Sewing machine for quilting on unlimited budget
 

I am pie in the sky right now. If money were no object which machine would you buy? Now don't say the Bernina 820 just because it is the most expensive, but maybe a machine you have sewn on and desire!!! I've always had a thing for the Viking Se, but would like a bigger throat. Saw the Janome Horizon, haven't heard too much. Tell me please.

i would buy me the janome horizon.

I have the horizon and love it. If you dealer has a good used one and your trust your dealer that is a good way to go to save a little.

I have the Horizon and the throat space is grea, but I have to say I just love love love my Bernina!

Hugs

Caroline

If money were no obstacle I would buy a Bernina 830, the Bernina quilting frame (which I have) and Quilt Motion! Then I could do everything my heart desires to do from embroidery to quilt assembly to quilting - long arm style - free motion or computer driven. I'd think I was in heaven!

I'd get a longarm and skip a new sewing machine. I'd get the largest Innova.

Why buy just one? I would buy as many different brands as I had room for.

I have different machines for different tasks. I don't think I could choose just one to have. I have Bernina, Brother, Janome, and Singer. I use them all.

Brother Quattro, Brother Isadore or Babylock Ellisimo wouldn't know which to choose since they are very similar except in the embroidery designs they have on them

I need more information about the type of quilting you like to do. Piecing? Free motion work? Do you quilt large king size quilts or tend to stick to small quilt?

I watched the daughter of my LQS owners sew a large bag on the Horizon. I was impressive how well it handled multiple layers. Now I'd like to see it FMQ.

Newest Pfaff....

I have the Horizon and it's a wonderful machine! But, there's so many great machines that only you can decide what is best for you! You should definately take all the time you need to see the options and being close to your dealer and repair shop is worth tons! Enjoy and best of luck.

Brother Quattro top of the line. You can sew/piece, FMQ, and embroider. I sold my Bernina 440QE and bought this machine and I've haven't regretted it.

I bought the Janome Horizon. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

I'm a total Viking girl so the top of the line husqvarna viking

A Juki sewing machine

I would hold off until September when the new Dreamweaver comes out from Brother. But probably in the end would purchase the Babylock Seranade. The Seranade is a step above the Quest Plus I guess as it has the thread cutting ability that mine does not, and auto tension. The one thing I just really love above this machine is that it has markings on it for all the seams on the base of the machine in front of where the needle area is. So I am never having to guess where 1/4 is as I am feeding my fabric. Silly little thing I know but I really like it. I guess I just love my machine.

Bernina, not just because of the price tho. I have one and I love it. Bought mine a year before I retired. Have sewed all my life, had lots of machines, the Bernina is the best by far. Best money I ever spent!!

wow, reading this thread, I decided to check out the Bernina 830.........and it looks wonderful, other than the price tag........

omg....$12,999.00. That's a lot of fabric !!!!!!

Now, if money were no object, I would build a 5000 sf warehouse to house all of my current machines and buy a sweet new Bernina. I'd also have shelves for all my books and fabrics, large tables for everything, and I'd pick up a few vintage machines that I do not have in my collection.

I'm with Candace--if it is quilting you want to do, go longarm! Regardless of throat space, you are still twisting, turning and fighting that quilt! For the $13,000 the Bernina costs, you can have a very nice Innova. The largest one is great but you do have to have the Auto Pilot (computer design) on it because you cannot reach 36". If the 'quilting' you are wanting to do is piecing, then only you can try them out and decide. Good luck!

Last week end I went to a small quilt show in Raymond, WA. They had a vendor there with the Handi quilter sweet sixteen. I sat down and enjoyed free motion quilting on it the table was the perfect height and you could set the speed, they have a stitch regulator but I just enjoyed stitching. I would love to add one to my collection of machines. Right now my 1222 Pfaff and Baby lock Imagine are in the shop for cleaning and repairs. I so miss them. I am left to struggle on with a 7570 Pfaff and a 301 Singer. Not to mention the treadles (2) and Converted hand cranks (3) and One original hand crank a Jones.

Babylock Ellisimo sewing and embroidery with stadium lighting, automatic threading, camera built in for embroidery placement, etc., etc., etc.....wonderful machine. Plus.....it just looks gorgeous. This is the same machine Nancy Ziemen uses on her Sewing with Nancy show (with the gold top).

I like the way you think !!!!

The Bernina 820!! For sure!! I have it and I wouldn't trade it for any other. It is a wonderful machine. I have owned 5 berninas and several other brands and Bernina beats them all hands down! The space it has for quilting is unbelievable! I think it is the largest of all the machines. I read an artical I think McCalls quilting magazine that compared alot of the new machines and it has the largest space. Good luck getting your dream machine. Fortunatly I have a husband that is one in a million, who recognizes my quilting obsession as a good thing and he spoiles me with al my dreams!!

I have the Bernina 820 and I love it. I also have a Bernina 707, a Bernina 165e, and a Janome 6600p, The 820 is the one used the most. You can't beat the quality of Bernina.

i would get tajim embroieryachine
prob. The neo 15needle for colors,
Has a coor meory of99 colors
nda speed of 2000stitches per minute
eb field approx 30 x 36

I was thinking along the line of this, but instead of warehouse, huge quilt shop! Lots of machines, lots of fabric & notions, library of books & patterns, lots of work space for like-minded people to share. Sweet!

I have the Janome Horizon (7700) and love it! If money was no object and I "had" to buy another machine, I'd probably get an embroidery machine (no specific model) . . . but I'd keep my Janome!!!

Brother just put out a new line of machines for quilters with a much larger throat area. Check those out! I love my Brother machines! One of mine is over 35 years old and still works great!

just got the horizon 7700 and love it love the acufeed and the thread cutter the most and the 11 inch thoat plate.

I have the 830 but wish I could have the quilting frame and all the software for embroidery!!

I recently got the Pfaff QE4 and I am in heaven and in love! The extra light and 10" are great. I've been appliqueing, and doing a lot of fmq with absolutely no hiccups. This week I will be doing red decorative stiches on white fabrics because I'm working on a wedding gift and could not find suitable fabrics.

I have a Bernina 830 and just love it , I wouldnt part with it for the world
I would love the quilting frame but alas I have no were to put it , you cant go past
the things it can do , yes it is expensive but if you want the best , sorry it costs.
Cathy

I was reading the answers here and wondering how many who recommend something other than a Bernina have actually worked with a B and had a bad experience? I have 3 Berninas gathered over 30 years and I truly love them. The only other I'd consider would be a Juki for FMQ. I was just wondering...you know how the mind can wander...

OMG that is exactly what I did for a quilt for my daughter. She insisted on red/white and there wasn't a lot of choices out there - especially for the neutrals - it is a log cabin. I had a Pfaff 7570, with a gazillion different decorative stitches and I used just about everyone. I used different red embroidery thread and I actually just ran out of the fabric leftovers for this quilt. Hope yours turns out as good and you are as happy as I was.

Money is no object
 

When I started this thread I really was interested in what other people would buy. I know what I would do. I'm told the 820/830 Bernina is not the one you'd want if you are a quilter. The 9mm feed dogs give problems at 1/4" I'm told. I did sew with a 9mm feed dogs and it was a problem, but not unsurmountable. I have a Juki F-600 and it is a great piecing machine. I'd have to look at the Horizon, etc etc etc!!!

Well, with the help of my three daughters, I just bought a Bailey 13" and Grace quilting frame. I haven't used it yet. Still a little nervous, having never machine quilted before, but it is now all set up and ready to go, except for the leaders. I still have to make the leaders for the rails. I know that the Bailey 13" isn't all the big, but it is all I could afford right now, so hopefully it will work out good for me.

I have both the Bernina 820 and the Janome Horizon 7700 and I love them both; however, if I could only have one and money was no object, it would be the Bernina.