I have a Brother Innovis 4000D 4 years old. Christmas gift from my husband. I used to sew project to project with my machine put away for months. In the four years of ths machine I sew every week and it would be every day if I wasn't still working. I have my own room. I have a stash. I have a design board. I have years of projects in my head and sketched on paper for future consideration. I want a 2nd machine. I'm thinking quilt making and piecing, queen size quilts maybe.... Free motion machine I could use on a frame. What kind of machine would complement my Brother for this purpose? and what kind of a frame. Keep in mind I would have never spent the $4000 for my machine had it not been a gift, and it can't be a years salery now that I'm about to retire. I'm 60.

I don't like having to go from embroidery to sewing and back on my Brother when I'm making a project so the 2nd machine has to be a sewing work horse too. What would be great for sewing and to put on a home frame? Machine? Frame?

I recently added a Juki 2010Q to my business. There's a review on my website if you're interested. At $750, it is an outstanding machine for piecing. In fact, I like it for that better than either of my Berninas.

http://www.createdbycj.com/from-my-s...-tl-2010q.html

While the throat space isn't huge like a longarm, or even a midarm, it is larger than a standard sewing machine, and its predecessor (TL98Q) is well loved as a machine to be used on a frame.

good luck with the search it is so hard to decide

What I have done is make a list, similar to the things you have listed above, and take a road trip to local dealers....make a commitment to yourself that you aren't going to buy a machine until you have visited "X" number of shops and thought about it. With list of things you want in a quilting machine go looking. You will learn something new at each shop and you will find the machine and the deal that best suits your needs.

Some additional things to consider adding to your list:

Service - Do they do their own servicing and are they a factory authorized sales and service center?

Classes - Do they offer classes with the machine, how many and for what duration?

Financing - If it is more than you want to pay right now, is financing an option? Many are offering 0% for 6 months to encourage larger purchasing....

Purpose - Are you going to be using it for just your own pleasure, or are you hoping to go into business to earn additional income or even just support your habit?

Good luck!

I have a Janome 9500 for embroidery and fancy stitching and buttons. My Janome 1600 P-QC is my work horse. I piece and quilt on it. Also mending of jeans. There is nothing it can't sew. If it fits under the foot it will sew it. I never had it on a frame but toms of people do. My Tin Lizzie will be here tomorrow.

People also use Juki 98 on frames, but I never tried one. My janome dealers are so close it just made sense and Janome has a good name.

I'm in total agreement with CJ about the Juki 2010. I got mine the first of the year and OMG...what a dream machine. It made all the difference in my FMQ. Plus it will fit on a frame for frame quilting. Best $750 I have spent. I do my piecing on a Pfaff 7570.

I bought a gently used Handi Quilter when the former owner upgraded. I love it! I had my own table made to accommodate the space I have. I did end up getting the computerized portion on sale.

The HQ folks are great. They are always available for any questions I might have. One friend called them to help her troubleshoot her machine instead of having a service charge.

Now, what I want is a 'real' house with room for my HQ to be fully extended. I live in a nice townhome but the only place to fully extend the HQ is the garage. In Arizona, that would mean heating and a.c. to the area. It would be easier to find another home.

I do dream a lot.

ali

visit the next large quilt show and look at all the machines.

Im going to a quilt and sewing expo in Puyallup, WA the first weekend of March. I'm hoping to see lots of machines and frames as well as talk to as many people as I can find that will listen to me to help make a decision. Thanks so much to all for your imput.