looking to upgrade sewing machine and dont know where to start
 

Hi folks! I am somewhat new to quilting. I have taken several classes at my LQS; made a few table runners, two lap quilts and now I am hooked! I currently use a fairly simple Brother machine that was fine to get started, but I am getting frustrated with it. It is great for piecing, but not so much for quilting. This last lap quilt I made I felt was pieced beautifully. I was very proud of it... until I quilted it. The darn walking foot and I just did not get along. I ended up with several tucks where the top was pushed ahead of the backing. Even my instructor was struggling with it when she tried to help me, so I know it is not just operator error. I am so disappointed with my quilt now that I doubt I will even bind it.

Talking to my husband I think my interest in quilting is here to stay so it may be time to invest in a proper machine. I don't even know where to start. I have two shops near me that I can check out machines at, but I don't even know what to "check out".

Price? I would say my budget is 2K or less. Is that going to limit me?

Any suggestions on what a newbie should look for in her first machine?

Thanks in advance!

I love my Janome 6600. Definitely under 2k. Janome now has a 7700 which is a step up. I also suggest that you invest in a good machine quilting book and machine quilting lessons. Its not always the machine but rather learning to tweek it. I took lessons from Harriet Hargrave and her book is priceless. She specializes in teaching beginners. You can probably find her Heirloom Machine Quilting book on Amazon.com. In looking for a machine, needle down is very helpful. A larger throat space. I love the auto thread cutter. 6600 has it all. There is a Janome 6500/6600 yahoo group you may find helpful.

Just remove the quilting and save the top until you get a better machine. Removing the batting and backing is called skinning the quilt. I have had to do this before. It takes some time depending on how much quilting you put in it.
But if the top is worth it and at the cost of fabrics I'd say it is worth the trouble. Best of luck to you.

I just bought a Singer SEQS-6000. It does everything. I paid less than $1K for it from home shopping. I've never bought anything on TV before so I was pretty scared until it came. I know that Singers have had a bad reputation in the past but they have improved vastly over the last few years. I've done just about everything on it and have had no problems AT ALL. I love it. It has a large embroidery field 8 x 10 I think, and comes with a large and a small hoop and lots of additional software for embroidery. HSN has a video on youtube you can check out and I'm sure there are other places to buy it besides HSN.

As to you quilting problems with your Brother machine; I have 2 Brothers and have quilted up to queen sized quilts on them without any trouble. It's all in the basting. If you have basted it closely enough and loosen your top tension just a smidge, you should have no problems.

Karen, I beg to differ with you. I teach sewing and quilting and have talked to my sewing machine repairman about machines, as I have to recommend to my students from time to time. He has said to stay away from all new Singers, as Singer has sold out, and all of their new machines have trouble, and are mostly junk. He recommends a high end Brother or Baby Lock as the best new ones being made now, and the best for the money. Others have said the same thing about new Singers. The older ones made by Singer are great. It is too bad the new company keeps putting Singer name on them when they are really not worth the money.

start with local dealers and try out as many machines you can---put together practice sandwiches for quilting- and as you try them out the questions will come to you-
ask about (free owners classes) many dealers offer them- which are great to take advantage of because they teach you all the great features of your new machine-so you are able to use it to it's full potential.
ask about service plans- (my viking dealer gave me free cleaning/service check ups for the first 2 years)
ask about warrantees, - if you don't know much about the manufacturer=company ask about their history---
get on line and look them up- read comments and reviews-
check with other quilters at your lqs- what are they using?and why?
i think it is always best to buy locally- then if you do have problems-technical issues you can get help-

I would not buy a Singer, Viking, or Pfaff (although I used to be a Pfaff fan and have an older Pfaff). These companies belong to a holding company VSP now and they have the main focus on making a profit with little concern for quality and service. That is my opinion based on personal experience.

