Suggestions for what features to look for?

[Lorchen]

Can you get Brother sewing machines in the US? I checked for a friend what they are like (long story) and I was very impressed.

I would love to be able to 'blind-test' sewing machines in order not to be influenced by brand name reputation.

[Lorchen]

Betty Jo, I am taking out safety pins and have successfully ripped a start down two of the seams. So it looks like it's doable. Still wondering what it would turn out like if I sent it out to a professional to quilt it. Only it doesn't seem right to do that with my son's first quilt. I'm kind of proud I did my daughter's all by myself.

[Lorchen]

Lorchen, we do have Brother machines and I was told the same people who make Brother make Baby Lock. I don't know if that's true. It would be fun to blind test machines. There were a lot of Janome JEMs at a shop being used by the women in the class I went to recently. It's nice to have a light machine to cart around if you like to do that as I do.

[kathyst2]

Thanks, Kathy. What kind of Janome do you have? My machine has the speed control switch also, which I like as well.

I am quilting a quilt now and found that I didn't stretch the flannel enough on the back. It is all wrinkled. I probably didn't do enough pins. I am stitching in the ditch around square blocks. I am using an open toe applique foot and leaving the feed dogs up. it works better than a walking foot because I can see where I'm going. For straight line quilting I leave the feed dogs up. This is my second larger bed quilt.

Maybe my machine is OK and I just need to learn to FMQ better and just need practice. Should do some smaller projects. Jan

Jan, I have a 6600. It's a real workhorse!

i do agree that practice is no doubt a big part of your solution. I still remember the first quilt I layered and basted- it seemed like it took forever to pin! (I still pin my quilts, by the way). And I felt like the quilt had a life of its own- certainly i wasn't totally in control of it.
Now it feels easier to baste the quilts and to quilt them too. When I'm ditch quilting or straight line quilting, I always use the even feed (walking) foot. the Janome 6600 has an even feed system with an open toe foot which works for me.

sometimes your tools won't do the job and you need new tools- sometimes you can learn as much as you can with your current tools, so you can move up to better ones when you know what you need!

Kathy

[ajclapp]

Jan, go to Forum Questions and Suggestions - Signatures on The Forum. Margo tells you how to create a signature.

[ajclapp]

i have an old bernina, 1230 model. i love the walking foot. the up and down feet dogs (for sawing and quilting), honestly i dont use the embroidery stitches at all. it is little heavy, but i use it most of the time at home. love the knee lift foot, use it all the time. good luck