New Sewing Machine
 

I'm presently working on a Singer Electronic Control, with stitch selection and decorative stitch options. I'm asking my son for a new one for Christmas...... Any suggestions ?

I'm thinking somewhere between $200-$250

I'm looking for a basic model, I don't need bells and whistles just yet.

Thanks in advance !

Get a janome! I bought a new singer featherweight and was very unhappy! it is junk! I'm sure there are great singer's out there but the newer featherweights are not like the older ones!

A Brother is the brand I would buy in that price range. I would check Amazon and compare. Put the one you like in your wish list so your SIL can get the one you want. I bought a brand new in box Brother 420PC for $250. I like it better then my Bernina 1260. A Janome Jem is excellent but will be more expensive. Also Ebay is a good place to compare machines too. Read the reviews before deciding.

I like my Janome too. I have a DC 2015 that I bought through Amazon. I also have its earlier clone that I bought from a dealer.

Many many of us are very pleased with the brother machines in your price range based on our personal experiences.

Love my Janome.

I also suggest brother I have had quite a few nice brothers in your price range

This would be a great choice: Brother cs6000i
About $150 on Amazon. It has great reviews from many posters here.

I have the Janome Magnolia 7318. A very basic mechanical machine with a serviceable variety of stitches (straight, zigzag, scallop, stretch etc). Bought it new from Amazon for $218 a few months ago. I would like a machine with a bigger harp area someday, but honestly it's a really really nice machine. Portable yet still solid, non-vibrating; nice stitches; easy to thread; top loading bobbin with see-through cover plate; fun to use. I made a 60"x60" quilt on it last month and though a bigger harp would've been nice, I honestly didn't have any trouble quilting it with straight-line quilting.

I have two Janome machines....wouldn't give up either of them!

Definitely Janome......great machines for the price.

I would buy a used Viking. Just my opinion. I have 2 diamonds and love them. they are tough machines. I love the hovering feature. They automatically do that, unlike many machines and all the other bells and whistles.

Do you mean the Singer Simple 3337? I would love to see a new Featherweight.

I 2nd this, low price Brother machines are very good (I've had about 3 of them, my granddaughters fall in love with them so I then give them to a granddaughter or keep at out of state daughter's homes for me to use). Next are the Janome, I love my Janome Jem but it is more expensive. The Jem Gold runs about $199, a great sturdy machine, has about 8 preset stitches so cannot change length, width, etc, but a great little machine, I use one for travel & classes (I have the Jem Platinum, same machine but no longer made under that name, Necchi Travel Mate also same machine, made by Janome)

Thanks......I'll check them out and go from there. I'm over the moon happy to have gotten back into quilting but forgot how much some supplies are.......Quilter's rulers.....almost $20 ? Really ? It's a bloody ruler for Heaven's sake.

Oh well, if you want perfect cuts, I guess you have to have the right supplies.....<3

I loved this machine, also, but beware - it is a left homing machine.

There is a you tube video from a poster here that shows how to change that. It worked for my Brother 420. I may work for other brands and models too.

just thrilled with my $300 brother sewing/embroidery se-400. Finally easy labels, light enough to travel

Echoing all the praise for Brother and Janome. I have one of each in that price range. (Actually bought two Brothers--one mechanical for $30 --the seller had used it once and sewing wasn't her thing-- local online yard sale find--and the other I bought was electronic and only $75 -- brand new!--at a yard sale. I ended up giving the electronic one to my DIL as a Christmas present and she loves it. Lots of fancy stitches she uses on baby gifts and home dec stuff.

My go-to brand is Janome, which I've upgraded because of the 11" harp space, but I took my mechanical Brother to my sister's in KY and purposely left it there for when I visit again.

I bought the Brother at Wall Mart that has all the quilting feet and many decorative stitches. It was in that price range and has been a great machine for six years. I was looking in our new Wall Mart last week and they have a new model that says quilting machine. It is in your price range and they sure are good machines and light enough if you want to take it with you somewhere.

Brothers machines are good in my opinion but I really love my Janome.

Costco has several sewing machines on their web site, by Janome and Brother. And you can't beat their return policy if you don't like it or it doesn't work well for you.

The hovering feature sounds intriguing, but I am at a loss for what it is! I would probably buy a Janome as a second machine.

Here in Washington State most of the county Fairs have just wound up and the big sewing machine dealers have sales on machines and vacs. Watch the fliers in the newspaper. Around the time of the Sewing Expos is also a good time to look for a good deal on sewing machines, used or new. Seems to me the Expos are usually around November. No matter how old or simple your current machine, if you buy from a shop and not WalMart, see what they will give you on a trade in.

Not here. The dealers all say they have no room to keep the trade ins, fix them, etc. Trade ins are too much trouble for them. One will take a trade in only if you buy an upgrade of the same brand.

I called Brother and the 6000i cannot be changed!

I started with a Brother and I still use it for retreats and Sit and Sews at friends homes. I invested in a JAnome 6600 for home use. Both excellent machines and the feet work on both.

I'm a mechanical machine person, I have 2 of them, my previous machine was Singer 5830C, it has 5 stitches, a 4-step buttonhole & stretch stitch. It's a great machine and actually the one I prefer to FMQ on at the moment. About 3 years ago I bought a Janome HD3000 and I'm very happy with it. It's got 18 stitches, one-step buttonhole and it handles thick things like bag handles and large quilts very well, for the moment I'm doing SITD with it but I'm working on learning to FMQ with it. I got it from SewVacDirect for 350 and I love it, I put around 30ish hrs a week on it and it's going strong.

That's what they told the poster that posted how to do it. LOL It works for most of the computerized Brothers I tried it on but I haven't tried the 6000i. Can't hurt to check it out.

That's what they said about my NX-400... worked for me too.

https://www.amazon.com/Limited-CX155.../dp/B00G3K83DC

I just bought this Brother Laura Ashley sewing machine last winter and am very pleased with it. Has some basic decorative stitches, top-load bobbin, large table that can be added. I had been using a 35 year-old Kenmore that finally died and this is much more enjoyable to use. It's in your price range.

I have a Elna Q7200 I love it and it has a deeper throat to finish the quit. If you re Quilting you need a good machine.

I didn't know that about the Brother...but it probably has other needle positions you can switch to. I have an older Kenmore that is left homing...HATE it...hardly ever touch it because of the left homing. There are no additional needle positions on it, so it is what it is!

I found this video that shows you how change it on the 420, might work on others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfq-GW88DsA

I have the 6000i= Thanks for the information!!!!!!