[QUOTE=oklahomamom2;7198538]So I have been looking on online for good sewing machines for me to piece on that way if I need to get my other sewing machine cleaned I can have a back up.

Singer 301 slant, my favorite over all the other one's I've sewn with, and it comes with a handle. With the narrow feed dogs you can sew tiny pieces without having them bunch up or being "eaten", and the straight stitch is perfect. I have not tried it for FMQ, just piecing, mending, and sewing tiny gowns for foreign mission work. It's so much easier to sew close to the edge with this machine. I have a house overflowing with sewing machines, some fairly new, but most vintage, and still go to the 301.

If you want a machine right now, I'd go to WalMart and get the mid to high end Brother, don't touch the cheapest one. A friend has had several of the WalMart Brothers and she is hard on machines, yet they keep on producing. Her only reason for buying new ones is that she goes back and forth between states and will leave one with a relative.

My best stitching machine is my 404 Singer bought in 1962. My mom's Singer 301 was very good too.

I have a Brothers 1500s straight stitch only with a 9" throat. I love it and do all my piecing and FMQ on it. It comes with a FM foot and also a walking foot. It has adjustment know for presser foot pressure with is really nice since you can adjust the pressure foot pressure high for quilting and lower for piecing. I got it on amazon for $600 with free shipping and no tax. warranty if good since amazon is an authorides dealer. Also I would suggest that you go to dealer and "test drive" machines to see which one you like.

Vintage machines are like potato chips. You try just one...and then suddenly you have 14 or so.

My kenmore has the best straight stich and 1/4 inc of all my machines, I have Brother, pfaff, and baby lock!