Which machine do you use?
 

I have to share something. I just got a new Baby Lock Journey and what an incredible machine it is. Sewed on it today for the first time. I think I have died and gone to heaven!
Here is my question; which machine do you favor and why?

I love both my Berninas - the newer 750 and the older 830! For different reasons, of course. The 830 purrs like a kitten and makes lovely straight stitches. The 750 has a wide throat, a thread cutter (love!), and can make lots of ornamental stitches. I also have a featherweight that I like to take to classes because it's so light and it also makes terrific straight stitches. Now if I could only stitch a straight seam!

Love my Baby Locks! I have a Unity and an Elizabeth.

I love ALL my machines...I have a new Babylock Cresendo...love it...I have an industrial Juki and use it for drapery, piping, certain stuff...I love my featherweights, 221's and a 222 for classes...and I also sew on a 301 sometimes for piecing ...then I have an APQS Longarm and it is a joy...they are like children ...all different...equally loved

I love my Bernina 1530. Bought it new and I still love it.

wow, thats a nice machine the Journey. I have a baby lock Elizabeth, but also still love my old kenmore.

I use my old singer 15 a lot and my Janome 6500. I have several machines and jump around on them depending on what I am doing. I also use my 403 singer.

I have never found the "perfect" machine that does it all so I currently have three machines set up and rotate around them depending on what I am doing. I love my Juki TL98Q for quilting or stitching long seams (fast, powerful and excellent stitches), my Juki Exceed 600 for fancy stitches and piecing and my old vintage Singer 201 for mending coveralls, horse blankets and running my buttonholer (can't beat those old Buttonholers for large or thick buttons). I also have a Singer Featherweight and a Husqvarna Prelude that I keep packed up and ready to go to classes or Community Quilt stitching days.

I love my Bernina, I use it for everything, it does it all, and I have the BSR with it.

I'm only answering because you asked:

Back in the 80's my Singer died and I just ended up at a Viking dealer to fix it. He told me it was full of plastic and I just wore it out, which was believable since I used it a lot.

I remember asking him "You got anything without plastic in it, with no computer (computerized machines were just coming on the scene)?" I ended up with a Viking 630. It had stitches I never used, or use, and I love it. It enables my abilities to shine.

I still have that machine and use it, but then I had a TBI (brain injury)in a car accident in 2008. One of the lasting deficiencies it left me with is the inability to learn how new things work, but for some reason it left me with all my sewing abilities I had.

So I got to thinking, I'm screwed if this old machine dies, and try to find parts to fix it, if it's even fixable. So, I started to buy 630's on ebay. I ended up paying $30 - $50 for each and have 4-5 (can't remember), for parts. Thing is, they ALL work! One even came with a walking foot.

It was a machine schools used when schools bought such things, so I guess it's pretty tough.
I would never suggest that route for someone looking for a new machine, but you asked!

I use a Viking 500 and a Vintage Singer 306W , love them both. The singer is cabinet mounted with a knee control and I can sew up a storm on any fabric with that machine. The 500 up until a few weeks ago was not the favored machine till I finally found a cabinet to recess the machine... now I use that machine a lot more than I used to. Love them both equally and have both set up and ready to go!

I love my old black Singer machines. I have a 201 and a 15-91. These machines sew a lovely stitch, will stitch thru anything and are so east to maintain. Then I have the beautiful little featherweight 221 which is so easy to tote around. I am not too fond of the new machines, just too many things about them for me to learn.

I only have 2 machines. My Juki TL 2010q is my daily use machine at home and I have the smallest portable Babylock Audrey for classes and travel.

Baby Lock Crescendo and Spirit for home Brother NX-400 for travel

Baby Lock and Brother are my brands of choice.

For many years I didn't think I would ever have anything but a Pfaff then they changed ownership and are no longer made in Germany. (Also the dealer in my area leaves a whole lot to desire.)

For garment sewing, my Bernina 440. For piecing, either the Bernina or my little Featherweight. For quilting, my Handiquilter Sweet 16. For embroidery, my Happy Voyager multi-needle. I also have an assortment of vintage machines that I occasionally pull out, just because they are fun - Singer 201, 99, 66. And yes, I am lucky enough to have a huge sewing studio (gotta love being an empty nester!).

Pam

For piecing I use my Brother 1500, embroidery I use my Bernina 180, for quilting I use my Janome 8900, and for taking on the go, my Singer Featherweight. I mostly use the Brother. It is just so easy and comfortable.

I have a basic Brother XR-52 that is my "go to" machine. Not fussy on thread, thickness, etc. It does great FMQ. But, I have been playing around with my 6 (if I've counted correctly) vintage machines and use them too for various things. I just used my vintage ruffler on my vintage Singer 66.

I use my older Bernina for piecing, Singer Quantum for decorative stitches, FW for classes, Singer 301 for small machine quilting projects, Brother 1500 for fmq large quilts and two Janome Jems for taking to classes and workshops. OH I have a Singer 15- in cabinet that is perfect for paper piecing and and doing free hand machine embroidery. It's easy to use them all. I keep four set up all the time and switch them out time to time. Every machine needs to be used at least every other month to keep the gears lubricated, especially the non oiling machines.

I have the brother version of the babylock unity and share your opinion of these machines. My brother dreamweaver does everything I ask it to and more. I love the pen, the laser, the muvit foot, that is sews through anything like butter, I also love FMQ on mine does a great job with and ithout the stitch regulator. I am currently learning without to get a more consistent speed. I love the AHA feature, thread cutter, needle threader, there are even new embroidery features that I am sill learning about 2 1/2 years in, simply wonderful

I have had the Brother NX 2000 for a few years and just love it. I don't feel the need to look at any other sewing machine for this one so fits my requirements.

