I have two sewing machines - a 220 bernina, and a 4800 QC Jamone. I love them both but prefer the Janome. What do the rest of you like to use?

I have a very faithful old friend my one and only machine a bernina 1000 special (the new version is a 1008)

I have a very basic low-cost machine.. a Brother.. XT65 (I think that is the model).. no stitch regulartor.. not computerized.. no embrodiery etc. I mean not one bell or whistle... but it was all we could afford when I started this journey and it has and continues to serve me well. Maybe one day I will get a fancier machine. In the meantime, I keep notes on the machines folks love and hate for when that day comes.

Barb C

Hi, I have two VERY old singers that are electric, but haven't used them in quite a while. Do let others use them when I am teaching them to sew in my home. A few years ago my great husband got me a Huskvarns Rose that is computerized and does embroidery. Also has over 30 built in stitches. I really love it as I cad do everything with it. Over the years I have added some of the items I needed to go with it so can do lots of things. +A couple of quilts are next after the holidays.
I also know some who really like their Bernina machines.
till next time, Happy stitching! :D :D



Imak

I have two Singers, the 6268 and the XL1000, have never been happy with the 6268, one of those bad apples in the basket from the moment I bought it. They could never fix it and would not replace it. The XL1000 is ok, but my heart is set on some day buying a Janome (with the larger throat) for my Gracie II and just using the XL1000 for piecing. I shop hop regularly in order to win a Janome so I can trade the new machine in to our dealer here in town and hopefully have whatever extra I will need to buy the one I need, hmmm, should that be want.

Donna

I have numerous machines that have been collected over the years. The one used exclusively now is a Janome 4623LE. This is a basic machine, yet a solid workhorse. I use it for piecing as well as machine quilting. Some day when I am rich and famous, I would love to have the Janome 6500 or the 6600 with the larger throat plate. If anyone out there wants to make my dreams come true, my birthday is in September. LOL

I also have a serger that gets use when sewing strata for charity quilts. There is nothing that can sew as fast. I also use it to finish garment seams.

OOP's, my birthday is February and I also have a serger (sure love that machine) all my clothes are made with that unless there are inside corners, never got very good at that.

Donna

Mine is in September also... so maybe they can treat both of us! LOL! The large throat plate is what I like the most about the Janome 6600. Barb

I shop hop too in hopes of winning one! Barb

Barb, I think I have the same machine! I like it so much that I'm afraid to spend big $$ only to find out it's not as great as I'd hoped.

GeeGee, love your avatar.

Donna

I have a Bernina QE153 and a Kenmore-not sure of the model, and too lazy to go look right now, :lol: but it's not computorized. I have put away the Bernina. Long story, but lots of problems with the "service/repair guy" and am looking for a new guy. So far, I love the Kenmore-it is doing what I need to do. I've only had it a few weeks.

I think this is a common problem. I have a Kenmore that is 4 or 5 years old. I had trouble with it constantly. I would have to take it to the Sears service center.. they would send it off.. 3 weeks later it would come back "fixed"... work for a week of two and then we would start all over again. It was a total pain. I finally just put it aside, bought my "cheap" Brother and forgot about it. Last spring I took my Brother to a local sewing machine place to be serviced and my husband suggested I take the Kenmore also. The guy fixed it for $60 and it has been working like a dream. I have used it some for piecing, but it is pretty much my daughter's machine now. Barb

We do have a guy that advertises that he works on computorized machines, so after the holidays, I will take it to him. The guy had my machine the whole month of June-I thought to service it, but then after servicing, he sent it back with a note that wasn't point out to me, that the bushing needed to be replaced. I noticed the note after I got home. This guy takes the machines for a week from where I live to another town. So I had to take it back the following week for him to fix. It took 2 more weeks because he said it was so hard to put things back together. I asked him why he didn't call me when he first had the machine to tell me it needed a part and he said, he didn't think about it! I also have a cheap Brother about 30 years old that is fine for piecing, but not good for quilting. It gets tired real fast. That's why i bought a Kenmore. Plus, I've heard good things about them. One of my sisters has one and it does great. She don't quilt, though, just does some sewing.

