What Do You Look For In A New Sewing Machine?-Features Vs.Techniques
 

2 months or so ago (during the holiday sales), I purchased 2 mechanical sewing machines-a Janome Blue Couture & a Spiegel 3201 model . Both are the inexpensive cheapo Big Box store types hovering around the US hundred dollar mark with limited features and stitch selections.

Yesterday, I was finishing up a patchwork pocket intended for a special occasion events Tote Bag that I’m sewing up on the Spiegel. A random thought just hit me as I was clipping the threads and doing a final careful pressing. I honestly don’t see much use for for features or a zilion stitches offered on the higher bracket sewing machines I considered before choosing the ones I am testing right now for defects before the warranty expires (so far, so good & I hope it continues for the life of these new products). Even when I sew for usually more demanding garment or home decor products, I seem to just use: 1. Straight Stitch, 2. ZigZag Stitch, or once in a great while 3. the Buttonhole option.

I tend to rely on hard learned and practiced over the years sewing techniques and purchased-over-the-years generally inexpensive sewing notions that help me make far better products than I otherwise would not have been able to without them. The sewing/quilting world seems to change so much as well.

When I started to learn to sew, most sewing machines were made in the US or Europe. Now none are made here in the US-although a precious few very high end ones are still made in Europe. So, my choices remain the same either way. I am willing to pay a large sum of money for a NEW sewing machine made & serviced/repaired in a country where I feel the money will benefit the most people in a positive way. Otherwise, I don’t honestly feel that spending more on a sewing machine that is the same hidden quality/history construction whether I spend thousands of dollars on it or at the cheapskate level I tend to spend in whether-or not-it’s at a typical hovering personnel sewing center/quilt shop or a huge largely absent customer assistance Big Box center.

I still select, then sew the way I been doing all along. I am always open to new sewing/quilting techniques and notions now offered online (like here on Quilting Board) as well as offline book reading. I maintain/adjust the sewing machines myself as the last trustworthy sewing machine technician retired some years ago around here, I choose Mechanical sewing machines over the Electronic/Computerized ones as I still gravitate toward the 3 stitch options no matter it has a motherboard in it or not.

Techniques always will win hands down!

What about your own sewing habits or choices?

I'll be the first to jump in. When I learned to sew at the age of 12, there were no bells and whistles. Throughout my adult years when I sewed garments all I ever needed were straight stitch, zigzag and buttonholes. Then I discovered quilting.
I first purchased a Singer from Amazon and it was pretty simple. But from the start it never sewed just right, never seemed to fit. The 1/4" seam allowance wasn't 1/4" and it was a real chore to try to get it correct. I went through 5 walking feet. When I sewed faster than a crawl it tried to jump off my table. And then I ran into the problem of wanting to try a new technique and the machine couldn't do it. It was holding me back.
So I went on the recommendation of a friend and visited a Bernina dealer. I traded in the Singer and bought a mid-priced machine with the option of adding embroidery later. I never looked back. I used it hard for two years and traded up to a Bernina 880. It comes with an embroidery module, has all the bells and whistles. And it doesn't hold me back. I use an awful lot of the decorative stitches for my quilting, this has been a precursor to making a full blown crazy quilt. If there's a technique I want to try, I can do it. If I just want to try something out or see how combined stitches work, I can. I can even invent my own combinations. My skills have grown over the 5 years I've been quilting, and they still have a long way to go, but I honestly feel that there's nothing I can't do with this machine.
That being said, yes it is a complex machine. It's a computer with a needle. Things can and probably will break. It needs care and love. It gets cleaned often, I buy my needles in bulk so I'll rarely run out, have a good supply of oil. I've found the thread that I like the best and my machine likes the best and gives me less lint to clean. The only problems I've had are pilot error. It's taken and accepted my stupidity with grace and patience. I clean my home computers and electronics just as frequently, and keep the software up to date.
I suppose it all comes down to the simple fact that I am a geek. Many of my sentences begin with, "I wonder if...." I think it's just the way I'm wired. I enjoy technology and I'm the first one in my family to try something new. I like gadgets and have lots in my kitchen and scattered throughout my home. My professional like was involved in electronic testing, repair and research and development and building prototypes. I can just picture myself at the age of 80 demanding the latest iPhone and iPad and laptop. Heaved help my daughter.

