Hi,
What automatic features of a sewing machine do you find most useful when piecing and quilting, auto tie off, auto thread scissors, etc? This will help me decide which machine to purchase, since I cannot afford one with ALL the bells and whistles. Thank you,
Jack

Great question - that will help me also. Right now - the #1 priority for me is a machine that will have the "up/down" needle option.

Cindy

The machines I am looking at either have the auto cut, or the auto tie off, but not both. So thought 'What other of the features do others use the most and find the most useful?' All opinions are appreciated, as this will help me make up my mind when I go check out the machines Monday.
Jack

Needle up/down, automatic thread cutter, several needle positions, 1/4" presser foot, add'l. face plate with that one little hole in it so the macine doesn't eat your fabric. The face plate on my machine closes up that hole to make it a little one automatically when I tell it that I'm going to do a straight stitch. I love that feature. I have a Janome

Yep. And I love my knee bar to raise and lower the presser foot.

I have a Brother Nouvelle 1500S that I just bought about a month ago for strictly straight stitching for quilting but I've found that this machine is great for piecing too. This is not a computerized machine (which I didn't want because I have 2 other ones that are) but I don't miss any of the "modern" bells and whistles like the up/down needle or auto thread cutter on my other machines. What I really love is the fabric guide attachment. My 1/4" seams are so much better than they use to be. Whatever machine you decide on, be sure to get one of these attachments :) Such a simple thing really but it makes sewing those 1/4" seams less stressful.

Needle up/down, the auto thread cutter is not as important to me as the auto tie off feature.
I also wanted a variety of decorative stitches for machine applique and for other decorative uses.
A good walking foot available or a built in one.
Needle threader that works easily.

I like most of the features already mentioned, but my favorite is the needle threader on my Bernina 440QE

Amma what machine do you have?

1/4" foot, straight-stitch plate (narrow hole so your needle must be in straight stitch position), extended throat plate so you can get more material to the right of the needle (on a Bernina it's the Patchwork Edition (PE) version), adjustable speed while using the foot pedal.