Hi, I'm new to quilting. I'm trying to finish my first little quilt but the Singer featherweight that I have is now broken in a serious way (oops). My fault, but, I'm not going to have it fixed. I will have about $300 (tops $400) to spend on a new machine and I was wondering if anyone could give me recommendations as to the best machine for quilting that I could buy with that amount of money? I know it isn't much because these quilting machines cost over $1,000, but I did get that little Singer for $60 on Ebay. I would like a machine with enough space to the right of the needle for me to make large quilts. But I might also use the machine to make clothing and other stuff later on. Does anyone have any ideas or is that amount of money going to be insufficient for a decent machine?

Thank you to anyone who responds!!

Carla

You will have shop around and see what is out there for your money. I have a singer 9910 it is great and cost 499.00 . You can also go to some of the web sites to look at the machines. Ebay has used machines that might be nice. Also you can search the web by typing in sewing machines. Hope that helps.
hugs Linda B

I would do a search for sewing machines with your price range. Then you can find the best deal. Sew&Vac has great deals and super customer service..... :D

I would stick with a dealer. They will work with you to find the best one for your needs in your price range. A dealer will have both new and used machines to chose from. Another thing to think of is service for regular tune ups and or repairs. There again, a dealer is your best bet. Personally, I recomend Pfaff. They make a great machine.

Just an opinion, but if you featherweight is an old one you should still get it fixed. I have my Bernina and my featherweight.

Do you have a dealer close by ? Most say start there. I have Brothers and LOVE them. Got my last one from WalMart.com for $199.00 and it is GREAT :lol: It is the Brother CS6000i .
Another thing do a search here on the sight for new sewing machines and see what else has been mentioned

HI and Welcome!
...but you had better get your FeatherWeight fixed! I see them going on Craigslist for about 400$$
If you got it for 60, then you got a steal!
Can't help you with a machine but I like Brother (my first one) and Pfaff.
If you go to a dealer/sewing shop, I am sure that they have a gently used trade in on a great machine. Usually they include a 1 year warranty and lessons.
K

Funny, I've had the worst luck with buying sewing machines at WalMart. I bought 3 of them, two were Brothers and one was a Singer. All of them wore out quickly and broke within 6 months. It isn't me, honest! Finally DH put a Janome 6600 on layaway for me. Thankfully it was on sale and with a trade-in they took off another $300 so it wasn't too bad. It has sewn like a dream for over 2 years now and is an amazing machine. Maybe you could pick up something like that off of Ebay or Etsy.

I have a large throat machine and it was not cheap. I only wish that I had gotten the even more expensive model with embroidery. You can embroidery designs on your quilt samdwich that way.
For a beginner machine I recommend a Brother with all the quilting attachments and table. They are very cheap, mine was only 129 dollars and it is a work horse. A great backup machnine when the expensive one is in for service. Also the expensive machine is computerized and the Brother is not, that is also nice to have for a backup machine when you finally can afford a more expensive machine with all the bells and whistles.

you may be surprised at how inexpensive it may be to get your featherweight fixed. Also to get a machine with a much larger throat is pretty expensive...
A suggestion is to find out how much it will cost to fix your featherweight and if it is reasonable, save the difference and add to it to get a bigger throated machine at a later date.

I buy reconditioned machines.

I am sending you a PM maybe we can work something out to where your out only shipping.

Billy

Thank you all for the suggestions! I think I will keep the Singer, and find out how much it costs to get it fixed. I know it will cost me more than the machine cost. I've been looking at machines all day online and as a couple of you told me, I can't get anything with more space for that price range. I'll keep looking for used/refurbished machines but I think I'll have to save up for a more expensive one.

In the meantime I may try learning to hand quilt. I'm recovering from tendonitis though so I probably won't get very far before my wrist feels like it will explode. lol Thanks for all the machine brand suggestions; when I can afford a pricier one I will go to a dealer so that I have support with it, like you guys suggested.

Carla

I will be listing several Machines in the classifieds pretty soon including my 1963 Pearl Iris Kenmore that was less than 4000 made. If you are looking for anything in particular let me know and I might have it.

Billy

I have had good luck finding Berninas for around $400 to $500 for my daughter and niece on "sewitsforsale" yahoo group. I also purchased a really nice older Elna. My advise is to put out a note or watch the site. I would also purchase an older machine rather than a new one for that amount of money. The older ones are all metal parts and are usually workhorses. Might I ask what you broke on your featherweight that cannot be fixed. I have 3 and love them.

