I have run into my share of machine snobs over the years . One LQS always .. always asked either while you were shopping or at the cutting counter "So , what kind of machine do you have?". If the answer was anything other than the brand they sold ... it was like they had all they could do to just cut your fabric ... like it became the biggest chore ! I hated going into that LQS and did just about anything to avoid it. A few years ago they went out of business.
A good business person recognizes that good customers don't always look like what you expect. And since the perchase was already made , what was to gain in her behavior?
In treating you that way would you ever buy anything from her in the future( like when it comes time to upgrade)? She had the opportunity to start a relationship, and earn your loyalty and failed to see it as such.

I took a class at a LQS and the owner insulted my Singer feather weight. Gasp! Who insults a FW?

How tacky. I guess the rules are different for dealers. The dealer where I shop sells Bernina, Brother and Janome. They service all brands and are very helpful. I have seen the owner help people with so many different machines.

It's my money, I'll buy what I want.

Enjoy your machine and have fun.

Elliegirl...
I waited years and years to buy a super n-i-c-e digital sewing machine with moderate bells and whistles, but even when I thought about taking the plunge the Bernina dealer was very cautious NOT to shove me into something that was more then I needed or wanted. Also, I bought local because I had been buying fabric from this quilting store for a long time and I wanted to support her business (she was super nice).

Another friend of mine was very tight on funds, and she got a super nice Janome off of Overstock.com for $100.00 (refurbished). She has sewn up a storm with that little gem.

To this day.. I keep my original 1977 Kenmore sewing machine proudly in reach. I get it serviced and I still love it after allll these years! It's a little work horse, and I don't pay any attention to ANY ONE pulling the "brand snobbery" snub if I happen to take it to a class.

A shop owner that's haughty or rude runs off good shoppers. I wouldn't spend my money anywhere that had that type of atmosphere. Tooo many good appreciative FUN quilt shops around.
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First of all, it's hard to accept or feel bad about snobbery based on 'mass production,' when what she really meant was 'mass distributed'...because, of course, you are absolutely correct, all sewing machines are mass produced. Their price depends as much on the fact that the chain stores sell thousands of machines every day (maybe a week) where the store will sell one a month. How many people were in your class? Ask them when they bought their machines... they don't run the classes till they have enough people to make up a decent sized class.

There are lovely features on EVERY BRAND of machine out there and I'm assuming that you bought the one you liked and wanted and that had the features you needed. Enjoy your new machine, we are looking forward to seeing some of your new projects.....

Yep. I ran into the snob factor regarding my inexpensive Brothers machine. I now have a Janome (lower end) but got it because it is a great machine, well made, that does what I want. Ignore the snobs and wanna-be's.

Great quilts have been made on treadle machines as well as high end computerized models. And guess which ones will still work if the electricity goes out.:D

So sorry you had that experience. Shame on her for trying to make you feel bad in front of a class! How small of her, and not at all business smart! People like that end up going out of business. Try to shake it off, enjoy your new machine, and if it were me, I'd certainly shop and take classes elsewhere in the future. Who needs attitude? Thankfully, most shop owners and dealers are smarter and much nicer than her. The ladies at our local quilt shop are exceptionally sweet. Your experience makes me appreciate them all the more! Have fun with your machine! You have gotten lots of good advice here--it's the skill of the operator, not the machine. Gorgeous quilts have long been made without any machine at all! :thumbup:

a total clod

I agree with most everyone who's posted. Snobbery in a small business against customers not owning/buying/using exactly the brand they are contracted to sell only drives business away. I too, have a Brother, but a Disney and love the work it does. Got it from the dealer when someone traded it in for a larger and newer machine. Price was good and that's what counted with me. Mine's too heavy for me to carry to classes, so it's a stay-at-home, but I love it. And remember - it's been said here - it's not the machine but the skill of the operator that makes the great quilt!! Don't know how many other quilt shops you have in your part of KY, but I'd certainly make a road trip for my next fabric purchase. (Come south to us in Tennessee - we have some nice shops)

Great quilts have been made on treadle machines as well as high end computerized models. And guess which ones will still work if the electricity goes out.:D[/QUOTE]

when not if.....no one is safe LOL

ok, no one has said it so i will..........this was beyond snobbery this was bullying and it should not be tolerated

You sound like someone that I would like to have as a friend!

