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.

I have 1 computerized machine, the rest of my machines are all vintage/antique. You just can't beat the stitch quality of a vintage machine.

I had to trade my old, mechanical Bernina (1030) for a new Bernina (230) because I wanted the blanket-stitch for applique.

Now, I want a newer Bernina so I can have the jumbo bobbin, and the wider stitch plate hole for bigger alphabets and decorative stitches, and a touch screen. Some of those stitches are so cute! I want a 5 Series, Next Generation for the bigger throat space, and led lights under the ceiling of the throat space. And it even has a bigger motor! And I'd love to get into machine embroidery!

Alas... my budget does't agree.

I usually don't look for too much in a machine I use for piecing. I have Brother machines, usually from Walmart. I like the computerized, but that's probably because I have a computer system background and that stuff appeals to me.

I have two Brother mechanical machines, no bells and whistles. One is for travel. The other is living in my home in NJ and used when I am there. They work fine for what I do.

One of my computerized machines is in my dining/sewing room. It is quieter than the mechanical, so less disruption to my DH when he is watching TV. It has a number of stitches which I rarely use BECAUSE I can't keep steady pressure on the pedal due to inherited neuropathy. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) As a result, the decorative stitches sew out inconsistently. I do seem to be able to keep steady pressure long enough to work on a place mat. I need a machine with speed control, but am not buying another machine for that.

The other is in the garage, and keeps my LA company. I do use it, but not nearly as much as I thought I would. It has a slightly larger throat than the one in my dining room, which is why I bought it. I think I even used that extra space once!

If one of the computerized machines fails and can't be brought back to life, I will get another Brother, computerized, with stitches AND a thread cutter. I used one with a thread cutter for awhile, and fell in love with that feature. It saves so much bobbin thread, and I do hate to change the bobbin. It also had a needle threader, but it never worked for me.

Until I tried my Elna Quilt Pro Queen 9 yrs ago, I worked on a Deluxe mechanical, which had been an upgrade when my kids (now 30's ) were babies. I paid a pretty penny (although not as much as list as I bought at a show and not as much as some of these newer ones) and it was well worth it. I love the needle up/down feature, the lock stitch for starting/stopping a stitch line, the ability to move the needle over and also ability to drop the presser feet, a built in walking foot, a hopping foot, about 23 fancy stitches, including limited monograms, and speed control (nice when FMQ). When I gave my $90 Brother to my DIL, I needed a new travel machine for sew days at guild, retreats, classes. I purchased a Brother (Simplicity??) that is a much cheaper computerized (so is the Elna) with many of those same features without the multitude of stitches. I will never buy another machine without a needle up/down feature! So while I have a treadle, the Deluxe, a Conway industrial and a Gammill Long Arm, I truly love that Elna--both the wonderful stitches and the ease of use.

I'm not sure we have the same definition of "techniques".... Features are what comes on your machine. Techniques are what your hands do with those features.

I have several vintage machines, and a Juki 2010Q and also a Juki long arm. I am happy to sew on my old Singers that only straight stitch, but do love the features on the Jukis... the auto thread cutters, the needle up or down features, and the awesome throat space.

My old Kenmore still gets taken out and used enough to keep it functional.

There is no question that stitch quality was the most important consideration when I tested my new machine.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with my old machine so I have to admit the gizmos are what made me look at the new one (pfaff icon, :D, another computer with a needle). The power, throat space, the stitch tensioning and ease of use sold me on it but I first fell for the beautiful decorative stitches (I do use them a lot), the fancy on board stitch techniques like floating stitches and the sewnet connectivity that allows me to easily transfer embroideries and stitches between machines and from my computer.
If I didn't have it I would happily stitch away on my old black singer. I know it won't last as long as my old black singer. I know there will be days when I get lost and frustrated trying to master some computer related function but for all the other days, I love it!
I love trying new sewing techniques too.

I do wish my Bernina had the larger bobbin. That would be awesome.