I have a Bernina 730 and a Janome 6500. I love them both but use the Bernina more because it has a stitch regulator. I also have a Bernina 230 that I take to workshops and classes. I won a computerized Janome at a local quilt shop this year, but I gave it to my 8 year old granddaughter. She's learning to quilt and is excited about having her own machine.

I have a Pfaff for sewing and a Bernina Deco 650 for embroidery. I am wanting a new embroidery for Christmas. I want the Janome but no dealer in my town so may have to settle for the Bernina . Both the Janome and Bernina hooks into computer which is an added feature on the new modles.How I with for the Janome but know I will need help on things so best I go with the Bernina as we have a great dealer here.
The Deco embrodierys great but want the larger field that both offers.

My Bernina 730 does embroidery also, but I haven't really done much embroidery on it - just quilting. I would like to do more but I'm not very confident about machine embroidery. I guess I need to take some classes.

Thanks Donna, That's my newest DGS born August 14th of this year! He was so tiny...believe it or not, he's laying in his Momma's hand :shock: :mrgreen:

Hi all.

I have a old Bernina 930 and love it. I have had it since it came out in the 80's. I use it for everything. I would love to have one of the newer machines, but everytime I think I need one and something is coming up that I could get one. I talk myself out of it. I have this great machine that does everything that I need and can do, why do I want a fancy one that will take me in forever to figure out? Thats my argument anyway. I am going to go and look at some new ones but I am sure I will stick with my old work horse.

I also have two real old and I do mean old, they are older than my hubby by far, 1938, featherweight and a machine a yr newer that looks like the featherweight but weighs a ton more. One in the carrying case and one in cabinet. They both sew like a charm. I love them. I take the featherweight where ever I go that might have electricity. My hubby in the fall goes to a lot of conventions for his hobby, I go to some with him, sew while I am there. Its so much fun. I love it. Its like going to a sewing retreat to me.

So thats my story and I am sticking to it.

Rita

Hi all,

I have just now registered :D I have two sewing machines. My newest one is a Baby Lock- Quilters Choice. I have had this machine only for a couple of months now but I really love it! My second machine is a Kenmore. This was my 3rd Kenmore and I never had any problems with any of them. I just wanted something that would have all the newest gadgets and was computerized. Besides the Baby Lock is so much fun, I only wish I could have afforded the one with the embroidery functions. Maybe somewhere down the line. Happy Quilting,
Stitches

I have my grandmother's Singer Feather-weight that I adore, but I just purchased a (eat your heart out, Boo) a janome 6600! LOVE IT! if I take a class, I take the singer, light to haul around, and does all I need to for that........but at home, look out! Janome........yeah!!

Well I have a 50yr old Singer that still sews great, plus a Brother 600 and recently purchased a Bernina 440QE with stitch regulator. I believe this will be all the machines for now....have thought about a Baby Loc Overloc machine but may not need it with my Bernina.

This is the 2nd Brother machine that I've had, The first one I got about 10 yrs ago, just updated this last spring. For the money I have found at least for me that Brother is great. I would love a computerized machine, but that is out of my price bracket, So as far as Machines go, I have a singer, old one, Also still have my old Brother and it works well, But at present I have my updated Brother with 59 stitches and it works great.

I have a Platinum 770. Husqvarna...Viking. The machines are expensive but worth it.

I love my Singers. I have three. I have a 1926 that was my Grandmothers. Next is a 348........and my new old favorites is a 401A slant needle. I got it at a grage sale for $3.00. I have bought some high hat discs, a mongramer and a botton holer to go with it. Nothing beats it, for that solid feel. I am told it is worth several hundred. I let all my grandkids use it, can't really mess it up and so easy to work on. I need to get a cabinet for it and I will be thrilled. :D :-) :) :lol: :P :wink: :thumbup:

Hi Ruthie, I think $3.00 sounds like the deal of the century for a machine you love. Do you use your sewing machines to quilt or do you hand quilt?

I'm ready to try machine quilting.......I have been hand quilting.......it takes me a couple of months

I've never seen a slant needle machine but I've heard of them but what is the purpose?