That is crazy. Last year I took a class where my now current machine (viking Ruby) would have not only made my life easier but would have fit into what all of the others in the class had. I had a small Kenmore/Janome with a bunch of decorative stitches. It does a great job. Not one time did anyone in that class put my machine down. As a matter of fact the only mention of my machine was that it was so quiet compared to the others and then when potential students were looking at what we were doing and having their doubts about their machines being able to do that type of work the teacher pointed out that I had done everything on my domestic machine and mine was just as nice as the others. The class was great; the quilt turned out great, it was manipulating fabric and each block was different so I learned so many new techniques and I also learned a lot more things that I could do with my machine. I now have a nice big machine but Kenmore still goes to class with me; unless it's the embroidery club and then it has to stay home. I'd voice my opinion to the store owner and if that was the the way it would be and you had a choice I'd switch stores. People have machines for different reasons; some have the ones they have for cost and would love to go bigger others have the domestic ones because it gets the job done and they love their machine. No matter what the reason or machine you should only be encouraged to learn more on it. Good luck in the future.

Sorry about your experience. I have a Slimplicity that I purchased from QVC. I have never had anyone refuse a quilt because of the make of the machine or where it was purchased. Just keep pouring love into your quilts and all who receive them will love them also. BrendaK

I took a class years ago where I was the one with the lowest end machine in the class, not that anyone made a big deal about it. I just figured some day I would be able to afford a higher end machine. Well over time I became more realistic about what I actually do with my sewing machine. I recently purchased a Brother 1500S that I just love. It has no bells and whistles, it isn't even electronic but it does exactly what I want it to do. The quality of the stitches is as good as I have seen on any machine and it has enough power to sew any intersection of seams without a hiccup. I'm rambling a bit but what I really want to say is that even if you can afford it, the super fancy isn't always the best choice. As others have said, "If it works for you.....".

I drove for an hour to buy my new machine in Nov. I wanted to buy from someone who treated like a good customer no matter how muck I spent. I did not get the most expensive machine, but was helped in finding what I wanted and could affort. Free lesson on the machine IF I bought it from them, otherwise a small fee.

I encountered something similar a few years ago. I was looking for a light that I could attach to my Brother CS-6000i. The woman in the store asked me what machine I had and when I told her she stuck her nose in the air and said they didn't carry anything that would work for a "Brother". I won't tell you what I thought about her attitude. :)

Last year I bought a Janome 7700 because I wanted the larger harp area and it is a lovely machine - but I still love that little Brother and it isn't going anywhere - except to classes because it is very portable and the Janome is NOT.

I did pay for a basic quilting class at my LQS (BTW it was my LQS that recommended the Brother as a good 'starter' machine) and I've taken a couple of other classes there as well. I have no problem paying for classes - I think that is only fair - but as someone else mentioned here there is a ton of information on line and I've learned a lot that way, too.

Anyway, if your machine does what you want and need then that's all that is required. Find someone that will respect what you do and not be critical of the tools you use.

Diito here. I have a 18 yr old Janome and even though it has fancy stitches and such it still is an outdated machine to some. I use what I have and wherever I can find it. The people on here have never made a difference in members and I think that WQuilt shops should take a lesson from them. Just my opinion of course

I bought two new machines last year. (Spent my annual bonus on ME for a change.) I didn't buy any of them from my local dealer where I had expressed an interest in one of them. Why? Because my local dealer's "rock bottom" prices on both machines were way higher - near retail - than the prices quoted by two other dealers and there was no room to negotiate even though three other dealers within an hour's drive were selling at a lower price.