My last machine - which I LOVELOVELOVE - is a Baby Lock Espire (now being marketed as the Symphonie) and did I say that I love that machine? lol

What do I love? Needle up/down selection, large harp with large extension table, good light, easy menu selection, nice stitch quality, built-in scissors, drop-in (large) bobbin, speed control, one-push threader (it's the bomb), separate bobbin winder, she sews sideways and at 45 dergree angle (comes in handy for some topstitching), quit motor, start-stop button, knee lift, and she uses Brother feet. The only thing I wish she had was a built-in walking foot, but it is not difficult to attach the external walking foot. She is also not picky with threads and she doesn't pull the starting pieces down the feed dogs.

There are nice videos on the company website to feature the line. I'd suggest go check them out. (This would be at the upper end of your budget). Otherwise, I'd say have a list of "must have" features and go test drive all the brands.

I recently started a thread about that very issue with the walking foot on my Brother. So now I just use the standard presser foot instead of the walking foot for straight line quilting and it works beautifully.

I am so ready to upgrade my machine but unfortunately that is not a budget friendly issue.

i have done this also. sometimes you just gotta take that quilting out for some reason or another after all the work you put into piecing a top.

Thanks ladies!

Yes I may un-quilt the top eventually. Right now I had to walk away. Paulina - I am currently working on a table runner and I am quilting it with the regular presser foot. Thankfully the batting is thin so I can manage it.

I will go to a local shop. I think to start out I need a place where I can go and ask questions. Thank you for your opinions on different brands. I think it is interesting that so many brands used to be good but changed their standards.

Again, thank you, I will keep reading!

future upgrader here
 

What I did (and usually recommend to anyone who asks) is make up a spreadsheet with your 'wants' and 'needs'. Take a look online at the various machines out there and see what features they have. Add that info to your spreadsheet. Lastly I look at price. (I don't find you can get accurate pricing online for sewing machines anyhow). With your budget you will have many choices open to you. After that, go to your local dealers with, as others have said, practice pieces of things you typically make or even anticipate making. Check them all out then talk price. Most dealers will haggle on pricing or at least heavily discount the MSRP.

You may want to even consider an older, reconditioned machine at one of the dealers. You may get a bigger bang for your buck. FWIW, I have a Viking Platinum and love it. I don't do machine quilting so it more than covers my needs. Actually, I do MQ charity quilts that require it but otherwise no.

As others have said check out your local shops because service, training, and support are very important. My machines are Berninas and they may have some in your price range or good used ones. Other top brands such as Janome, Babylock, Elna to name some also have various machines that are excellent. Take your time and do not let anyone rush you into the first machine you test drive.

mltquilt

And do test drive! Bring a quilt project you are working on to test the machine with. Those little starched pieces of fabric they use in the store would work great in any machine. Test the freemotion quilting settings, too. You might want one that does this nicely in the future. It would be a major bummer to shell out thousands on a machine that STILL doesn't let you do what you want to do creatively. Ya know?

And I beg to differ on the Pfaff and Viking machines.

I have a fairly new(2 years old) Viking (no service issues)and just bought a Pfaff Ambition which is comparable to my older Pfaff in materials and functions - both are great machines and both come in under $1000. To each their own when it comes to machines. More important to have service available because no matter how wonderfull everyone swears "their" machine is, sooner or later it needs a trip in, at least for a cleaning.

I have a Baby Lock which I love. Mine is a Quilter's Choice but I think they have renamed it. It sews beautifully.

Darby

I completely understand your "but WHAT should I shop for question"

If you want one machine to do it all (piece, quilt, and possibly even garment sew) then you need to look for ONE machine that will do ALL of that.

Some features I NEED for quilting: Wide harp area (9" minimum, preferably more), needle up/down, extra high presser foot lever (easier to position the quilt under the needle), the ability to drop the feed dogs, and unless you have a sewing table that you can drop the machine into for a full flat bed - make sure your machine comes with a nice wide table to slide on to the side for stabilizing the quilt . It's also important to try both the walking foot and the free motion foot on the machine you are thinking about buying to make sure you like the way they work. Make sure YOU change both of the feet so you know if they're tricky or easy. Look at all the available walking and free motion feet to make sure they have the kind that you want (ie walking foot with a 1/4" guide is helpful, and do you like a closed or open toe FMQ foot, and do you prefer metal or plastic?).