It has been my experience that more often than not (which means not always) you get what you pay for. For decades I sewed on my JC Penny branded machine circa 1978. I still have this machine but I never use it and really should get rid of it but I want a backup. Was this machine fuctional? Yes by all means it was. It sewed a decent stitch or so I thought. I decided I was worth an upgrade around 2000. I actually posted on an internet forum back then about it and everyone said "get a vintage machine". Well I had a vintage machine I wanted something better. I had heard of Bernina and decided to check them out. I bought my 153QE which was considered a mid-range Bernina and at that time they still manufactured them in Switzerland.
As soon as I got it set up and could really play with it I was amazed at how much nicer it was to sew on. Getting a perfect 1/4" was a breeze. Having a foot with 1/4" markings both in front and behind the needle made doing set in seams a walk in the park. Stitch quality was great and what a wonder to have a machine that didn't bog down when having to go over multiple seam allowances. The foot controller was so responsive. The knee bar for the presser foot is now a feature I can't live without. Same with being able to set the machine so the needle always stops in the down position and if I forget just tap the foot pedal once. Sewing on my Bernina as compared to my "vintage" 1978 all metal, all mechanical JC Penny machine was a dream! My enjoyment of sewing in general and quilting specifically increased exponentially and I could not for the life of me figure out why I waited so long. Not only did my enjoyment increase but the quality of my workmanship improved, greatly. I was empowered to try even more difficult patterns and techniques.

Do I use the fancy stitches or computerized features? Nope, hardly at all. 99% of my sewing is straight stitch. Occasionally I will do a ziz zag or a blanket stitch and very, very rarely will I use any of the fancy stitches. I have a longarm for quilting so I rarely use it for FMQ but I did before I got my LA. A quality machine with a price tag that is several hundred dollars to a couple of thousand, is not necessarily just fancy stitches and computerized embroidery. You have to also look at what the machine is capable of doing for the purpose it was originally designed to. Make a quality straight stitch and power through several layers. I can and have sewn leather on my Bernina. My JC Penny would bog down and skip stitches. I suspect some of the low end big box machines would as well.

A couple of years ago I went to visit my mom in Vegas and brought a quilt top to work on. She had a no name QVC el cheapo special of a sewing machine. I suspect when she got it she paid maybe $125 to $150 for it. I had been spoiled on my Bernina. When I sat down at that machine it was a nightmare. Now my mom doesn't sew really at all so I have no idea why she even bought this machine. Maybe to hem some skirts or something but IMHO she may as well have flushed what she paid for it down the toilet. Getting an accurate 1/4" seam was a nightmare. Getting two layers of quilting cotton to feed evenly was a constant battle. I told her sewing on my machine was like driving a fully loaded Cadillac while sewing on hers was like trying to drive a beat up jalopy that skipped gears and was out of alignment.

So what all this is meant to point out.... It isn't always fancy computerized features and fancy stitches that drive the cost of the machine up. Quality parts, engineering (no matter where it is manufactured, the manufacturing process has to follow the designs of an engineer), quality of materials that go into it all factor in. If a manufacturing facility in Taiwan is not outputting the machines to Bernina's high standards (or Janome, or Juki or whoever's name is going on the machine) they certainly won't keep the contract to do the manufacturing for long. Or the named company won't keep customers long.

I took a chance and purchased an older machine on Ebay. I purchased a Baby lock Ellure Pluss III, which is computerized and had all the features I wanted. I don't have good eye sight, so I wanted a reliable needle threader that worked all the time, not sometimes. Also the automatic thread cutter is a must now. I have the knee bar, but haven''t used it yet. I also wanted a dual machine that would do embroidery, and most important was dependable and made with metal parts. I made sure to purchase from a dealer with very good reviews on Ebay.

I paid $700 for the machine, and it came to me spotless with no problems at all. It was fully serviced before shipping. I have been very happy with this machine. The only thing that it is missing is a larger throat space. Perhaps down the road I may buy another machine with a larger throat, but not really pressing to me right now.

I find the Ellure a pleasure to sew with.

I don't use fancy stitches all that much and buttonholer even less often. I have several nice vintage machines which all work fine, but, I still like my Walmart/Costco version Brother machines for piecing. For FMQ I have a Brother PQ1500 which I really like. I've been dithering over a sit down mid arm, like a Q'nique but it doesn't come in a table anymore. Tried the handiquilter but I don't like the orientation. Same with the Juki sit down. Brother makes a sit down that can go either way, and looks exactly like the Q'nique, but, I really do like the PQ1500. I guess one day the answer will be made clear to me!!