I love my janome for regular sewing and my babylock for embroidery! I used to pine for a Bernina but not anymore.

Well, let's see, I've got: Singer 403A, 201, Featherweight, a 328-K, a Babylock Serger, a National Two Spool Treadle. I use the Singers most of the time - the 403A being my "go to" machine. My 201 is almost ready to use -- it's been in "intensive care" as a precaution (electric wiring). It ran just fine, but with the age of the machine, my son was not comfortable with the wiring. He completely rebuilt the motor and it's had an intensive cleaning. I just put a coat of carnuba wax on it a couple of hours ago and buffed it -- it really looks good. Now, my son can put it together and it will be ready to use! I got the 201 free, but had to buy a new slide plate and foot control. The 328, 403 and FW -- I use all of those machines fairly frequently!

Jeanette

I have a Pfaff 7510, A Singer 301A & a Featherweight. Also a Handi-Quilter long arm. :)

I piece on a singer 401a or Viking mega quilter, do fancy stitches or sew around appliqué with a Viking sapphire, and quilt on a brother 1500. I also sometimes piece on my singer 201 so she doesn't feel unloved.

it is old and black like a roach I haven't been able to kill it - it's an ancient Singer

My favorite piecing machine is my Babylock Serenade, because I love the knee operated presser foot, dual feed dogs, thread cutter, and needle down functions. Hands-free, all the time!

I have two Whites - one is a used one that my husband got for me on our first wedding anniversary - l961. My second was bought new - A Singer. My third was my mothers White - she made many a quilt on that machine and I am totally honored to have it in my sewing area. My fourth is my Singer that I got last year. It is a great little machine. It has the drop down needle when you stop. Which, for me, means that the fabric is going anywhere when that needle is down and I love that. I love each and every machine, memories from each one. I am not interested in the best or the most fantastic. I want a machine that likes me too. And, these four do. Edie

I have a pfaff performance 5.0 and a pfaff passport for classes. Love both of them because of the IDT And a brother inovis embroidery machine.

I have a Janome 6600, great machine for quilting...has separate motor for winding bobbins. I also have the new Janome 8900, it to is great for quilting and free motion, plus it has 9mm wide sewing which is great for decorative stitches. I also have a Janome 11000SE for embroidery, Babylock felting machine, Bablock Evolve Wave serger and since Christmas a Babylock Ovation serger. I use most all of them when quilting....except for the felting machine, I use that when doing quilted purses for embellishing. Sometimes I use the sergers for trimming the edge of my quilt before binding. Us girls need our machines and tools!

I have a Pfaff Creative Sensation, a Pfaff Passport and a Pfaff serger. I sew on the Creative Sensation 90% of the time. I take my Passport to sewing classes/groups, and in my 5th wheel when we are travelling. I also use the Passport at home when I am embroidering on my Creative Sensation. I can't sew without IDT, I love the Pfaff straight stitch, Pfaff embroidery, and the performance of my Pfaff machines keep me from buying any other brand.

I love, love, love my Bernina 440 QE. In fact, I love it so much DH bought me a second one just to have as a backup. I also love my FW to travel with. Both FW and Bernina make a beautiful stitch.

I have a Pfaff Performance 5.0 that I just love! It replaced my Pfaff that lasted 20 years and was still going strong, but I wanted something with a large throat space. Love the Pfaff IDT!

I have two Babylocks - A Symphony, which I absolutely love. Like you felt I had died and gone to heaven. I just purchased a Sofia 2 which is a great little machine that also does a little embroidery. I purchased this one to have a smaller machine to carry around when I quilt with friends. Love Babylock!!

So sorry about your accident, but so happy that you can still sew. You will have that into old age.

I have acquired eight vintage/antique machines in just the last 4 months. I only paid for two of them. I like to sew on the "newest" one as soon as I get it. One does not work; it's my play toy. I have to try to see if I can get it to work. If it doesn't, it will be a toy tractor.

One had such strange threading of the needle thread, I couldn't figure it out. Then I got an Eldredge Two Spool, and viola, it had the same threading. My young sewing machine guy, the one who found that machine in his shed, showed my how to thread it, so now I have two more I can use.
I enjoy the Two Spool and the Columbus treadle. Haven't use my Bernina much in the last 4 months.

Up until last year my go-to machine was my Singer 9940, my first computerized machine. Did EVERYTHING on it. Then a year ago I was given a Bernina 1260 by a dear friend of mom's. Now it is my go-to machine, however I still like the Singer for the applique buttonhole stitch. I use my Brother Innov-is 900D, a 4" embroidery machine, for garment sewing as the tension is always perfect on lighter weight fabric, like batiste, that I used to make our DGD's Christening dress. I now use my new Tiara II for quilting. Different machines for different tasks : )

I collect vintage sewing machines, so I have...well, I won't say EXACTLY how many, but more than a few...LOL. My favorite machines are my trusty, Singer 403A, which I bought used in 1972 and is still going strong and my 1949 Singer 99K, which sews beautifully, is 3/4 size and can easily pack away when not being used.

~C

I love my Juki 2010Q--wonderful machine! I have a small, inexpensive Brother for buttonholes and fancy stitches.

I love my Featherweight for the straight stitch it makes. I usually use my Janome 9500 for other things such as fancy stitches and embroidery. My LAQ machine is an old Singer model 66

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