New year.... new sewing machine

[Arloony]

Hello and Happy new year to you All.

Now I have played a little with my basic sewing machine in 2020 (Brother LS14 which I love) I thought it was time for me to move up a gear and get a more sophisticated one.

I hope you can help me choose the right sewing machine for me?

My budget is approx. £400

I managed to make small quilts with my LS14 (120x100cms) but I would find it tricky to make anything bigger with it so I am looking to have a big throat/arm perhaps? Which could also allow me to do free quilting?

I think this is for me the biggest improvement of the sewing machine I will be looking at.

I love that PFaff 260C but worry the arm size is still too small for bigger quilt?
When I say bigger quilt by the way.... I think the biggest I will ever make would be for a double size bed. No bigger.

pfaff 610 has a bigger arm but above my budget.... although I could stretch a bit.

Pfaff machines attracted me because they have a powerful motor.

Janome 5060 looks good too. But then again a bit above my budget.

How about Singer Stylist 9100?

Oh Gosh.....so hard to choose...!!!

Hope you can help me finding the right 2nd sewing machine for me?

Thank you

[Acorn]

I've voted Pfaff because I have one and love it, but I have to confess that I have never sewn on a Janome.

I will say that for quilting the longer arm makes a very big difference.

[Ploshkin]

Another Pfaff User here.  Even the less expensive models tend to have larger throat spaces than many other brands.  All Pfaffs also have IDT (dual feed) so no need for a clunky walking foot.
I have managed a 60" square quilt on my old Pfaff which had a 7" space

[maliw]

Phone Russell at Sewing Machines Direct and discuss what you want/need with him. He's great with advice and won't pressure you.
https://www.sewingmachines.co.uk
Must admit after many years of Brother machines I'm a Janome girl.

[Ohsewsimple]

Leave the Singers alone.  Dreadful things! 

[b15erk]

I have had my Pfaff for over 30 years and it's an excellent machine, but I also use a vintage Singer daily, and I'm about to lift my old Bernina 730 out for an airing later.

If you are looking for a modern machine, as others have said, take some advice and/or visit a bricks and mortar shop to try a few out.

Jessie

[Gernella]

If it hadn't been for the fact that my Pfaff Expression 2 is still working fine, I would have gone for the Pfaff 610 but since I wanted easily movable I've gone for the Passport 3.

I'm afraid I'm hooked on them, but not without having the IDT feature. 

[Iminei]

Im afraid that your budget might need to stretch a bit more to get the features you want for quilting .. the larger throat = larger machine ...

Im a Janome girl and my top of the line, as far as Im concerned, Atelier 7 has everything I want or need.

[Acorn]

I bought a secondhand Husqvarna Megaquilter for just under £200 last year, which is the same as the Janome 1600P (and a Juki whose model I've forgotten). 

It is an excellent quilting machine, with a large throat, but only does straight stitch, so if you want an all-rounder it wouldn't be right.  Secondhand can be an excellent way to go though as long as you're cautious about where you buy.

[Arloony]

thank you for all your comments

I still haven't decided lol.

So haaaaaard isn't it?

[Gernella]

So haaaaaard isn't it?

Never really had that problem with a sewing machine @Arloony decide what brand you are comfortable with then go for the best you can afford based on what you would normally use plus a bit more.  Works for me.  I've only ever bought one in a shop, the rest on line.  Plenty of videos on line to see them in action and look what you do.  Best value, a demo.

[Arloony]

Yes, I think you are right. Just going to go with my gut feeling and go with the PFAFF 260C at £350 approx. (which is already £300 more than I paid for my Brother LS14 bought 3 years ago but only used this year)

The only thing that was putting me off with this model was the throat (7") and No of stitches (27).

Ploshkin mentioned she managed to make a 60" square quilt with her 7" throat. So why can't I?

27 stitches is surely enough for me? Because you can amend the length and the width that will add to the number of stiches design...won't it?


One more question....where would you recommend to purchase 2nd hand sewing machines from? is there a dedicated website? or only the popular ones like Ebay? Gumtree? Shpock? etc...

[BrendaP]

For a basic machine 27 stiches should be plenty.  Zig-zag, triple zig-zag, serpentine stitch, lightning zig-zag, overcast/overedge and if possible the 2 forwards 1 back type of stretch stiches plus some some sort of buttonhole is really all you need in a sewing machine (as opposed to an embroidery machine).

The big problem with buying a secondhand machineis finding what you want locally.  They are heavy and need to be properly packed; there are so many stories out there about machines which get damaged in transit.  Also if you can find something near enough to collect you can (usually) look at it before you commit.

[Acorn]

Some of the sewing machine retailers will have machines taken in part exchange or ex demonstrators.  They know how to package them, and, particularly for the demonstrators, they are likely to have all the bonuses you get with a new one.  Finding a specific machine that way may be a challenge though.

[Gernella]

Just make sure when you buy second hand that it has the original box if you are not collecting.  Then the packing will be in the right places. You might even be able to up your original required spec @Arloony .