one of my "must haves" is knee lift for the presser foot. Unfortunately it seems to be only offered on higher end machines. I also like good control with the foot pedal, from slow to fast speeds. I did a lot of testing with my straight stitch machine as I expected certain results and would not settle for less.

But I'll also say that I'm really having fun with all the bells and whistles on my embroidery machine, which I didn't test for sewing at all. I'm only using it to enhance quilt making, and so far it's sure fun!

One of the perks of getting older and more affluent (kids gone, still working) is I can afford some of those toys that were not in the budget when I was raising a family. If everything went south and I could no longer afford any of them, I'd be back to sewing on a Singer 15 and while I might not have as much fun, it would do the job.

This depends on what I want it for.

Bottom line, really want: knee lift, thread cutter, needle up/down, good straight stitch, good free motion quilting (throat space large), feeds fabric evenly. All these are available on Brother 1500S Novelle.

Then I have a light weight machine for going to events.

Then I have a large Bernina that has all of the above (not light wt), & embroidery, specialty stitchs, garment stitching.

My Number 1 thing I need is reliability, so I look a lot of the reviews because I do not having to put my machine in the shop like I did with my 1973 Singer machine. Then I look for the throat space, I want to be able to quilt and getting into a very small space is hard, so I bought the Janome MC6600 because it was the largest for what I could afford. Since I learned to sew on the 1949 Singer 15-91 that my mother got as a wedding present, I still love to use it and the little sister, the 221 (Featherweight). I do like having decorative stitches because they come in handy for thin quilts. I finally did invest into an embroidery/sewing machine with a larger hoop. So I am not concerned with a lot of bells and whistles, I just want a machine to do what I need it to do.

I wanted a Bernina for years before I got one and I've loved every single minute of it. The only problem is that I've gotten interested in FMQ and my Bernina doesn't have the throat space so I bought a mechanical Juki that I absolutely love!
I have several vintage Singers as well. I especially love my FW because it's so portable. If I feel like sewing in the kitchen I can.
I like the modern features of my Bernina and Juki but also love the old Singers. They are all fun to use.
One thing I've never been able to get used to is the knee lift. Mine doesn't get any use!

My very first machine was a Kenmore 1030 that my Dad bought me when I had my first baby. I'll never part with it. It still works but I don't use it much anymore.

I have to admit, I love My Janome with all its bells and whistles. My must haves are needle up/down, knee lift, 1/4 inch foot. All my stitches are a bonus and throat size. I feel these all make my quilting experience a good one and am so glad they are available. I also enjoy reading about others must haves, or reasons why they prefer a vintage machine, it just shows how we all enjoy the same hobby but in our own unique ways. :)

I have other machines but don't use them. I use either my Juki TL98QE or Babylock Jane, both straight stitch only machines with 9" throats. They have needle up/down. Don't use the knee lift.

OK I bought a new machine in the last year.
One of the things I wanted was more decorative stitch but that was coming from a machine with 23 stitches. I also wanted better feeding and better motor for sewing thought layers. I prefer a front load bobbin. Now that I have a knee lift, I use it a lot. However in trying out machines and borrowing a 9mm machine I learned that I like the 5.5mm feed dog. I do really like the 1/4 inch foot and can see improvements in my pricing with it.
I bought a Bernina 535. I do have more than a couple complains about the machine and the company but have been shown how to get the decorative stitches from other Bernina models which to me is a plus. I would not buy a machine solely based on the number of stitches but as a person I am bit shocked that there is not a site/location that sales decorative stitches for machines.
Today would I make the same purchase maybe.