Just remember that hand quilting is like any other exercise, it takes awhile to build up the muscles and be able to quilt for extended times, so don't be discouraged if you can only quilt for 10 minutes or so at first. Hope it doesn't bother your tendonitis too badly. I've got arthritis so I can sympathize.

1screech: I don't know if it is broken beyond repair or not. I am going to take it probably tomorrow for a free estimate at this place that sells and repairs Singers. Maybe it won't be too expensive after all, but to me, it looks like part of the machine was bent by the needle (the needle bent too).

Tiffany, you're right, I think it will take time to get used to (handquilting). I did a little bit today, but not for very long. It's good that you have a nice machine, with having arthritis; then you don't have to handquilt. That quilt behind you in the photo is really pretty btw.

Carla

.....I started quilting on a cheap Brother machine (the XR65)...and even I was surprise to find out that I actually finished a big quilt on it...Then I decided to get the Brother PQ1500 (9"throat space and much better stippling but no zig zag).....I am very happy with my machines (I also have a cheap Brother with plenty of decorative stitches on it....But if you have the money: I would get the Janome 6600...It has the 9"Throat space space all the fensy features and also decorative stitches...(of course it cost a bit more)....Whatever you choose: have a happy quilting with it.... :lol:

First of all, I agree with everyone who says get your Featherweight fixed. I have three (1936, 1951 and 1964) which all still sew like a dream. It's the best piecing machine you can find and is great for garment making, too. And if you take any classes, it's one of the lightest machines available. Plus, it's all metal, where the new machines are mostly plastic, even the expensive ones.

Second, I wouldn't recommend buying a machine from WalMart, Target or any other chain store. Find a dealer who also services machines. That way, if something does go wrong, you've got the warranty and the service to go with it. Baby Lock has some wonderful sales going on right now. Bernina, Janome, and Pfaff are also good brands.

Third, don't buy a machine unless you can try it. Any reputable store will have salespeople who can take you through the basics of any machine they have on the floor. Check out features like free-motion quilting and the walking foot. If you get into quilting your own tops, you'll need to be comfortable with these options.

Most machines now have built-in embroidery stitches. Of course, the more expensive the machine, the more stitches it will have. Find out about varying the length and width of these stitches to give you different looks.

Be sure it comes with a selection of feet for different uses -- 1/4" piecing foot, free motion foot, applique (satin stitch and zigzag) foot.

Part of the fun is going to the different stores and trying out the machines. Keep looking until you find the one that's just right for you. Happy hunting!!

Is the Singer featherweight a vintage black machine or a newer white plastic machine? If it's the white plastic, it is *not* worth fixing.

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned the Janome Jem series of machines. There are several in the line. Here is a link to the gold one, which I think is the lowest in the line:
http://www.sewvacdirect.com/janome660jem.html

The Janome Gem doesn't have the larger throat space you are looking for, but many quilters like this line of machines for both home use and taking to classes (because they are lightweight). If you want to buy locally, several people have posted that the same line of machines is sold under the Kenmore brand at Sears. Since you already know how to sew, I don't think it is necessary to buy a machine in this price range from a dealer. You still might want to check local dealerships, though, for a used machine; sometimes you can pick up really good deals that way, since many people periodically trade in their machines for newer ones.

If you want a new machine in your price range and want to purchase locally, I would go to Sears and see what they have in the Kenmore line.

The white Singer Featherweights that were made in the 1960s are all metal and are basically the same as the black FWs, except the black RWs are gear-driven and the white FWs are belt-driven. They are definitely worth fixing.

I recommend buying from a dealer because they will have service personnel either at the store or who are local. Plus, they will have the extra attachments and feet, if you ever need them. And if you buy from a dealer, they will probably have classes on using your machine.

Okay lets start busting a few of the myths here........

All FW's were metal (aluminum) and had the external motors (belt driven). The production colors were, Black, White, Beige/Light Tan, Mint Green, and the Wrinkle finish. They had 2 runs of the Wrinkle finish and it is not as rare as people think.

The production of the 221 was first allotted 10-3-1933 and ended 9-27-1957, total number of machines for the 221 was 1,750,041.

