Portable Sewing Machines
09-09-2023, 02:19 PM
#11
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,227
I have a lot of machines, including two featherweights and some other vintage and some modern ones, and I have found that any basic Brother (I have three of varying age and functions) always work straight out of the box with no issues. Not fussy with thread, tension seems always good, etc.
09-09-2023, 04:36 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Washington USA
Posts: 4,433
I've never had a Brother iceBlossom, but have read so many posts that they work beautifully right off Walmart's shelf and out of the box.
I have an Eversewn Sparrow I sold my featherweight for, I wanted the threader, needle up-down/ and speed slider. I've used it for 5 years for travel in an old singer cabinet, and this summer revamped another old singer cabinet so I can use it for an alternate machine in the quilt room. I like it very much, today I'm using it in New Mexico, next week I'll be using it in Utah
And it fits all my Janome feet and bobbins.
I have an Eversewn Sparrow I sold my featherweight for, I wanted the threader, needle up-down/ and speed slider. I've used it for 5 years for travel in an old singer cabinet, and this summer revamped another old singer cabinet so I can use it for an alternate machine in the quilt room. I like it very much, today I'm using it in New Mexico, next week I'll be using it in Utah
And it fits all my Janome feet and bobbins.
09-10-2023, 03:48 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,271
I recently purchased a Janome HD3000. All mechanical, and plan to use it for a travel machine. It is a work horse. It is an excellent machine very close to your price point.
Also, consider checking the local shops in your new area, as we all know they have great deals on pre-owned and floor models that you may be able to take advantage of. Good luck searching, I hope you find just what you're looking for.🤓
Also, consider checking the local shops in your new area, as we all know they have great deals on pre-owned and floor models that you may be able to take advantage of. Good luck searching, I hope you find just what you're looking for.🤓
09-10-2023, 05:38 AM
#14
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,127
Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I have been surprised how well even the low end Brothers work. I had forgotten but the last new sewing machine I got was a quilting model brother from Costco. I think that was 15-20 years ago? That one did break down a few years back, plastic parts. The cheap Brother that didn't make the move I got even cheaper from Goodwill -- it was tag day and it was under $20, turned out the bobbin winder didn't work and the sidewinder I got was as much/more than the machine, but I still have the Sidewinder! When my Bernie needed repair during Covid, the low end Brother did fine for mask making, Bernie the Bernina btw, was given to me by my decades long friend in Arizona. She is a Bernina fan but just didn't like the 820.
Back to the Brother.. I was at a Brother Dealer (Issaquah, WA) with my friend who has one of their expensive high end embroidery machines -- I forget what her issues/reason was on why we were there. I decided I wanted to buy some bobbins and asked a clerk to find the appropriate size since the model numbers were very slightly different than my Costco Special (which had it's own code). I was told "if you are going to buy a cheap machine, you can't expect help here". I was in the store, had money to spend and buy their overpriced bobbins which would fit my machine and all they had to do was look up the number, but no... I was treated rudely instead and never went back for any reason. BTW, my friend also had a higher end sewing Brother whose bobbins were slightly different than the embroidery bobbins and that caused all sorts of problems until eventually she threw out all her bobbins and bought new ones, marking the sewing ones with sharpies.
I sort of wanted a new machine (this is only my 2nd ever. 3 if you count the store model cam machine I bought in 1980ish just as machines became computerized) and felt for a secondary light duty travel machine that my budget was reasonable. I will be looking at used/floor models when I start looking for a quilting machine. I ordered an Eversewn Sparrow 15, which arrived on Friday, including the extra quilting foot, it was under $200. It was so cute and unexpected that when I got it out of the box, it had a strip of cloth showing it's stitches and a remnant of thread showing the threading path -- just like my repair guy does back home.
Hope to get some time to play with it today -- yesterday is a long story about the hubby's truck, looking for garage sales and having an alternator fail with no previous warning. Hooray for AAA!
Back to the Brother.. I was at a Brother Dealer (Issaquah, WA) with my friend who has one of their expensive high end embroidery machines -- I forget what her issues/reason was on why we were there. I decided I wanted to buy some bobbins and asked a clerk to find the appropriate size since the model numbers were very slightly different than my Costco Special (which had it's own code). I was told "if you are going to buy a cheap machine, you can't expect help here". I was in the store, had money to spend and buy their overpriced bobbins which would fit my machine and all they had to do was look up the number, but no... I was treated rudely instead and never went back for any reason. BTW, my friend also had a higher end sewing Brother whose bobbins were slightly different than the embroidery bobbins and that caused all sorts of problems until eventually she threw out all her bobbins and bought new ones, marking the sewing ones with sharpies.
I sort of wanted a new machine (this is only my 2nd ever. 3 if you count the store model cam machine I bought in 1980ish just as machines became computerized) and felt for a secondary light duty travel machine that my budget was reasonable. I will be looking at used/floor models when I start looking for a quilting machine. I ordered an Eversewn Sparrow 15, which arrived on Friday, including the extra quilting foot, it was under $200. It was so cute and unexpected that when I got it out of the box, it had a strip of cloth showing it's stitches and a remnant of thread showing the threading path -- just like my repair guy does back home.
