What is your criteria? I'm a busy mom who loves to quilt, but is continually interrupted by lovely, but needy, children. How long is too long to leave a computerized machine on, but not in use? I'm wondering if turning it off and on is bad for the machine...conversely, is it more detrimental to leave it on for the hour or so that I'm away?

Great question. I leave mine on alot and get sidetracked then realize hours later I forgot to turn it off. Thanks for the post I'll be watching too. :thumbup:

I don't know either. I do turn it off if I know I will be pressing alot of pieces for a while. I get side tracked alot so pressing takes me longer then probably the normal person.

I don't know for sure in minutes, but I wouldn't leave it on for an hour unattended. After the posting about a machine starting a fire just being plugged in, I am more aware.

The fire started because of a defect in the machines.
In my opinion it's better to turn them off, if not used for awhile.

I understand that, but it does make me more aware of the machine being left plugged in when I am not in the same area. It makes me think more of it being turned on for long time spans also.

You are right, I agree with you.

I don't leave mine on for an hour but I do leave it on to give the kidlet his snack or throw in a load of laundry and bring one up or something. I don't think I've ever left it on for an hour,though.

I think it is hard on the machines to continuously turn on and off. And if you've done a bunch of adjustments that you don't want to save then it is just easier to leave it on, I think.

I turn mine off when I leave the room. I have a small dog that loves to snoop around everywhere. She "helped" me sew the other day while I was sitting there. I couldn't figure out why it started sewing on its own. Thankfully it scared her and she stepped right off the foot pedal, so I didn't get a huge thread snarl to clear up!

I do try and turn it off when I leave the room but if you think about it what's the difference if you leave it on for and hour or sew on it for five hours. I turn mine off so I don't burn out the light never thought about the machine it's self. LOL