The production of the 221K was first allotted 8-25-1947 and ended 8-6-1968, total number of machines for the 221K was 360,000.

The production of the 222K was first allotted 7-23-1953 and ended 3-30-1961, total number of machines for the 222K was 108,900.

For the complete FW run start to finish was 2,218,941 machines produced.

The 222K was a free arm machine and is the one that I really want. But the fact remains that FW's are far from rare but they are highly sought after by we the quilters of the world. :D

All of this information comes directly from the NeedleBar and years of research by Chrys Gunther who is the leading expert of the SSMC and has the vast majority of the Singer factory records at her home.


Billy

Ditto! Love my brother CS6000i - Great Walmart deal. I started out with a Janome from Sears which also was great. You don't necessarily need to spend a ton of money to get a great machine.

I own what is called a featherweight II, and it is made of plastic. It is not one of the prized featherweights youu are referring to. That being said, I also own two of the original featherweights, harking from 1950 or so. All three are in good condition, and sew beautifully. I would fix any that needed it.

I also own other machines.

I agree. Talk to a dealer.

I have the white plastic one, it's not metal. No wonder everyone thought I should get it fixed; I'm sure the metal ones are much better than the one I have. I did take it to get it fixed today and since he told me it would only be $40 (he thinks the tension is messed up), which is less than what I paid, I decided to get it fixed.

It only has 5" to the right of the needle which is why I don't like it for quilting. I saw some Singers at JoAnn's the other day and they had a little over 6". But I will probably try saving up for a machine with more space, like the Janome 6600 that a couple people have recommended. I still want to learn to hand quilt in the meantime though. It seems like it would be good to have that skill as a backup if you're prone to breaking things like I am.

Carla

You are right that all FWs are belt driven by the belt that runs from the external motor to the wheel. However, if you take the spool pin cover off the original white FWs, you will see another belt. This belt replaces the internal gears in the black FWs which turn the shaft that runs from the wheel to the head of the machine. One of the reasons that repairmen loved the black FWs was that it could be completely immersed in a cleaning solution because it was all metal. However, the white FWs could not be immersed in the cleaning solution because the solution would corrode the internal belt. And the white machine and the light green are the same machine, not separate color runs. Singer called the color Pale Turqoise. If I put my machine in front of a white background, it has a slightly green cast. If I put it in front of a green background, it looks white.

I bet you never expected to get such a large and varied response when you first posted, did you? LOL.

Hand quilting is wonderful because you are not limited to a certain space. You can take it anywhere to work on, unless you are the type who needs a large frame. I lap quilt (no hoop, no frame) and I've drug my quilts just about everywhere when trying to get one finished for a deadline. As long as I have enough light to see by I'm good to go. I think you will enjoy hand quilting and it's nice to have something to work on when the sewing machine is in the shop for maintenance.

I know there is a group on yahoo that fixes thier own singer sewing machines. They also have many persons there that post on a board that will give you advice on how to do it and links to sites that give detailed instruction on fixing each part.

I mostly used to always keep up my own machines. (I know, not usually a girl thing to do. There has been a long line of mechanical people in my family and it kind of comes naturally. ) But, when I inhertited my moms old singer I had to do some work on it to bring it up to par. I used the yahoo group site to get the information I needed to fix it.

I have a friend on the NB that has both the Green and White machines and there is a notable difference. If you have ever seen the 185J then you know the green it is. But it is a Kilbowie built machine and was not exported that I know of.

The reason the white ones were belt driven was the fact that they were the bottom of the line FW. It also lacked the full decal set that the others received. Funny thing is that now they are the most sought after machines next to the Beige ones which were gear driven. After looking at a sea of black machines for all those years you would think Singer would have made the White ones like the rest of them. :roll:

Billy

ilove my brother, i also have a kenmore two or three singers i also have a treddle model that works great

I think many people here do not realize that Singer came out with a small, cheap, white plastic machine that they called the Featherweight. When the original poster mentioned that she had purchased this machine for $60, I suspected it might be that newer plastic one -- not a vintage white Featherweight.

I myself have a vintage white Featherweight, and I would never say that machine is not worth fixing!

Glad you got your machine fixed. It is a good little machine - I use mine for piecing, primarily. I generally hand quilt. When I machine quilt, I use a Viking - again an older machine, with a larger throat than any of the featherweights.

It will take a little time to find your dream machine. Enjoy the search! 8-)