Some features I NEED for piecing: an integrated walking foot (OK I don't "need" it but your $2K budget should not be a problem getting it! I LOVE mine with 1/4" guide for piecing long strips), micro-step needle position (I want to be able to change the needle position by the width of a thread for accurate 1/4" seams - not just left, right and center), thread cutter (again - don't need it but your budget is not a problem finding it), multiple stitches and the ability to adjust the length and width (if applicable), and an easy to remove bobbin plate and easy to clean bobbin area (I'm a constant cleaner!).

Good lighting is a bonus, but you can get around that with well positioned Ott light (o similar). The lock stitch is nice, but to be honest I rarely use it. I might start :)

Do you plan on taking it to class often? Weight might be a consideration, or if not the weight, see if the dealer will throw in a wheelie bag with the machine, or consider the price of buying one (if you don't have one).

Test drive the machine for all the functions you want to do, make sure that YOU are the one performing all the functions like changing presser feet, winding bobbins, etc. Make sure your comfortable with the foot pedal, or find out if a different one can be used. Also, don't be afraid to look at high end used machines offered by dealers. They usually service them before they sell them, and offer a limited warranty, support, and classes.

If it was me on a 2K budget I'd look at the Janome 6600, or if you can find it at the right price a Janome Horizon 7700. I have the 6600 and would love the few extra inches of harp space the 7700 offers. I *think* my dealer offers the 7700 at $2199 with the wheelie case, 12 spools of thread, and the folding table that the machine drops into. If I didn't already have the 6600 I'd snatch that deal up!!

Good luck!!

I have been in the market to upgrade, I am a Janome fan and was looking at the 6600P. After reviewing specs and test driving it at my dealer I realized the "throat" was the same size as my DC3050. I have decided to go with the Janome Horizon which has an 11" throat.

Look into Bernina. In this area, there are trade -ins that are reasonabley priced. They discontinued the 440 Qe and people have been trading up. My girlfriend got a 440 for 1K. iT WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I love my new Singer. There are ways to tell it is a quality machine. I've been sewing for over 50 years and know a good machine when I sew on one. It has plenty of power to pull a heavy quilt through the needle. It has a beautiful stitch. It embroiders like a dream. Comes with plenty of software. I couldn't be happier.

That would be my suggestion - check out the machines at the LQS where you took your lessons - myabe if you take another one they will let you try some of their machines during the lessons

Madquilter. I am hoping to get a BabyLock Espire today that I am buying from someone on this board. I have never had a real good machine so this is my first and I am so pleased to hear your reviews. Can't wait to get it. Might have to ask you some questions if I have trouble. Will you mind?

Check them all out. Get the best possible deal you can for your budget. Also, check out what "extras" such as extra feet, lessons, or whatever else you can get with different machines. Some machines don't come with extra feet and some do---Bernina doesn't have many extra feet that come with the machines and purchasing them separately is SOOOOoooo expensive. Do the shops have an 'In Store' service department? That's something that, if you can find it, is worth so much. Find a machine that will do everything you want it to then upgrade as much as your budget will allow.
No one can tell you what machine to purchase. It's all up to what you want your machine to do, what you can afford and the machine that you find to be the most user-friendly.

My question to all of you is this: what is a good machine when you have less than $500 to spend? My WM Brother gave out and dealer said it would continue to be a problem and not wothr fixing. Now I'm in a bind as to what I can afford-thousands strickly out of my price range.

