I recently was in need of another machine as well. I use my machine for the same kinds of things that you do. I made the mistake of buying a Brother cs6000i which needed to be sent to the factory after only 62 days and I was not happy. I then decided to try a heavier machine and bought a Janome HD3000 for around $349 on Amazon. I really love this machine. It has the strength for heavy duty sewing such as purses and quilts and works equally well for sewing clothing etc. I would highly endorse this machine. It reminds me of the Kenmore that I had for 27 reliable years of sewing. Hope that helps!

yes,but if you take up their time playing in their store,buy the machine there.the internet has better deals,yes,but no personal contact.you need that.don't waste a dealers time then go to the internet to purchase.

I would save some more $$$ and buy a good computerized machine. Sew on a few different brands.
Once you sew on one you will notice the difference right away. I would buy a used computerized machine to keep within the budget.
New machines are way over priced. I could never spend that much on a machine and not feel quilty about the money spent on a sewing machine. I have Bernona sewing machines, and love them. I will never own anything else.
Do a lot of research, and sew on as many machines as possible. Good luck. :)

I know lots of people love vintage machines, I'm not one of them. I love my needle up/down button. I love my lock stitch. I love being able to move the needle to the left or the right. Not to mention all the other features of my electronic and computerized machines.

A *good* machine will last more than 5 years, plastic or not. I have a 13 year old Pfaff. It's been cleaned and serviced once.

Hang onto that old Singer. My daughter and I prefer the old machines over the newer for piecing.

For newer machines I have Janomes, several of them. I have a Janome 6500 that I used nearly daily for everything, piecing and free motion for over 8 years. I love the needle up and down, auto threading, auto cutter (push button), larger throat, knee lifter and many other functions.

This site is good to compare machines and read lots of reviews. http://sewing.patternreview.com/
If you look on the left there is a place that says sewing machines...reviews and compare machines, etc. Have fun reading!

I have not bought a machine from them (allbrands), but attachments, etc. Very happy with them.

You can get an excellent quilting machine for $700. Most machines are electronic, and what that means to you is that the stitches are preset to preform the best. You can over-ride this and adjust it for fabric choice, but it will probably reset when u turn the machine off. If you have a mechanical machine, and you move settings, you will have to guess where they should be and keep adjusting them. Please don't be scared off by electronic - the machines are very user friendly!

I agree with the folks that have recommended talking to local dealers and seeing if they have a nice used machine in your budget. That's probably the best way to get a good quality machine and get the most "bang" for your buck, and you should be able to get a warranty for it from them. If you build a good relationship with your dealer they'll keep their eyes and ears open for you, too, even if they don't currently have anything on hand that suits your needs. I've only dealt with one local dealer and they (husband & wife team) are just wonderful, wonderful people. Of course not all dealers are the same but at least some of them are really good folks who are passionate about what they do, and will work hard to match you up with the RIGHT machine, not just the most expensive one.

I love the features on modern electronic machines. I also think I good good advice when buying my current machine - I bought something a little more "advanced" than my current needs. I won't be growing out of this machine anytime soon! I spent a lot but I plan on using this machine for 20 years or longer. And now I don't know how I ever could stand to sew without the needle-down function, or that lovely little scissors button!!

Now is a good time to buy a new machine. Most companies have their new models coming out this month and their previous models are on sale at really good prices. Buying locally and having dealer support means a lot. Test drive several machines and find the one that is right for you.