Hope to get some time to play with it today -- yesterday is a long story about the hubby's truck, looking for garage sales and having an alternator fail with no previous warning. Hooray for AAA!
09-11-2023, 06:28 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Kansas
Posts: 4,436
She's a cute little machine, Ice blossom! Please let us know what you think of it. I'm considering getting either a Brother or an Eversewn Sparrow for my daughters. My one requirement is a speed controller for little fingers. I have a Costco Brother with the speed controller and both sewing aged girls (ages 7+6) love it so I'm looking around for a second. My vintage singers are too fast for their comfort!
09-11-2023, 07:20 AM
#17
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,127
One of the big reasons I went with the Sparrow instead of the Brothers is that it is I feel is it more sturdily built/more metal parts. And also that it was reasonably speedy!
Haven't gotten it past setting it up but it felt pretty good in my test stitching, wasn't too shakey or loud. When I was using the low end Brother it (and the floor pedal) would move all around until I finally got a rug/anti slip mat for both. I can say that an application of blue tape to hold the machine in place also worked!
My friend with the high end Brothers really like the speed controls and typically used the push button start/stop instead of the foot pedal.
My Sparrow 15 is the basic low end mechanical option of the brand, it does not have a speed setting other than the foot pedal, or the stop/start button -- but the 25 has both of those and more. If I was getting a machine for more all around use, I think the 25 is a good option, but for my basic 1/4" portable needs, the 15 was the model for me. The QE that I think Kalama has, while not as heavy as Bernie (very few things are) but is about 5 pounds heavier than the 15 -- but it has the options to be worth it.
When/if I look at replacing Bernie, I have a different set of criteria. The deep throat has spoiled me but if I also have a long arm, maybe I don't need a aircraft carrier sized deck! But I love the knee pedal for foot up/down and the automatic thread cutter on Bernie. I know some people have problems with their thread cutters (too long or too short) but Bernie is just right! I find myself much more willing (for whatever reasons) to do partial seam techniques with the thread cutter.
The light on the Sparrow is not quite as bright as I hoped but it is in a good spot and I was able to figure out the threading assist without using my readers. The library meeting room we are meeting in has good lighting, between it and the machine I will do fine. One of my many vision issues is it takes quite a bit for me to change my focal length, that is if I am looking closer or further away and changing from my driving glasses to readers gives me headaches if I don't give it enough time. I will probably be using readers most of the time I am sewing, but it's nice to know I can set up and rethread fresh from the drive.
The 1/4" quilting foot is taking the long way to get here... ordered at the same time as the machine, it was supposed to be here Friday and the machine today but looks like we switched deliveries or something. There is a dealer about 30 minutes away, for any other parts I'll probably just make the drive.
Haven't gotten it past setting it up but it felt pretty good in my test stitching, wasn't too shakey or loud. When I was using the low end Brother it (and the floor pedal) would move all around until I finally got a rug/anti slip mat for both. I can say that an application of blue tape to hold the machine in place also worked!
My friend with the high end Brothers really like the speed controls and typically used the push button start/stop instead of the foot pedal.
My Sparrow 15 is the basic low end mechanical option of the brand, it does not have a speed setting other than the foot pedal, or the stop/start button -- but the 25 has both of those and more. If I was getting a machine for more all around use, I think the 25 is a good option, but for my basic 1/4" portable needs, the 15 was the model for me. The QE that I think Kalama has, while not as heavy as Bernie (very few things are) but is about 5 pounds heavier than the 15 -- but it has the options to be worth it.
When/if I look at replacing Bernie, I have a different set of criteria. The deep throat has spoiled me but if I also have a long arm, maybe I don't need a aircraft carrier sized deck! But I love the knee pedal for foot up/down and the automatic thread cutter on Bernie. I know some people have problems with their thread cutters (too long or too short) but Bernie is just right! I find myself much more willing (for whatever reasons) to do partial seam techniques with the thread cutter.
The light on the Sparrow is not quite as bright as I hoped but it is in a good spot and I was able to figure out the threading assist without using my readers. The library meeting room we are meeting in has good lighting, between it and the machine I will do fine. One of my many vision issues is it takes quite a bit for me to change my focal length, that is if I am looking closer or further away and changing from my driving glasses to readers gives me headaches if I don't give it enough time. I will probably be using readers most of the time I am sewing, but it's nice to know I can set up and rethread fresh from the drive.
The 1/4" quilting foot is taking the long way to get here... ordered at the same time as the machine, it was supposed to be here Friday and the machine today but looks like we switched deliveries or something. There is a dealer about 30 minutes away, for any other parts I'll probably just make the drive.
09-11-2023, 07:51 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,399
Iceblossom, I when you get to replacing the Bernina, I am really liking my Bernina 590 right now and I do believe Bernina has a trade-in deal going on till the end of September. They will take any machine, any age, any condition for 25% off a new Bernina even their longarms. I am planning on using my 590 mainly for embroidery (doesn't do the biggest ones because it is a shorter neck than the 790) and for free motion and ruler work. I have put my Bernina 475 in the cabinet to use as my main piecing machine as it has the 5.5 mm feed dogs and it is so simple to get a good 1/4 inch seam where fabric can feed on both feed dogs smoothly. Big quilts will be done on my APQS Lucey. Test drive them if can!
