torienby

Bought a minimatic 707 this morning on Ebay! I've already got two Singer 201Ks (aluminium bodies) and a 222K (maybe three 99Ks, and a few more too), but I've justified it by saying that I need the zigzag :P (I did just get a Singer Swiss zigzag attachment though) and that my mother might enjoy it for when she and my father take the caravan away for the weekend. Has anyone quilted on the minimatics? I suspect it shouldn't be a problem for small projects, but I was just curious if anyone has any tips/tricks to get the best out of the machine.

Mickey2

I agree, you need a good swing arm zigzag and the freearm is hard to live with out. There's all kinds of feet for the old Berninas, just make sure it's the old type (I think some of the current produciton models still use them, but I'm not sure). The Swiss zigzagger for the straight stitchers is the best, but I mostly use it as a walking foot, as a zigzagger it's a bit more cumbersome. There are even feed feet for the vintage Berninas, but they tend to be expensive.

I have not quilted much on my Bernina 730, or much free motion in general, but it does it fine. It has the same tensioner and bobbin case-race-hook as your minimatic. The tension is rather forgiving on these models, but as you know much better than me; you need the right needle and a good thread for the job. My focus was mostly on even hand movements and steady speed. I'm not sure the limits of layes and batting, but I think it has much the same foot lift as the old Singers. A 201 in a cabinet is ideal for larger quilts though, the flat bed makes it a joy to work on. The smaller minimatic has it's limits regarding harp space.

quiltedsunshine

You've got a great little machine! It does need the "old style" presser feet, but you can still get a great selection.

There are 3 ways you can quilt on your 707. #1 is free-motion, which you'd need a #9 darning foot for.

#2 is with a walking foot. I've done some of my best quilting on my home machine with a walking foot. The stitches are always so even and you'd be surprised at how tight of a turn you can make with a walking foot. The price is scary ($160 or more), but I don't know how I could live without my walking foot.

#3 is the Westalee Ruler Foot and templates. I've got a woman in my Home Machine Quilting Club with a Bernina 830 (very similar to your machine), and she is really going to town with the rulers. You'd need a #77 half-shank adapter with the Westalee low shank ruler foot. Bernina makes a really great ruler foot (#72), but they haven't made it for the older machines.

It really helps to have as big a table space as you can. Your slide-on tray is good for small projects, but the bigger, the better. It also helps a ton to wear quilting gloves. My favorite is "Machingers." They fit snuggly at the tips of your fingers, and they're made with a stretchy, mesh fabric that breathes.

Have fun with your machine!

torienby

If I'm being honest, I do have some decent modern machines with free-arms and more stitches than necessary, but there's something about the older machines (especially the 201s, and the portables) and their stitches that just make them an absolute pleasure to sew with! I also have a 201 in a cabinet; I agree that they're a joy to use for larger quilts. I use the Swiss zigzagger mostly as a walking foot as well; it's brilliant for that purpose.

This is more for when I can't use that machine (it's my daily-drive so to speak), such as when I'm downstairs watching our puppy, or studying, etc. I love my free-arm featherweight, but being able to finish seams without going to the serger/overlocker as well is a huge plus. I've never worked with the Bernina Records before, or the minimatics, so it's great to get the advice on them Thanks!

torienby

Thanks quiltedsunshine! I'm very excited to use it. A larger table space is definitely useful, since it's only got the smaller table and I won't be able to realistically have a consistent workspace for it, it'll mostly be used for smaller quilts. I've got quilting gloves, and they're definitely a help Thanks for the advice on feet; I'll have a look for some, though the walking foot may have to wait (university student budget). I'll definitely grab a darning foot for it; I really only free-motion, so it'll likely be adequate for now. Thanks again!