Machine hunting
03-04-2015, 06:33 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
Machine hunting
Hello!
Thank you for allowing me to join. My name is Mellisa and I'm from NW Iowa. I have been sewing for about 40 years or more, but last year was my first quilt. With two new grand babies (born within 5 days of each other), I had plenty of reasons to make quilts, blankets, and wall hangings! I even quilted bibs. What kind of machine did I start with? A Singer that cost about $100 from Walmart. Talk about a workhorse. I have made 8 baby quilts and two quilted play mats, about 12 quilted bibs with it. I have about 10 more projects in line. I came here hoping for advice on a machine that has a great even stitch, a few satin stitches and a bit more (I love applique work, too), free motion quilting, and if it did some embroidery I'd be in heaven. I only have a budget of $1200 to $1500. I wish I had the $5K to get the new midarms out there.
Any advice?
Mellisa Habeck
Thank you for allowing me to join. My name is Mellisa and I'm from NW Iowa. I have been sewing for about 40 years or more, but last year was my first quilt. With two new grand babies (born within 5 days of each other), I had plenty of reasons to make quilts, blankets, and wall hangings! I even quilted bibs. What kind of machine did I start with? A Singer that cost about $100 from Walmart. Talk about a workhorse. I have made 8 baby quilts and two quilted play mats, about 12 quilted bibs with it. I have about 10 more projects in line. I came here hoping for advice on a machine that has a great even stitch, a few satin stitches and a bit more (I love applique work, too), free motion quilting, and if it did some embroidery I'd be in heaven. I only have a budget of $1200 to $1500. I wish I had the $5K to get the new midarms out there.
Any advice?
Mellisa Habeck
03-04-2015, 08:23 PM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,481
Welcome from Ontario, Canada. Make a list of your "must haves" and look at all the name brand machines. If you have a big quilt/sewing show coming in your area, sometimes you can see several machine brands in one place. Take along a project so you can try out each machine brand. I have a Bernina right now but I started with a discount Singer machine and worked my way up over the years.
03-05-2015, 03:28 AM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,571
What Tartan said. I make a spreadsheet of all my 'needs' and 'wants' (labeled as such); brand; price; dealer info; etc. Everything that comes into play making your decision. Let your fingers do some internet walking and fill in the blanks. Then test drive. It's the only way to really know what plays nicely with YOU.
I currently have a Viking Platinum that I bought 10+ years ago. It's a work horse. I paid $1200 for it at the time. It will sew just about anything I throw at it from sheer curtain fabric to duck cloth.
I currently have a Viking Platinum that I bought 10+ years ago. It's a work horse. I paid $1200 for it at the time. It will sew just about anything I throw at it from sheer curtain fabric to duck cloth.
03-05-2015, 05:27 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 448
Do online shopping checking prices, what you like, visit thrift shops be surprised what you find there, shop around and purchase what suits your taste, shopping around is free, and some machine shops get you to try them out..
Some shops might allow you to rent them before purchasing, attend a guild near your area, look at what others use in their workshops..
Ask here also.. What works for another may not be what you are looking for..
Some shops might allow you to rent them before purchasing, attend a guild near your area, look at what others use in their workshops..
Ask here also.. What works for another may not be what you are looking for..
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