pflum1

I piece on a Featherweight, don't think anything will match the pretty stitches, except a treadle. Both are straight stitch machines.
I love my Pfaff with IDT built in walking foot and I can do a full size quilt on it. Anything bigger than a full size is hard to do on a regular sewing machine. I don't care how big the harp is, at least that has been my experience. I've set up all kinds of tables trying to work a large quilt, but have never been real happy.

ndlurker

I sew on a "vintage" Rikkar. It does awesome. My parents gave it to me in high school. I bought my husband a machine at an estate sale for $20. It too works great. No fancy stitches, but otherwise they work well. If you can't afford it, go for an older machine.

ndlurker

I sew on a "vintage" Rikkar. It does awesome. My parents gave it to me in high school. I bought my husband a machine at an estate sale for $20. It too works great. No fancy stitches, but otherwise they work well. If you can't afford it, go for an older machine.

BellaBoo

The machines I use and have set up:

Singer Quantum
Singer Featherweight
Singer 301
Singer 15 in cabinet
Janome Gem Gold (2)
Brother 1500 straight stitch

I have not had one bit of trouble out of any of them. The machines that caused me one day of hassle, I got rid of.

All of these were gifts except the Singer Quantum and one of the Gems. The Singer 15 is the best paper piecing machine. I use it just for paper piecing. Stitches go as short as 30 per inch. The paper literally fall off at that short length. One of the Gems stays in my car for guild/workshops/classes. My DGD and DD uses the other Gem when they are here. The Quantum has the decorative stitches. My FW is for cuteness and the 301 is for heavy duty sewing and no hassle what thread I use piecing. The Brother 1500 is for piecing and FMQ. I gave many yard sale/thrift store find machines to the local 4H and Girl Scouts. They need machines that if they mess them up it's not at the expense of someone's tears.

tazzyMae

i have a phaff 2140 for classes, a viking se for sewing, and a babylock elisimo for embroidery, love them all

SewhappySue

I absolutley love my Janome 4623L, and especially the option of speed control as I do tend to get a little varried away somedays lol Mid price range but the space is enough to quilt without being too squashed, overall a fab little machine.

writerwomen

Depends on your desire. We refurbish machines so I have had the privilage of many and would recomend certain ones on their qualities according to the sewers wants. You have a huge spectrom and depending on how heavy you work the machine and how much you plan to embelish will dictact your course.

JudyFeist

I love my Bernina 903, bought in 1984. It is heavy, all metal and has everything I need, except I want to buy a walking foot, absolutely necessary for machine quilting. I bought a Janoma Gem Silver when I started going to classes at the local quilt shop. I would recommend that you go to the LQS and spend some time on the different machines available, all brands before deciding. I have heard a lot about the Viking Husqvarna, Brother, and all the others, so try them out.

Rumbols

I have: Bernina 440EQ
Janome 6600
Brothers Pc 420
Janome 760 Gem
Brothers cs6000i
Singer Fw 221-1
Singer 401a
Singer 403a
Singer 99-k
Singer 66 (1932 hand crank)
Singer 66 (1917)
Singer 15
Brother window matic
Husquarna Viking 6440
3 or 4 Kenmores from 1950-1970

I love them all but I use the Janome 6600 because of the large harp area for quilting and all the others for piecing and decorative stitching.

I am sure you are on overload with this info. Just take a breath and think just about what you want your machine to do and what you haven't done that would be interesting in trying and put a list together. Then visit the shops and test drive everything before making up your mind. Have fun trying them all.

smcfadden

I bought a Babylock Melody which has a big throat space for quilting. I love it! I hadn't bought a new sewing machine since I got a basic Montgomery Ward one 25 yrs. ago. It's amazing what they do now. It does some 30-40 decorative stitches, but I keep thinking someday I may get an embroidery machine!