The Sewing Place

Are you brand hooked

Sara-S

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2021, 11:25:23 AM »
I don't know that (for me) it's brand loyalty so much as a desire for consistency.  All of my machines are by Brother.  Controls are similar as is foot pedal sensitivity. This was a big factor in my choice. 

My first Singer sewed just fine, but if I barely pressed on the pedal, it was off like a racer.  With my Brother machines, a similarly light press on the pedal can yield a single stitch, when I need it to.

Also, with embroidery machines, should you upgrade or own more than one, it makes sense to have ones that use the same file extension.  For instance, Brother and Baby Lock both take .pes files.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2021, 22:29:45 PM by Sara-S »
You can't scare me. I taught high school for 32 years.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2021, 11:52:03 AM »
I’ve had 2 Elnas but they aren’t what they were.  So my next one was a Pfaff 7550.  Lovely machine, still have it.  But when the buttonholes failed and it wasn’t worth repairing it, even with free labour at work, it was time for another.  I’d have gone for another Pfaff.  But we didn’t sell them and I got a very good deal on a Husqvarna SE.  I’d always fancied a Husqvarna and my friend had one and it is a fab machine. 

When I left work I was gifted a Husqvarna Designer Diamond Royale with just about every hoop, foot and accessory imaginable.  Would have been rude to refuse.   :)   It’s more user friendly than the SE and I love the screen.  But I don’t think the quality is quite the same as the SE.  would I have another?  Not sure.  Their customer service had become appalling.  To save money the new head honcho that came in a few years ago decided it was a good idea to stop making accessories and feet.  Genius!   We had sold quilting machines and then been told some of the feet weren’t available.   :thinking:

I don’t think I have a brand loyalty.  I will go with the machine that  does the job I want it to. 
I’ve tried quite a lot of machines over the years.  Some I’ve been pleasantly surprised with.  Others I thought I would like and on paper sounded good , have turned out to be a complete no no.  And within a brand some I'd have and others I wouldn’t give house room.

Acorn

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2021, 12:32:55 PM »
...When I left work I was gifted a Husqvarna Designer Diamond Royale with just about every hoop, foot and accessory imaginable...

Sorry couldn't see the rest of your post... 
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2021, 13:15:54 PM »
Sorry couldn't see the rest of your post... 
:laughing: :laughing:   Have you gone green @Acorn ?

Acorn

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #19 on: January 28, 2021, 13:19:26 PM »
Greener than a green thing that's really, really green.   :|   :laughing:
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Greybird

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2021, 14:23:00 PM »
I'm Husqvarna too. When my old 190 died I was heart-broken and never even looked at other makes. I had only a small budget and I went for the Husqvarna Emerald 118 because it had needle up/down. I've since been told that it was made under licence by Janome but 11-12 years on I am still very happy with it. It does everything I need it to.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2021, 17:48:28 PM »
Yes the cheaper end of the market isn’t made by Husqvarna.

BrendaP

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #22 on: January 28, 2021, 23:23:06 PM »
From what I've discovered on 'tinternet sewing machine brands come up or go down over the years often dependent on the parent company.  Generally SVP owned brands (Singer, Viking, Pfaff) are led by financial bods rather than engineers and as a result the machines are not always that good now.

I don't have any strong desire to get into machine embroidery and so I'm happy with my 20+ year old Husqvarna, a fairly basic electronic workhorse, but I know that if the electronics in it die it won't be worth repairing and I'd likely be looking at Juki or possibly Bernina as a replacement. 

Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Morgan

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #23 on: January 29, 2021, 00:52:52 AM »
I like machines that do what I want them to do, are reliable, a decent quality build and feel right under my fingers.

Whether vintage and simple or a TOL whizzy gizmo dazzler (and I do enjoy a gadget or two) if a machine appeals to me it doesn't matter what the brand is. 

Whilst not brand loyal, there are some machines/brands that never seem to attract me and a few that just don't 'feel right' to me.
  I've tried 4 different computerised Pfaffs and no they're not for me no matter how hard I try with them.