I work for a dealer that carries Bernina and Baby Lock but 6 years ago we were Viking dealers. When Viking was purchased by the same company that sells Pfaff and Singer, our repairman, who started out with Singers more than 30 years ago, says the new Vikings, Pfaffs and Singers all have cheap Singer parts now. I have a Bernina that I sew on at home that I love but if I want to do embroidery I go in to the store and use a Baby Lock machine. Even though my Bernina does embroidery it is SO much easier on a Baby Lock. The stitch quality on the Baby Lock is comparable to the Bernina and if I could afford any machine I wanted I would get the top of the line Baby Lock called the Ellisimo.

First, you could finish that quilt and give it to the local nursing home or a charity, they will love it tucks and all!

I just upgraded my machine and I bought a Viking Sapphire 875Q. I love it and it was under your budget amount. When I went to try out the different machines I took quilt sandwiches with me to use on the different machines and with different thickness battings.

I ended up purchasing my new machine from the same company where I purchased my Viking 1100. I love my 1100 but some of the new features spurred me on to upgrade! I got a little break on accessories and servicing due to my being a longterm customer and then 36 months same as cash!

What I like is: the longer throat, the self threader, the automatic knotting when you begin and the scissors that cut the thread at the end, the up/down needle position, automatic tension is awesome, has a excellent light and and easy to use programming and easy to read display. It has way more stitch options than I will ever use and it has the tapered sewing option I can use on my quilt corners and it is easy! It can run with the knee or you can do off/on,needle up/down, I could go on! LOL They tell you it does not require a walking foot, and I would agree with that on quilts that have the flatter batting, but for the fluffier batting I went and bought the walking foot.

I also liked the Pfaff (can't remember the model) but I was upgrading from the Viking that I bought new eons ago and I think I got used to the feel of the Viking. I found the Babylock/Brother (both made by same company) to be somewhat lacking in power.

All the wonderful features on the machines you mentioned are also available on Baby Lock machines.

And I would like to clear up the misconception that Baby Lock and Brother are the same company. They are sister companies using the same factory in Japan but they are 2 different companies. Baby Lock is the only sewing machine company owned by an American family.A lot of their components are interchangeable but they are NOT the same company.

March 2009 Consumer Reports has a good issue on what to look for in a sewing machine and their ratings. Many of the machines would be well within your budget. I urge you to look at it either in the library or on line. Good luck and happy sewing. Having a good machine makes all the difference in the world. You will be very happy once you upgrade to a machine that fits your needs.

Thank you for asking the question about getting information for buying a new sewing machine. There are a lot of good suggestions from the board members. I found the information very informative. My LQS sells BabyLock sewing machines and they look and work really nice. I also found out that the company who makes Babylock sewing machines also makes Brother sewing machines.

Babylock Symphony, it comes with several feet for quilting.

I love my Janome 6600. I have a brother embroidery machine which I was totally frustrated quilting with. The harp was too small and I always seemed to have bunches in my quilts. Janome 6600 has accufeed which eliminates the problem of bunching especially for a newbie. I would try all the suggestions listed and buy that which you are most comfortable with. Good luck

I would choose the top 3 machines on the market. Do some research, there is an endless supply of info on the net.
Sew on these machines, you will be able to tell as soon as you sew on the "right" one. Happy Sewing!

LOVE, LOVE, Love my Juki 98Q. Can buy online for less than $1k. Have had it for 8 years, never one problem and use it all the time for piecing and quilting. Couldn't ask for better workhorse.

I also recommend the Janome 6600....it's a lot of machine for the $$. And there is a Yahoo group you can join that can help with many problems.

I recently found a used 6600 at a dealer (previous owner had upgraded) and absolutely love it! It has so many options and the accufeed system is amazing and so easy to use. I have found my dream machine.....at least until the budget allows for an upgrade! LOL

Janome just came out with a new machine this fall and my local dealer is getting some nice trade-ins that he is offering for a great price. He gives lessons and support for anything purchased at his shop. I actually got my second-hand Janome 6500 from this site. It was about 5 years old, gently used and recently services. I love it.

Love my Brother Lauren Ashley Innovis 2000. It is the same as Babylock Symphony (made by Brother). Quilting lap quilts is still a challenge for me. I leave that up to people with long arms.