carolinacurl

Hi all, I have a question. I can't seem to find much on budget quilting machines. I want one that can applique, free motion, auto threader, cuts threads, and under a budget of 400. Any leads? My head is swimming from trying to find one online. Interested in Brother so far because of the jam proof bobbin.

Oh and open toe foot is important.

mic-pa

Sorry I don't think that is going to happen for under $400. You might want to rethink that .

QuiltnNan

you could only hope to find a used one at an estate sale, or try this one from wallmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-2...S3109/54789739
welcome to the board and good luck

IQ2

I have a Singer Confidence 7470 that my daughter bought for me on one of the shopping networks as a retirement gift 8 years ago. I learned to quilt on it. It's my only machine, I use it all the time and I still LOVE it. I see it selling for between $300 and $400. I quilt with a group of women who have mostly the very expensive machines and I absolutely keep up with them in every way. Additionally, the accessories are much less expensive than the ones for those machines.

meyert

Machines are expensive. I love Janomes. I have one that I can't believe I bought it cost so much and 2 other small ones that are much cheaper. They are great machines. I highly recommend them.

the small ones don't have the auto thread cutter and I can't say that I have FMQd on the small ones.. because I just go to my big machine for that. They do have the auto needle threader

Amazon does have my smaller machines for $399... but I have only bought from my local Janome dealer. I don't know how a machine handles being shipped - - - but I guess they had to be shipped to my local shop


https://smile.amazon.com/Janome-7330...A2GCBRHRQM6XX1

tessagin

Am so happy I have my 401 with the desk cabinet and it does everything.

SarahBethie

The Brother Laura Ashley models are feature laden and have received great reviews on Amazon. They come with lots of feet and can handle heavier fabrics. Although some machines go on sale for Christmas, they're usually the "best sellers" so to speak for Amazon. For example, Brother CS6000i or Brother Serger 1034D.

If you're looking for something right now, the most inexpensive options are CX155LA and CX205LA. I purchased the CX310LA earlier this summer. It was at a historically low price of $234. If you have your eye on a certain model set up a price tracker through Camel. That's how I scored the deal on mine.

In respect to shipping, the machine arrives in the same packaging the manufacturer used when delivering it to Amazon. I've purchased my sewing machine and serger through Amazon and both were well protected. Brother made certain they were well secured.

mea12

You have greater options if you can do without the auto thread-cutter...that feature drives price up but Janome and Brother both have everything on your list at $399 or less without cutter.

quiltingshorttimer

of the "cool" features, I'd opt out of the thread cutter and instead make sure that you get a Needle up/needle down feature and an auto-lock stitch. I have a Singer H74 that I bought at Tues Morning (actually got one for my daughter and one for me for travel machine) that has all those features and bought for $300. I did have to make adjustments to the drop in bobbin, but after that it's been fine. I also had a very cheap Brother ($80) from Walmart (gave to DIL) that didn't have those features but FMQ great--feed dogs would drop, hopping foot worked fine, etc. So I'l also say look at the Brother machines that Walmart carries too.

Onebyone

I would recommend the Brother pc420. I have the older model before it became a 420 Project Runway Model. It's excellent, has auto thread cutter, great applique stitches, auto needle threader, speed control and knee lift. Mine cost $250 brand new on Ebay. The PRW model is under $400. It's easy to set the default to be center instead of far left. Also needle up/down. Every feature on my must have list is on this machine. It's not a big machine and easy to move around.

I have a Brother 1500
A Bernina
A Janome
Singer FW and Singer Quantum and 301.

So my review of the Brother PC420 is not based on having this one machine.