Feline, I have the same Bernina and had the same previous experience with a low end Kenmore and the difference is night and day!

While I have a big box store brother which I love to death it is no where near the quality of my high end. You can just tell in the weight of the thing. My high end does have a ton of features are they must haves no because I use my little brother all the time and really don't miss them that much. They both have sewn very nicely so the quality is there but my high end handles thicker seams a lot easier. I do believe if you pay more your machine should last longer part wise as long as the computer doesn't go. That being said you can waste a lot of money on a machine that really does more than you need. There is a place for those little box store machines, and with proper care they can last a long time

My must haves are: good feed dog system, needle up/down, needle positioner, knee lift, start stop button, and large throat.(9 inches). Also very nice to have and things I would miss... integrated walking foot, and alphabet embroidery option... I use it quite frequently.

i would also consider warranty and dealer reputation.

I learned to sew on a Singer treadle and the my grandmothers Singer 201. Sewed on that till I got engaged and bought a Pfaff 1221. Sewed on that for 30 years then got a Janome 4800. Since then I've gathered off Kijiji 4 more 1221's , several FW 221& 222's and Singer 99(3) and some others.
What do I do on them.... straight stitch, zigzag and buttonholes. But prefer the Singer buttonholer to do those.
I just learn my machine to get 1/4" seam and don't really use any of the bells and whistles.
Ain't life grand!

my must haves that are most important to me are automatic needle threader, thread cutter, needle up and down.

I have several machines, but most of them have average throat sizes so the last new machine I bought in 2015 was a Janome 7700 and I bought it for the size of throat for quilting. I knew I could do lots of other things with the machine, but the throat size it what I was looking for.

You put the basic definition of features and techniques far more clearly than I did in a more roundabout way. Direct hit!

While working in the highly industrialized fashion industry using the sewing machines available there, I formed a more unique outlook on what works. Did you know they use only 2 basic types of machines? Industrial ones that performed a specific (usually a single type) of stitch or function (i.e. sewing on pockets. sleeves) over & over again semi or completely (less or more human input or guidance) automatically while sewing at very high speed or 2. Domestic ones manufactured for the home environment that do a multiple types of stitches options/functions. These home sewing machines (the same ones most here use) are used in sample rooms sometimes mixed with basic one/two stitch industrial machines making one or two offs limited sewing products like garments. These are proposed test samples or prototypes are created to see if the ideas(s) and sewing production methods/techniques are good enough to go into production.

IMO, the best machines for sewing the most accurate stitch and durability/reliability are the ones intended for industry use. Most homes do not want a probably more high noise generating hard to move or even hide sewing machine or worse a sewing machine that literally sits on a possibly leaky oil bath within their homes as they do not fit in so well in these er, more refined environments where people actually live. So I do as I did while employed there. I use basic sewing machines hovering not much more than $100 dollars, sews as few stitches as possible, keep them up by practicing good maintenance habits (cleaning & adjusting on schedule), and keeping them in hard cases to protect them from accidents (like cat puke) or dust/grime when not in use. Stitch quality? What's good enough for industry is good enough for me. I really do miss those industrial sewing machines though. I live in a 100% home environment now & an industrial machine would not get on very well here.

The Cheapo inexpensive ones seem to be good enough for the sewing project I just completed shown here in Pictures:

The Star Trek Delta Insignia Applique Final (For Now) Block Is Ready!

https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...y-t302686.html

In the end, whatever works for you!

The more perks on a machine the more I want it...I've progressed from low end sewing machines to vintage singers and then my baby computerized sewing/emb machine. The sewing part has 200 decorative stitches and I use them now that I'm into more art quilting. I use the emb part of quilt my quilts since I'm not that good unless it's a small piece at FM'ing large quilts. I love machines that do diff things i.e. Babylock Sashiko machine which only does a hand stitch look...had to have it so I got it...So it's just a matter "to each his own" and what your needs are.

I don't overthink what machine I want. I buy the one I want for the price I want to pay and forget it.