Why did you choose your Sewing Machine/s?

[QuilterLynn]

I started sewing in the late 70's when my mother decided she was semi retired from dressmaking...for her daughters, she was outnumbered with 12 daughters to sew for! That meant that if any of us wanted a dress, skirt or a blouse then we had to make it, with her help. She let us use her old kenmore it set in its own table. She taught us the fundamentals of mending and every summer we spent it mending our uniforms for school, we all attended the parochial school. And then the girls high school.

I didn't get a machine until 2001. It was a Brother machine from Wal mart and it is still a work horse. It does the basics and was good for the Home Dec sewing that I started off with. then I discovered SQ and off I went on a new journey. My second machine is also a walmart special 'cept that I can drop the feed dogs for FMQ! Woohoo! In 2004 my dear DH bought me my Brother PQ1500 and whoo did my quilting take off! Last year he became interested in embroidery and purchased a discounted brother embroidery machine. He says "my" sewing studio is complete. He enjoys FMQ and prgramming the embroidery.

The affordability of these machines made my decision easy. Especially when the lqs services Brother machines beautifully. I tend to be loyal to a brand, regardless of where I made the purchase. I haven't had any problems with any of my machines.

[QuilterLynn]

I started sewing with my grandmother when I was in grade school. I still have my pouch that I made for my jacks.(I don't know what machine she used.) I sewed clothes at home on my mother's Singer. Then went off to college with my own Kenmore. I got a Brother ZA350 when I had my first baby, no longer making clothes, I was now in to home decor. Then I discovered piecing and quilting in 1995 and got my first Bernina 1530 because the dealer had a great reputation along with the machine. I got a Virtuosa 153 several years ago when it got to be too much to try to take a machine back and forth to our cabin in Colorado(1530 now lives in CO). And in June I got an Artista 640E because I wanted the BSR. The bernina dealer is great. The son is now in charge, but they still give excellent service. I plan to give my Brother to my dd when she asks for one. It still runs great too! Elizabeth

[QuilterLynn]

I have a Walmart Singer I bought ($80) when I started quilting. Still works great. I have an "accidental" 1968 Pfaff...bought an antique cabinet with a surprise inside-the machine, original owner's manual, lay-away reciept, and accesories. Had it serviced and cleaned and it runs like a dream. Latest machine is a 1948 Singer Featherweight from e-bay. It also runs like a dream. I use all three of my machines and wouldn't part with any of them!

[QuilterLynn]

I flunked out of Home Ec, hated sewing with a passion, and had no desire to go anywhere near a sewing machine.

When I started dating my husband in my 30's, we passed by a quilt shop one day, popped in to take a look, and they happened to be a Bernina dealer. DH became so entranced with the Artista 170 and 180 machines, that we we walked out with a 170, complete with embroidery unit. He played around with it for a week or 2, and then it simply sat there.

It sat, untouched, for nearly 4 years, when it was MY turn to decided I wanted to make a quilt. Anyway, that's where I got my first machine, I "inherited" it from my hubby. I've never sewn on anything else. I have no desire to try another brand... it was a long hard struggle for me to learn to sew! Now, that's all I do. :lol:

Have you "Tinkled" today?

[kmouse]

I started sewing in home ec and loved it even though my garment was really yucky. I just like the process. I sewed on my mom's cast iron Kenmore in a cabinet. Worked fine but you just didn't notice machines or even change needles until they broke.

Got a little Brother portable when I graduated HS and loved it. It had its' limitations, but then so did my sewing. When I married, I started sewing for my DSD and newborn son. I then decided I wanted to sew and sew well. Every Christmas, birthday and anniversary gift was designated for sewing classes from Eunice Farmer Fabrics. As I learned to tailor, my trusty little Brother was showing that it couldn't keep up. DH told me to go shopping for a machine. I ended up with a New Home TOL and used it until I walked into a quilt shop that sold Berninas. I thought, "quilting will be a cheap hobby, I can use my scraps". After working at the shop a short time, I ended up with the 1530 and it's been Bernina ever since. I now have a 200 updated to 730 along with the HQ machine with sit down setup for large quilts.

Quilting certainly hasn't been "cheap" but it is by far the most creative thing I have done. There is always something new to learn...techniques, design, embellishment and, of course, technology. I guess, depending on your sewing, everyone may have a slightly different dream machine.

[MontanaGramma]

I started sewing in home ec and have loved it ever since. When we got married my mother-in-law gave me her old Singer - I would guess it was a model from the early 50's and all it did was a straight stitch, but I used it for years. Finally in the late 80's I really splurged and bought a Kenmore. I always dreamed of having a Bernina but thought I would never be able to spend that much on a machine. Then I discovered quilting and in 1995 my DH bought me my first Bernina as a Christmas gift. Once I sewed on it, I was hooked for life Then last year DH surprised me again and bought me the 730 for my birthday/Mother's Day present.

[BethMI]

I began sewing on my Mom's old Necchi and then got a VERY basic Singer as a high school graduation gift. I'll bet I was the only girl in my dorm who took a sewing machine to college!

That machine eventually tanked, and I bought myself a new Singer which worked pretty well while my kids were growing up. I made a LOT of Halloween costumes on that sucker. Toward the end, tho, I had to allow 2 weeks on all projects so I could take it in to get the inevitable breakdown repaired. Very frustrating!

The coup de grace on that Singer was in 1999, after I took up quilting, when I took my first machine-quilting class and realized that I could not drop those feed dogs. Nothing I did could compensate for that -- not a business card taped over the feed dogs, not ignoring the problem, etc. No free motion quilting for me! UNACCEPTABLE!!!

Luckily, my mom had just left me some money and I knew she would want me to buy something with it that would be special. Voila! I went shopping for my "ultimate machine." I fully intended it to be a Bernina, but none of the dealers I visited could ever get their machines to work right - tension, etc. It seemed like a lot of money to spend on a machine that was that persnickity.

Meanwhile, one dealer showed me the Pfaff, which I had barely even heard of before. It was love at first sight. That thing sewed like a dream. The stitch was beautiful, and the integrated dual feed made everything SO consistent and easy! Much to my surprise, after a month and a half of shopping, I walked out with my Pfaff 7530. To this day, 9 years later, it is a gem. Reliable, consistent stitch, versatile, sews through anything, pretty cheap to maintain, etc. Free motion quilting is a breeze.

Sure, I lust after the new options that have become more common: a stitch regulator for free motion quilting, automatic thread cutting, knee lift, etc. But I'm sure that my Pfaff willl be sewing great 20 years from now, and in the meantime, I can use all that $$$ for more fabric and quilting books (my personal downfall!).

Someday, I may hand my Pfaff down to my daughter and "trade up" to a newer model, but for now, I am satisfied.

BethMI

[BethMI]

If we do not have all the bells and whistles that the new machines have we LEARN TO USE OUR BRAINS AND WE LEARN THE HAND EYE COORDINATION that is needed for quilting. Basically we need a straight stitch for piecing and drop feed dogs for FMQ. Maybe a walking foot for stitch in the ditch unless you cheat like me and do the serpentine stitch that my basic Kenmore has for all my utility quilting.

[BethMI]

For those who have old machines that won't drop the feed dogs, I want to let you know that you can do free-motion work without dropping them. If you put a free-motion foot on your machine, and set the stitch length to 0, put a quilt sandwich under the foot and start running your machine, you can do free-motion without any problems. You don't have to cover the dogs. Women used to do lovely free-motion embroidery on their old treadles, long before there were dropping feed dogs.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[BethMI]

Thank you Pat! I tried the business card thing but that didn't work. I'll definitely will try what you suggested. If it works I can start my son on FMQ on the little postcards that we assembled for Christmas.

[BethMI]

Pat, I tried that and it just plain did not work with my old machine. My instructor tried, as well, and neither one of us could get it to work. the thread kept breaking and I just didn't have enough "play" in the fabric to let it move freely.

So I HAD to buy a new machine!

BethMI

[BethMI]

Pat, I tried that and it just plain did not work with my old machine. My instructor tried, as well, and neither one of us could get it to work. the thread kept breaking and I just didn't have enough "play" in the fabric to let it move freely.

So I HAD to buy a new machine!

BethMI

[eileenkny]

I chose my current machine because it's supposed to be a workhorse.

[snowplow3840]

you could probably say I started sewing when I was still in diapers. I crawled up on my paternal grandmother's treadle sewing machine and promptly ran a needle through my index finger on my right hand. Needless to say my mother wasn't happy with grandmother. So I guess they kept me away from machines until I was five or six when I started making doll clothes on my maternal grandmother's Singer treadle (don't know what happened to that machine sure wish I had it today) but then used a Singer Electric throughout high school and college. When I got married my grandmother gave us a Kenmore portable (very much like Ricky's granny's machine but without the cabinet.) I used that to sew clothes for the family and decorative items such as drapes, table cloths etc. for almost forty years until it finally died in 2000. The bobbin case had finally gotten so loose that it would not hold tension any more. I looked around and decided on a Viking (Scandinavian heritage wins every time) Freesia which I still have. Last year I upgraded to a Viking Sapphire with the longer arm and more stitches. I love both of these machines and have had very few problems with them but am seriously thinking about getting the fabric mover with the stitch regulator. I have heard mixed reviews but at this point I can't afford a Bernina with the BSR. Am waiting to make any decisions until after the LaVeta Quilt Retreat in September so that I can get the best advice from Ricky as what will work for me. My biggest problem with the Sapphire is that it does not fit in my sewing table without doing major revamping both of the top and the base so I am using it on an old sewing table and don't have a flat surface for FMQ. Next project is to build a customized table if I do not get the fabric mover. Decisions decisions decisions. Ann

[snowplow3840]

Hi, my name is Donna,

My mom has a Singer 401 that she got as a wedding gift from her parents, which she used to make clothes and home decor items. She's still using it.

She tried to interest me in sewing when I was in about elementary school, and it didn't "click" for me. I took sewing in home ec in junior high school, it still didn't click.

Now that I don't have to worry that the bell will ring while I'm still threading the needle, and a couple of church friends are quilters, it's starting to click.

I started last January with a 401 Mom found at a thrift store, then moved on to a Singer 503 after I discovered I kind of like sewing. LOL I'm still a sewing newbie, and that Singer is teaching me about terms like "free motion sewing," "presser foot" and "stitch regulator."