I was scheduled for a demo class for one of the machines that I had to cancel and get back a small deposit I'd put on a machine I eventually decided not to buy. My DH did this for me and told them that HE had purchased the machine on teh spur of the moment as a surprise for me. Not true, but he was fearful that they would be mad that I didn't buy from them.

Well, next time my DH and I went into that store, you wouldn't believe the dirty looks we received. If looks could kill. I did recently - after nine months - go back and was treated better but I will always feel uncomfortable there.

Sad that they can't understand that long term they'll make a lot more money on me from my purchase of fabrics, notions, class materials etc. than they'd have made on the machine.

I have the Brother SE350 that I bought from WM 4 or 5 years ago. It is my favorite machine! I also have another Brother sewing/embroidery that I had purchased before the 350 model which I had liked at that time. It was the Disney model and used thread cassettes were sensitive to different threads. It is downstairs somewhere which I will probably dig out sometime and give to my granddaughter. Don't be intimitated by others about your machine. Just take some classes from you LQS about a technique you want to learn. As to learning about your machine, just play. I've had mine for years and sew daily. I still will discover something that I didn't know about my machine just by using it.

I agree. I can not afford an expensive machine so I bought a Singer Quilter costing on sale $300. It makes very nice quilts or is that me making the quilts. I am sure that I would make the same mistakes on an expensive machine as I do on my "cheap" one. I think this snobbery also extends to some owners of the high cost machine besides the LQS. It is the quilt maker and not the machine that make a good quilt. Just ignore negative comments or go to another shop. Or better still mention you experience to the shop owner to make her aware (unless of course the teach was the shop owner) .

I have a Disney Brother and went into a local quilt store and the clerk gave me the most hatelful look and was totally rude - left and never been back. Of course my Mother called the store and complained - taking care of her baby!

sorry double posted :)

You should have told her that if she would like to sell you a high end machine for the price you paid for the machine you could afford you will purchase it from her.

I,too, had problems with "snobbery" years ago. I bought a machine at a quilt show and had to travel for 2 hours to a dealer who would "show" me how to use the machine. He dd not want to sell me the accompanying notebook because I didn't really need it (a computerized model with lots of bells and whistles). When I asked him to show me how to make buttonholes with it he heaved a great sigh as if I were a stupid, recaltcitrant child. At that point, I got up and left. I never went back to that shop again and made sure my friends knew why.

This is why I avoid the sewing machine dealers in my area like the plague. A snobbish attitude is the norm. I know their business is a tough one, and I don't begrudge them making money. But there are ways to talk to people nicely, and then there are ways to make people feel small. I think many of the store owners have studied the latter. I will continue to buy online, research techniques online and in books and, of course, learn from this board. There's no harm in being self-taught!

I have 2 Brother machines and really like both of them. But I won't buy another Brother. When I was looking for software for my Brother embroidery machine I could not get any information or prices over the phone or internet. My "local" dealer - 90 miles away - said I would have to come into the shop. Dealers I located over the internet said I would have to go to my local dealer. Sorry, but I'm not driving 90 miles to find out everything they have is over my price range. I called a BabyLock dealer who is about 45 miles away. He was very helpful, had just what I needed in my price range, took my credit card number, and mailed me the software. I had it in 2 days. My next machine will be a BabyLock.

I can understand her having a fee for you not buying your machine from her, the shops around here do that too. What I don't understand is her talking your machine down. That is just plain rude.

I bought a Brother from WM because it had more features than my older Singer. After 3 years it needed repairs and I took it to shop that sold Brothers and other machines. I was told it would continue to be a money pitas far as repairs and she tryed to talk me into a used Singer that was actually older then the 1 I had! I let with my "broken" Brother and called the dealer I had bought 3 other Singers over the years. He said that the Singers had become a problem and went strictly to the Brother machines. He showed me different n\machines and I left with another Brother that was almost a clone for my lemon. I traveled 50 miles for the new one but it was worth it for the service he gave.(My old Singer still works like a dream)So imho if you don't like the service find a different dealer!

