Jill Chasens

Hi everyone! I am a new member, new to quilting and am determined to not get bogged down by trying to use the wrong equipment for the job. I am 61 and have always wanted to quilt (modern and colorful) so no time like the present. So far I have made two tops, sandwiched one and am ready to machine quilt.

Delima: I have 3 sewing machines that I have fallen heir to and have various levels of experience/love/frustration with. All have been serviced and are in good working order I am just looking for advice as to which machines for what task and if, as a quilter, if any of them are just not up to the task.

1. Singer 221 - Was my mom's, sews like a dream, love her, and I have done all my piece sewing on her. She is a keeper - no question.

2. Elna supermatic* - It does not have the 'free arm' that I have seen in photos of the Elna when searching and there does not seem to be any other info on the machine itself. I know my mom (who was an amazing seamstress but not a quilter) loved it, but I have found it to be persnickety as to stitch tension, and just behavior issues that, not being a very experienced sewer, have frustrated me.

3. Necchi BU Nova with Wonder Wheel - I have no manual and right now can't even get it off zig-zag. Wow, that was a sad confession. I know this is a beast of a machine and the motor is powerful, but is it a winner in the quilting machine contest?

Basically, other that the Singer 221, are either of these worth getting over the learning curve and using for quilting or am I better off saving my pennies and investing in a medium-arm machine that will be less frustrating and serve me well into the future? I do see large quilts in my future, so that is a consideration. No long-arms for me though. Since these are all vintage machines, I figured I would go to the experts. Help!