fixing them up, even if it only means a little oil.

Bring on the empty thread spools for me too!!

There are no perfect machines out there that I've been able to find. Your best bet is to try and find a machine that will work for the type of stitching you do. There is no point spending lots of $ to buy an embroidery machine if you never embroider. If you're quilting heavy duty animal crate pads you don't want a small lightweight machine. I have two Juki's a TL98Q and the newer Exceed HZL600. Between the two of them, I can do everything I need to do. The TL98Q is fast and powerful, only straight stitches and handles heavy layers and FM quilts beautifully with a throat big enough to handle a king sized quilt. The Exceed has lots of fancy stitches, a wonderful easy to use thread threader and cutter and pieces well. Both machines are not picky about thread and you could buy both new for $2500 Canadian. For me, these machines work better and were less expensive than buying a Bernina or top of the line Janome. Decide what features you need and then take fabric samples and try out the models before laying down your cash.