I have never taken a class I had to pay for. There are so many free video classes on line why pay for a class?
So have never had a problem with shop snobs.
Just buy fabric and notions so they have no idea what machine I have.

I don't think she was complaining about paying for the class it was the comments made that was upsetting. It was like they were treating her like they were upper class and she was lower class because of her machine. That is wrong no matter what.

Try walking into a Janome dealership for a FMQ class with a homely little tan 1956 Singer 301. I got a remark from the instructor and looks from the other class members, but guess which machine outshone the pretty ones?? Any problems were operator error, not AnnieRose's. If your machine is the right one for you, then it's the right one!

My husband has a saying about sales people - they are coin-operated and run on a 30-day cycle.

That is sad!!!! I just bought a Brother's SQ9050 at Walmart $20 off and it does everything my OLD expensive Kenmore did with cam's, monogram, embrodiery, you name it, it does it! But cleaning Kenmore is $59 and cleaning the Brother's equal what it cost..so with that said...I may upgrade and NOT EVERY professionaly clean this Brother's! I looked at their machine on close out and NONE offered what I got with this one from Walmart..I'm happy with my cheap light machine that makes buttonholes in a flash, drop in bobbins which I hated bobbin on last 2 machines! Check out YOU TUBE they have demo for anything!

I bought 2 berninas about 4 years ago. I love them. Truth be told, one is an embroidery/quilting machine and I haven't touched it yet. (Shame on me) Anyways, I have noticed that even though I own these tow machines they are always trying to get me to buy a newer model. Geee.....is it like buying a car that you are suppose to trade in every 2-3 years and upgrade to a newer model. I don't pay attention to them because my machine works just fine and does what ever I want. But it does make me wonder if there are people out there who can just keep upgrading their machines........these babies are not cheap.

my BFF got me into quilting-I didn't know if I would like it-silly me!-so I bought an inexpensive ($500 marked down to $150) Singer from Costco. When I went to the LQS for instruction on quilting-not the machine-I was put down for my "noisy mechanical machine" and that the instructor was not used to the "noise" my machine made. Yes, it was noisier that the computer models there, but not that much more. I tried for 2 classes at $40 a piece and then said "screw it!!" I was made to feel like an outsider and a poor relation because I did not have the 'fancy' machines.

I have since bought a Babylock Symphony (from a dealer and hour and a half away from me) and love it. I, however, do not go back for quilting instruction. I come here to the board for ideas and help. I find that the questions asked are answered without the 'attitude' I found at the LQS.

I have since also found that the fabric is the same if I buy it at $11-$15 at the LQS or $7-$9 at MSQ or fabric.com! Needless to say I buy from the internet. No hassle and no attitude!

Thank you for the great people on this board

I needed a new sewing machine and went down to the Brother retail store and their machines just like mine were almost $400. So I looked on Amazon.com and brought their CS6000i for $169 and shipping was free.

I am so sorry you ran into this. But I'm afraid that snobs are everywhere. Shame on her. I don't care that the price for her commission was included in the "dealer price", isn't it always? Geeish. Instead of pittying the commission she lost by you buying another machine, she should have thanked her stars that you wanted to learn more and were willing to ask her. And some wonder why their sales drag? Who wants to buy from a pity party?

Find someone else that teach you the techniques you want. Check out the LQS for possible guilds that might give you
more support. When our guild workshops come around, you can see a gammut of sewing machines in the room. We Feather Weights, I take my Singer 301, someone else has the to the nines computer machine, and all the types in between. The machine can have a great bearing on how the sewist sews, but by and large it is the operator that has the most control. You can make beautiful things with the simplist machine.
I've got to step off the soap box now before it becomes a stage!!!

IMHO, you need to remember that everyone chooses their machine(s) for their own use. What anyone else says about it is just that - their opinion. Enjoy your new machine! I am sure someone on the QB can help if you have questions. There is so much info here and through other media sources that you will have available to you.