What is your most favorite feature on your sewing?

[Dawn S.]

I'm just beginning to look at getting a new sewing machine. And, I feel like a fish out of water! I had a Bernina for 25 years and then a Janome for the last 20 years. So, that is all I am familiar with. I love the knee lift! But, there are so many new features on the newer machines, that I'm not even aware of, that I wanted to ask "What is your favorite feature?" What would you miss the most? I LOVE all of the new lighting on the newer machines, and of course the larger harp area, for free-motion quilting a larger quilt.

Do you like the automatic thread cutter, does the automatic needle threader work every time, do you ever get bird nests, do have tension issues? Did you buy a new machine, and now you have to use a different brand of thread? (My 20 year old Janome loves ANY thread, it just has a tension issue when I use Sulky metallics.)

Anyway, I would love all input, good or bad about various sewing machines!

Thanks!!!!
Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Hannelore N.]

Easy to answer! 'Needle Down' would be top of my list.

[Lois B.]

I love needle down. I love my needle threader, although I have operator error with it often because I try to use it when the needle isn't in the default up position but somewhere in between. It doesn't work with #60 needles. I have a Janome Horizon. I love, love, love my dual feed. My dual feed works very much like a walking foot. I just discovered that I can use the dual feed foot to install zippers. As long as, the pull tab is out of the way one side of the foot just marches right on top of the zipper teeth and nothing slips. I make lots of bags and purses. It's great for quilting too. I also love, love, love spead control. I can sew through layers and layers and layers with no skipped stitches at a slow even speed. I like the big harp space. I am also addicted to my knee control for the pressor foot. I am using a Janome Horizon. Just so you know all these features I am telling you about are on their big straight stitch machine. It doesn't have dual feed, but you can get a walking foot for it. I bet it is much, much easier to sew consistently accurate 1/4" seams on it than on the Horizon. The feed dogs would be closer to the needle hole and they engage before the fabric reaches the needle. You can get a single hole needle plate for most machines but you can't move the feed dogs. I am looking forward to trying one at the next quilt show I attend. I'd give you the model number but if I search for it now I'd loose this post. I think is is a 1600.

[Betty J.]

I love the dual feed on my Bernina 830 LE. I love the ability to adjust the tension both top and bottom with ease. It sews with any thread if the tensions are set properly. The needle threader works every time on my machine except for the smaller needles (60) although I never use it for metallics or 100 wt silks. I would not like to do without the big harp space of the 830, but I know it is a prima donna and has a steep learning curve. I think there are other great machines out there besides Bernina, and I know Berninas are not totally perfect and the company isn't totally perfect, and they cost a lot. But I love Berninas in general. They work well, they do what they promise to do and they have a wonderful selection of feet. The right foot can make the difference in the sewing. My DIL just bought an 880, or rather my son gave her an 880 for Christmas. She is delighted with it.

[wendy w.]

Needle threader

[Nancy R.]

I have a couple of older Berninas, but the features that I can't live without are:

- automatic needle down
- a foot pedal that changes the needle/up down position with a tap of the heel
- knee lift

I use these features all of the time, no matter what I'm sewing.

[Dawn S.]

Thank you all for your input! I had forgotten that there is a foot pedal that will do a needle up, needle down. Good thing to remember and consider! I do have a knee lift and thought I could not do without it, but found a machine that has a front digital button on the screen that when tapped will raise and lower the foot. That sounded really good, since there are times when my sciatic hurts to do the knee lift. I do have a needle threader but not an AUTOMATIC needle threader. I do use really small sewing needles, like a Microtex 10. But, it sounds like, as long as I don't go down to an 8, I'd be okay.

And, a single needle hole plate would be great! THAT is something I haven't had in 20 years! I had also forgotten about that missing feature on my Janome 9000.

Thanks again!
Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

I do have Bernina 580, very happy with it.
needle down and up.
knee function.
Thread needle (half automatic).

you actually can see the features of almost each machine on youtube.

Good luck dear!!

[Dawn S.]

I love the ability to move my needle to the right and left incrementally.

[Dawn S.]

I have a Pfaff 150 Anniversary Edition. It has built in "walking foot" (Pfaff's IDT - Integrated Dual Feed) which is great for piecing and quilting. That and absolutely the needle down feature are my favorites. Probably most new machines come with the needle down feature.

Needle threader stopped working after about six months. Other quilt friends say theirs (on many different brand machines) always get out of alignment and when fixed, again stop working after awhile. I keep strong reading glasses by the machine for threading - cheap fix if you get a pair at the Dollar Store.

Most of all, if you buy a new machine, get it from a local dealer who can service it. Long term customer support is valuable. Go to the store and see what machines they feature and test drive a few. My decision was narrowed by the price - about $1,000. While all the fancy stitches are fun to look at (mine has about 200), I don't know why they bother with having more than a dozen on a quilting machine. Guess they want the machine to appeal to a broad group of sewers.