And guess what? Another September b-day! Anybody’s on the 16?
Lucia

I have a Pfaff. It was the top of the line in … 1992. I guess it is safe to call it a dinosaur! As much as I like other brands, Pfaff has a dual feed system and seams always match. It is fabulous for bias sewing. And I never need to use a walking foot, not even to quilt.
Lucia

Sorry, Lucia, the 20th here. Just remember the groveling for a Janome was my idea. So I get first dibbs. :lol:

I've owned a few over the years. My first machine was a Singer costco special - it ran until it died and the repairman couldn't fix it. My next was a Brother - no frills, basic machine. It ran until it died. About 2 years ago I was blessed with the deal of the century on a Pfaff 2144. I adore it! There is so much more to working with a higher end machine! It can be fussy, but is quite the workhorse! I've sewn every fabric imaginable and it doesn't get out of alignment - I LOVE the IDT. Should this machine be busy embroidering, I also use my mother's Viking - about 10 years old, again, a no frills machine but a work horse!

If I had to make the decision about whether or not to buy a Pfaff again, I would really have to think about it. The Pfaff repair guys in my area are nice enough, but they DON'T sew! Imagine that! To get technical help or techniques I have to inquire online! My neighbor just bought a Husquvarna from a local JoAnn's store and she loves it - she can walk in anytime and get any sort of special support she needs from those ladies. They've also been helpful to me on occasion.

I've had terrible luck with Singers - I can't remember the model numbers but they couldn't stay repaired - the same with a Brother. Now I have a Pfaff and adore it. I've also become familiar with a basic Viking that is quite the workhorse that I use when my machine is embroidering.

If I had to to it again, I would take a closer look at the Janome, Bernina, and Viking/ Husqvarna models equivalent to the Pfaff 2144.

I have an old Singer - 50 or more years old, and still working great. I bought a White about a year ago and love that too. Then three months ago my son and daughters gave me a Huskystar C20. Love it, love it, it has just about every thing 30 stitches, memory, and other stuff I have not played with yet. It comes with 4 lessons and I have had only one so far, three more pending.

I have an early 50's Necchi Supernova Julia (my mom's), a 1946 black Featherweight, an early 50's Singer 301, and my new Juki, which I LOVE! A girl can't have too many machines. :wink: :P

Hi Barb:
I have a Brother XR65t that is WONDERFUL! I bought it to drag along to quilt classes and to our quilt meetings and have never been disappointed in the service I've gotten from this machine and I LOVE the extra wide/long sewing table that attaches to the left of the needle (or right of the needle if left handed). I also have a Memory Craft 8000 with all the bells, whistles, embroidery, monograming stuff and I LOVE IT TOO! Then I have a Featherweight and a small Singer...love all of them.

Feathers

P.S. I forgot to mention the other sewing machine I have is my grandmother's old White that use to be a treadle and was converted to electric sometime soon after Franklin flew the kite in a storm. It's over 100 years old and in pristeen condition. My grandmother was a seamstress in a drygoods store in the early 1900s and this is the machine she used to earn her living. When she gave it to me 50 years ago she said it was old when she had it converted to electricity and it cost her alot to have it converted (I think she told me it cost $5.00 to convert it) but she never regretted doing it. The store where she worked had an electrical plug in but she didn't have it in their home until many years later so she was able to get another treadle machine for sewing work at home. The treadle machine cost her $ 1.50 used. Wish I had that machine, too. I have the converted machine set up in a corner as a part of my home decor in our family room. It has the rounded oak lid and the table part is also oak. I wish it still had the treadle gears but it doesn't. Darn!
Feathers

I have three Janome machines, the 10001, 9000, and the 3500. I use all three constantly. The 3500 is smaller and goes to quilt guild and classes with me. I do a lot of embroidery with the newest one cause I can get the patterns off the internet. A lot of fun. Marge

I have a Bernina 1080 that's about 12 years old and a cheapo from Target that I got Christmas before last. The Bernina is still going but want an embroidery machine. The Euro I think, I wore it out. So I set it aside for now. I bought it because of all the decorative stitches and would have had to pay lots more for any thing else that did all that. One of these days I will get it in the shop and see if it can be adjusted. When you try to sew fast as in long straight seams, the bobbin will pop out of place--so aggravating! My b-day is today so if anyone wants to step up to plate and give me a new I'll be at work till 5:00 :!: :lol: :lol: :lol: