I want to start researching new sewing machines. And no, the one above is sadly not mine. I think it is Sara's. Or maybe Nicki's. Then again it might be Kate's. It was brought to a quilting retreat – that's all I remember.
I am looking for an all purpose sewing machine. Not a ton of money. Not necessarily meant for quilting (although quilt piecing and the occasional machine quilting will be done on it). What I really, really want is a ruffling foot attachment. It can't be super complicated. I borrowed Nicki's old Bernina and couldn't figure out how to thread it, even after she painstakingly explained it to me, about forty seven times.
Any recommendations? Are refurbished machines an option? Or to be avoided?
To recap:
Must be inexpensive (under $500 or am I in fantasy land?)
Easy to learn
Uncomplicated
Ruffling attachment
Ability to machine quilt (not complex quilting)
In short like this, only with a ruffling attachment:
That one is Kate’s. The older machines have that fancier plate on the side. Mine is just straight lines. I have a book on Singer Featherweights I can show you, where it tells all sorts of interesting facts about them.
If you want a decent machine that will do zig zag and applique stitching, you should look into a Janome. They are very popular right now, and quite reasonable in price. I know some shops will let you pay in installments.
I have a Viking and I love it. Mine is from the 80s. You may look into buying a used one from a good dealer. There is a Viking shop in San Jose (Willow Glen Area) and they sell used ones. I’m not an expert but I know I would rather have an older quality machine than a new cheap one.
Well, first of all, no machine will come standard with a ruffling attachment. You buy those separate. All ruffling attachments are easy to use once you get the hang of it.
Any machine will do quilting to some degree. Most tabletop ‘quilt machines’ are called that solely because of the stitch package they offer, or they moight have an extra quilting foot. One of the things you may want to consider is, once you get more affleunt at sewing, will you be wanting more feet that allow you to do different things? Will you want more decorative stitches. I always tell people to think ‘down the road’, not just now.
If you think you may want to ‘expand your horizons’ so to speak, you’ll want to look at a newer machine so that those parts will be available for a long time.
However, if that’s not important and you simply want a basic straight stitch machine, then buying an older machine is fine. Buy one that you know can be serviced locally. Personally, I’m partial to the older Bernina models, but don’t buy a 700 – 900 series because they arent making parts for those anymore. An 1130 or a 1630 are good machines, and most people that have them for sale also have several feet. And, with Bernina, if you have an old style machine you can still get the old style feet. They still make them.
Regardless of what you get, you may want to be sure that there are no plastic moving parts. Plastic moving parts wear over time. Also, if you get a machine with metal moving parts, it’ll cut down on the vibration on your table (because of the weight), have less maintenance issues, and last you longer.
The one last thing I’d recommend is that you take a baxic maintenance/troubleshooting class when you buy your machine. You will be forever thankful, trust me. When you understand the basic things to look for when you’re having problems with your machine, having had that kind of class can save you in a pinch.
That’s my 2 cents worth…………….but then I did work for Bernina!lol.
I adore my old Singer Featherweight. It isn’t fancy and just does straight sewing. But it’s a gem!
Brenda
Is the Kenmore in the photo your machine? You can buy a ruffling attachment for it (I got mine on eBay) which might fill your need it the machine is in good condition otherwise. Otherwise, I’d echo the advice above to get a used machine from a nearby dealer – in your price range, you will get a better machine than if you bought new.
Buy the best machine you can afford! I am on my second Bernina (first a 150, then my beloved 640E), and I am constantly amazed at how well made they are. Look at a used machine from a reputable dealer. Dealer support is essential. See if there are Bernina activa’s that have been traded. Good luck! (Ruffler attachments can be bought on ebay for a reasonable amount of cash.)
My husband gave me a Janome Quilters Companion for Christmas a few years ago, and I absolutely love it. I sew quite a bit, being that I have a craft business & do several shows a year. I needed a good quality machine that did the basics & would sew through oilcloth & durable fabrics. I wouldn’t have thought of buying a Janome, but he did his research & found that these were very good machines, especially for the price. I think he paid around $275 for it. They do offer the ruffling attachment, but they are extra.
Ok, well, I fell in LOVE with a Brother at Costco for 179$…Iam teaching a new quilter, and she brought this Brother machine that she got for Xmas last year. I test drove it and WOW..The free motion quilting was soooo smooth! The machine is fairly quiet, and stitches nicely…
If I were starting out, I would SO buy this Brother!
Lemme go look up the name… CS6000i thats it. Costco had a higher grade one last year, a “9000” model. My neightbor just bought the “6000” one.
I just looked on Target’s site, and they have it. Check Walmart too…You can go to Amazon.com, and put in the Brother CS600i as a “search”
You will have to check around, see if you can get the ruffler attachment for it.
I bought a Featherweight on eBay, and the ruffler came in the attachment box. I was just lucky I guess!
Good luck, I hope this helped!
Gael… landgtino@sbcglobal.net if you need further info..
Here you go…Hope this works!
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-SA143-Machine-Ruffler-Attachment/dp/B0007XMDH8
Oppss…Here is the machine…..
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-CS6000I-60-Stitch-Computerized-Functions/dp/B000JQM1DE/ref=pd_sim_k_3
WOW! i’m a PC wiz!
I got a Janome DC3050 a few years ago and use it for quilting. The dealer I bought it from gave me a ruffler foot for free, but he gave a bunch of stuff just cause he is like that. I bought because it is a good all purpose machine with some fun extras. I like how it makes button holes…to fit the button! and it has some fun stitches. Janome is less expensive than Bernina and I love my choice though I do envy that special quilting foot the Bernina has and keep hoping that Janome will come out with one I can attach to my machine. I think it probably patented so I will just make due with my walking foot.
Hi again, and Merry Christmas!
I just got this email, so I’ll pass it along to you…Maybe you can find a Featherweight ruffler there..
Gael from Pink-a-Palooza!
http://www.april1930s.com/
I recently bought a Singer 301A on Ebay for 39.00. It is a workhorse and does fabulous free motion quilting. It is tan and not as grand as the black shiney version. I also have a featherweight. Very cute, but the 301…makes my heart sing. Good luck.
I use the following method to make ruffles…Piece together strips of fabric until you have the desired length. Fold in 1/2 lenghtwise and press. place the strip so that the long raw edges are even with the edge of the presser foot on your sewing machine. Set the machine to the widest zig-zag stitch possible and a longer-than-average stitch length. Lay a piece of dental floss, heavy thread, or baby yarn (I use heavy string or very thin ribbon) directly under the center of the presser foot so that the zig-zag stitch goes across, but not through the thread. Sew the length of your fabric in this manner. You can then pull on the center thread to gather the ruffles. Adjust the ruffles so that they are even along the length of the fabric. (if you hold tension on the string or ribbon the fabric will ruffle as you zig-zag…I’ve use this method on a lot of projects and have found this to be easier than a ruffler, which will wear out if you so alot of ruffling)