Kathy

[Rita C.]

Here's my list for a quilting machine:
Needle down/up
knee lift
Dual Feed - the dual feed on the Bernina is the same as the Pfaff. The Janome Horizon has a separate foot which has to be screwed on which is a PITA, inbuilt is better.
Good Harp Space - but it's not absolutely essential if you have needle down.
Needle threader - I had mine replaced on the Janome after 2 years and it's working fine.
In-built thread cutter - this is very useful lots of the time, but not when quilting because it leaves little whiskers at the back of the quilt which are also a PITA to bury.

I think Lois was referring to the Janome 1600PQC. This does seem like a very good straight stitch quilting machine as is the Juki TL98P which is also a straight stitch machine. I have seen both of those machines used as long-arm quilting machines on DIY frames. They both have needle down, and a knee lift and both do at least 1000 stitches per minute which is good for quilting.

As for a sewing machine, that's a different kettle of fish. All the bells and whistles are not necessary for quilting but I don't think I could live without a good blanket stitch and zigzag. The newer, and more expensive machines like the Janome Horizon and Berninas have a start/stop button just above the sewing machine foot so that you don't have to use the foot pedal at all. The hover feature for the presser-foot on the Bernina wins hands down (forgive the pun) because you don't have to either lift the presser-foot or use the knee lift to pivot when doing appliqué or sewing a corner. For you Dawn, this might be well worth it to save you from worse sciatica. Being able to move the needle in small increments is good as is being able to adjust the length and width of stitches. On my Janome Horizon quite a few of the decorative stitches could not be adjusted in length only width which was annoying. I love that the Bernina stitches can be stretched a lot.

Good luck with your decision Dawn. I am sure you will let us know what you decide to do won't you? :cheer:

[Rita C.]

things i recommend to my friends who want to get more into sewing than borrowing my wally world singer (bought for loaning to get people to sew with me) are from most important at top of the list:

needle up/down (a must have in my book, it's like having a third hand)

threader (our eyes are harder to change focus as we age, and seriously the newer needle threaders are much better than even four or five years ago)

kneelift (nice if you want to do more than just sew in a straight line, awesome for applique, and loads of stuff like sewing tight curves, art quilting, couching, and loads more)

a quarter inch foot available (makes consistent quilt patchwork much easier to get the hang of, lowers learning curve)

wider throat area (bump this up the list if you want to free motion or do quilt as you go projects)

? can you thread it, ask for a demo and ask them to let you do it too. Some machines are harder than others.

Sew on several to compare. Does one machine that fits your needs feel better than the others? Sometimes your machine will pick you.

[Dawn S.]

Again, thank you all! I expected to buy a Bernina, but the small Bernina store here does not even sell enough machines to offer financing, nor did they have the 880, that I wanted to try. Did you all know that 50% of the 830 owners out there have not been satisfied with it? It was a rush to market, to beat out a competitor, and had many bugs. The 880 is supposed to be the debugged model, but if I can't sit and sew at one, and there is no financing, it was not an option.

So, I headed to the Janome store with great expectations of sewing on a Horizon. When I walked in, there in front of me was an incredible, big, beautiful Brother machine. I spent two afternoons learning about and trying it. It does EVERYTHING you all mentioned above, and so much more. I wanted to be able to do the wonderful machine embroidery that Sarah Vedeler did on top of her Accuquilt cut appliqué designs on the TQS BOM a from few years ago. So, I was interested in a machine that did embroidery.

Anyway, I was offered a REALLY good deal, because they had just sold 2 of them and the third one in the same order, would be quite a cost break on each one. Also, with three being ordered, they got free shipping, which was another savings they passed on to me. And, I received 0% financing and lessons or help any time I want it, for life!

It is the Brother Dream Maschine Innov-is 8500D. And it is amazing! I can draw a quilting design, scan it right on the machine, and it will quilt it. Or I can draw it right onto the screen and quilt it. It has a built in camera, that can be used for perfect placement, a laser line for a perfect straight line or perfect 1/4" seam, and many other things. And........the feed dogs move sideways, as well as back and forth, allowing for a much wider decorative stitch without puckering or using a stabilizer. And, with this feature you can.......are you ready for this....stitch sideways. Like, you can stitch a square without turning the fabric, or using a long arm. Oh, the possibilities.

I have 4 young granddaughters, and this particular machine has a ton of Disney embroideries built right into it. Very large embroideries! It even says Disney right on the sewing machine. This is special to me because one of my daughters is a marketing manager in Los Angeles, and Disney is one of her clients.

I should get my sewing machine sometime next week, depending on the dock strike.

Over the moon!
Dawn

[Dawn S.]

Wow! Sounds brilliant Dawn. I can tell you are bouncing off the ceiling with your find. Can't wait to see what you get up to on it. :cheer:

[Rita C.]

Congratulations Dawn. I wish you and your brother a long and happy life together. :cheer: