I currently have a basic Brother machine:
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Everyday-stitches-including-Buttonhole/dp/B000EOX28E/ref=sr_1_3I'm thinking about upgrading to a mid-level, something in the $300-$500 range (or higher if there's a good reason).
My main reasons to upgrade:
- foot pedal sensitivity/responsiveness: my current one seems to have 2 speeds: not moving and super fast. It takes awhile for me to ease it back down to slow and it's pretty annoying.
- handle thicker layers of fabric
- auto button hole (4-step is kinda painful!)
I've heard that the more expensive machines just feel better and have a lot of shortcuts to speed up sewing, less manual steps. I don't know that I'd use all of the fancy stitches they come with, but who knows?
Does anyone have a more expensive machine they'd recommend? Or features I should look for? I'm planning on trying them out at a sewing machine shop this time, but it'd be good to know what you guys use.
Thanks!
Re: Sewing machines
I guess what I am saying is that I reccomend the janome brand? I bought my machine for sewing corsets so it is tough (when sewing corsets sometimes one may accidentally sew through plastic or metal and while a needle may not be saved you don't want it to ruin your machine so it needs to be built to take a hit or two).
The foot pedal is sensitive and I can do slow or fast and anything in between. I hate my four step button holer an even though I mod'd the foot I still break needles on it. But that is my one complaint. It has all metal parts (something rare since the 1980's) and it has never needed repair in the six years I've had it despite my ameteurish maintenance skills.
To be fair my pfaff is from the 1970's and it just needs a little more getting to know than my user-friendly janome but the pfaff is worth $300 even vintage and the janome was bought new for just over $150.
I think if you know what you are looking for you don't have to spend a lot to get a good machine. The only reason thy I would spen over $300 I if I wanted to do embroidery and pay for all the tech to do custom images and all that. fWIW I could have spent under $250 to get an upgrade and a one step button holer janome (along with a few other features) instead of the one I bought but button holes were not important to me at the time so I saved some money and bought the tb12.
Happy shopping!
Speed control up top and no need for a peddle, easy bobbin threading, serger stich (no serger yet), needle threader, etc. I love all my feet and just how much better I feel all my projects look so much better. I now wish I had spent the extra money to get the letter stitches since LO has arrived. I had friend make her a burb cloth, bib, and blanket and they all have her name on them in thread. It looks so nice and would be great for me when I send her to daycare.