 I've also tried several Brother sewing machines, mid-range and TOL and Brother overlockers but again it's a no. 
However, Brother Embroidery Machines - V3, Stellaire and Luminaire - yes they're great.
If I was reduced to a choice between Janome & Brother it would be Janome for sewing and Brother for machine embroidery. 
 
Now Berninas - I love some of the vintage Berninas and if you gave me an 1130 I'd be your new BFF but as for the 3 different modern Berninas I  tried - let's say we didn't gel.
 
 I had a Bernina 1350 Overlocker/Coverstitch and sold it because the coverstitch was far too fussy.  However Iove the Bernina 1150 (fabulous machine) but having tried three Jukis - if I get another O/L , Juki here I come.  At the moment I have my first overlocker ever, a dinky little Bernina that I keep as a backup and I my main O/L Coverstitch - a Babylock Evolution.
 
I've had 3 Janome sewing and embroidery combination machines and still have 2 - I use one for sewing only and the other for sewing and embroidery.  Even so, I know I am unlikely to buy another Janome embroidery machine.  If my 15000 packs up or I let it go, then I shall probably get a Juki sewing machine and a multi-needle embroidery machine. 

Of course my Vintage Machines will stay, an Elna Lotus  Singer 201K and a Singer Featherweight   
« Last Edit: March 20, 2023, 10:05:23 AM by Morgan »

So Chic

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #24 on: January 29, 2021, 12:49:21 PM »
An interesting thread to see what others have had.  I started with a Singer treadle which cost me £16 - 3 week's wages.   My next machine was a Necchi 513 which my OH wouldn't let me take to Iran as it weighed so much and would cost a lot to air freight it.  He bought me a Frister & Rossman Cub 7 as a wedding present, and I sold this on our return to the UK.  I then bought a Viking 6370 which I sold to a friend.  I had seen a a Pfaff 1473 and, as I had had a very good bonus that year,  I bought one.  The Pfaff gave up the ghost during a sewing class and the shop lent me a Bernina 630, and I was hooked and haven't regretted it. 

I've also had three overlockers, the first being a 3-thread Husky which used round needles which were almost to buy locally, the local Singer shop would only sell me half a packet!  This machine was soon part-exchanged for a Pfaff and for some reason I never really got on with it although it worked well.  I finally ended up with a Bernina 800DL which I love.

 I don't think I will ever buy another machine unless a vintage Featherweight comes up at a reasonable price.
So Chic
Bernina Artista 630, Bernina 800DL, Janome Cover Pro 1000CP and an elderly Singer Touch & Sew 720G as a back up

Elnnina

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #25 on: January 29, 2021, 15:43:47 PM »
In a way I am, however I bought a Swiss Elna SU way back in 1975 and am still using this today at times, then I inherited my mother's Bernina 830 Record also purchased in 1975.  I bought my first overlocker in 1989 and that was an Elna - and at the time that made sense as I was using an Elna sewing machine - both were  excellent machines and sewed beautifully.  Then I had a hankering for an embroidery machine and accidentally came across a Bernina 200 machine that a dealer had taken in part exchange for the then new Bernina 830.  I was able to get this at an excellent price as well.  Then back in 2003 I was making my daughter's wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and my own mother of the bride outfit and the Elna overlocker started playing up big time, it had to go and I was unable to part exchange it because of its problems and then I bought a Bernina 1100DA overlocker - this was just three weeks before the wedding.  This overlocker is a brilliant little machine and is very well used.  I had a lovely elderly friend whose own ancient Bernina overlocker was old and creaky and was misbehaving and she felt at that time in her life she could not justify buying a new one, but she rather coveted my Bernina overlocker so as I had learnt that I could get an even better Bernina overlocker/coversticher - an ex demo and top of the range  model  the  2500 DCET at a favourable price, I agreed to sell my friend the smaller overlocker.  Sadly a few years later my friend passed away and knowing that she was terminally ill, she wanted me to have the overlocker back and thus it came back to me, and then found she had never used it whilst it was with her - so that is how I now have two Bernina overlockers.

This last year another friend lent me her Swiss Elna - exactly the same model as my own Elna, and at the moment she is not wanting this back.  The Swiss Elnas were indeed lovely machines and very quiet - rather like the Bernina machines.  I really do like these Swiss beauties and I am certainly hooked on them, and if I were to want to get another machine or change machines, then I have no hesitation on continuing down the Bernina line.

I learnt to sew at school and at home, my mother then had an old 1936 Frister Rossman - a very heavy machine, and at school I used to sew on Singers, treadle and electric, and again after hankering after a treadle as I just love the lovely slow pace of the treadle I now have a Singer 201-2 that is dual treadle and electric and an old 1925 Jones CWS machine which appears to be a small machine.

My very first purchase of a sewing machine was way back in the early 60's and that was an electric Cosson  a French machine but it was only a straight stitcher.

Greybird

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #26 on: February 01, 2021, 17:11:05 PM »
Having stated above how happy I am with my Husqvarna, I have been having horrendous problems with it, can't get it serviced in the near future and because I really need to use it, I have bought a new one - Elna!

Marniesews

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #27 on: February 02, 2021, 08:15:57 AM »
I have Bernina, Pfaff and Juki so not entirely devoted to a single brand but I am certainly brand averse to a few which I won't mention not wishing to offend any owners. I have a couple of pre 1955 Singers but I'm afraid one isn't in working condition and the other is rarely used.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Ann

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #28 on: March 16, 2021, 15:17:06 PM »
I am not brand hooked, I'm service hooked. I bought Husqvarna Viking (SE, Diamond and serger) due to the fabulous service I got from the dealer. The SE died and I cried as it was a beautiful stitching machine. The Diamond does fabulous embroidery but it's meh for stitching. The serger is a workhorse that I love.

In the past 11 years I have found no real great Husqvarna Viking service person. My Diamond will be 12 years old this fall so I'm retiring it to embroidery and piping in the next while. I am going for a Juki as I want one that will sew garments, doll clothes, do craft sewing and now I want to do some quilting. I am hoping I will find a service person who knows how to service this machine. Maybe the company I'm using now will be able to do it or will know of someone.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

WendyW

Re: Are you brand hooked
« Reply #29 on: March 17, 2021, 03:59:15 AM »
I've only had 3 sewing machines that got regular usage, and 2 sergers. I also have a cheap Brother "Project Runway" model I picked up at a thrift shop for my granddauther to use when she is old enough, my MIL's ancient Singer which is currently in storage, and a Singer 66 treadle machine. My mother's Singer Rocketeer 503A which I learned to sew on is waiting in wings for my future inheritance. 

I have zero brand loyalty to the sergers. First was a Riccar, VERY early in their domestic use. It was only a 3-thread and I had to practically stand on my head to thread it. It lasted 20+ years and by the time I replaced it, Riccar wasn't even an option as far as I could tell and I purchsed a Brother 3034D, in large part because my cousin worked for the dealer. I don't love or hate it. It does the job, but I'd love to get the old one running again just so I can keep one threaded in black and one in white.

My first sewing machine was a Viking, bought used in 1983. The very first purchase of significant cost that I made as an adult with a "real" job. Possibly a model 6030, definitely something of that era and family. It died when I was in the midst of making a collection of doll clothes for my then-5yo for Christmas.

It was replaced by a Pfaff 1467. THAT machine I LOVED. With the single exception of making crappy buttonholes, it was a dream machine. It performed every task I ever asked it to, and all with only about 3 maintenence visits over 20+ yrs. I wore it out. My daughter now has it. She only sews for minor houseshold jobs.

Because I loved the 1467 so much, I replaced it with another Pfaff about 3-4yrs ago. This one is a QE4.2. I do NOT love it like the other. It's too finicky and delicate in its preferences. Lint is way too much of a problem, but it can't be well cleaned out without a spa day. Just found out rather expensively how important that yearly visit is. However while it was in the shop, I still chose to await its return rather than use the other machines as back-up, so I guess there is some level of "love" there.  Before I bought this machine, I would have said I was a die-hard Pfaff-only fan, in part because I love the dual feed and they used to be the only brand that had that. Were I to go machine shopping again, I'd look at other brands that now have the dual feed.

I'm keeping my eyes open for a used Viking of the same era as my first machine. That machine made gorgeous 4-step buttonholes that neither of my Pfaffs have been able to come close to.