What sewing machine do you have?

[sabrinat]

And why did you pick that particular one? What machine do you secretly dream of owning if $$$ was no object

I have 2 vintage kenmores, a vintage singer,a necchi, a pfaff and a brothers. I also have a pfaff serger.
I would love to own a bernina becuz they seem so awesome and reliable. Honestly I can't justify buying another machine
For the type of sewing I like to do which is home decor and clothing I'm all good with the ones I have. I love my singer and the kenmore 47...those are real workhorses. In fact if I were just getting into sewing I think I'd look for a vintage machine to start with. My vintage machines are all metal, simple, you can work on them yourselves, parts are readily available (feet and accessories) and you can't beat the price. If you keep your eye pilled you can really find a treasure.

[sweetfeet]

I have a vintage Kenmore that I used for twin needle stitching only although it hasnt been out for a few years. My love is my Viking Freesia 415. Everything about that machine is so intuitive to me. I don't think I've ever needed to look at the manual even. It makes sense to me. It has some nice features like being computerized and there aren't any dials. The bobbin can be wound from the needle, drop in bobbin, fix button so I don't have to backstitch, and it's pretty quiet for a sewing machine which is nice as I usually sew during naps or bedtime.

If money were no object I'd get a designer 1 or I think its the babylock ellure.

[SoCaliMommy]

I have a Brother CS100T and love it its so easy to work. Not sure what would be my dream sewing machine though.

[jmreinke]

I have a Brother PC-6000 sewing machine.

a Janome 204d serger - a great and economical workhorse
a Babylock Imagine serger - wonderful! esp. since I change thread colors so often
a White 3300 embroidery machine - another good little workhorse
and I just got for my birthday, a Brother ULT-2003D embroidery machine.

I love all my machines!

[kymholly]

I'm a sewing novice. I just bought a White, Sewing Professional from my local Sew 'N Vac. It's a budget machine, but if I like it & I use it, I can trade it up to a better machine.

[Village Mama]

I have a vintage Kenmore as well. I learned to sew recently on it... and its so pretty! I was just given an older model Singer as well.....
None of them fancy, but all of them do thier job!

[kymholly]

I guess that I should add that I do have a vintage singer console machine & an old Viking 610.

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by jmreinke

I have a Brother PC-6000 sewing machine.

Oh, I have that machine too. It was my first "real" machine purchase and I really love it. I haven't tried many of the extra stitches but the utility stitches are great! I've been very pleased with it.

[dvons]

I've got a Brother Innovis 4000D for my main sewing machine and a BabyLock Evolve for the serger. I LOVE LOVE LOVE both but I upgraded from a $100 sewing machine and a serger I paid $250 for 10 years ago. They are both around I just haven't gotten around to getting rid of them.

Deb

[shalena]

I have a brother innovis NX400Q. It was my dream machine, so I'm happy as a pig in mud with it.

My serger is a husquvarna 905. I looked at a bernina while serger shopping and would have rathered that, but didn't have the $ at the time.

[claras_mom]

I have a singer Featherweight, from my grandmother (though I learned to sew on my mom's featherweight), and a Pfaff Hobby 1040. It's a workhorse machine, really simple. I was happy with the old singer; but the buttonholer didn't work--and my friends' solution ("just don't do things with buttonholes") didn't really 'do' it for me.

I don't know what I'd get if money were no object. Could be fun to do machine embroidery. I've heard that, for free motion quilting, Bernina makes a pretty spectacular new machine, with automatic tension control.

A serger might be more generally useful to me.

[Vanessa]

I have a Babylock Ellure and a vintage Singer hemstitcher. I really want a machine that does better freemotion quilting than my Ellure. I probably will just get a lower end Pfaff or Bernina although the new Berninas do look awesome.

I don't have a serger.

[JZDmama]

I have a Singer 6038 which I really like. SImple, easy to use and does whatever I need. However I am thinking about getting a new machine, one that is digital and has lots of decorative stitches. I also have a Necchi Lydia 3 and an old Elgin.

[E.V. Lowi]

I have used Bernina industrial machines for thirty years for my soft toy, doll fashion and plush design business. I have an 850, a 950 (my personal favorite) and a big 217N. All of these are Swiss built, and really fine 'horses'. I also have a White overlock (a real workhorse!) a New Home (Janome) My Lock634D overlock and also a Janome embroidery/quilting machine.
I just love the Berninas--they have been so good to me, but I had a new one for awhile-- not Swiss one, but built in Thailand, and what a 'donkey' that machine was- I got rid of it!

[lilyka]

I have a janome harmony 2049 and really do like it. it was the best machine I could afford, had the features I wanted ands good reputation for quality. I would like to move up the line a bit though. one with the computerized thread tensioning and automatic threading would be nice.

[sabrinat]

I go back and forth on computerized v. mechinical. I love love love my computerized machine, but live in fear that the kids will "do" something to it, or the motherboard will go bad or it'll get wet or a magnet will come too close. Anything. I think if it ever dies I'll by a mechinical one to replace it. Even though my machine has a bazillion decorative stitches. I've never once used any of them. I only use the utility stitches. So knowing how I sew I probably spent more than I needed to, but I wouldn't trade her for anything

[udonandbroth]

I also have the Janome Harmony and I kind of hate it now. I loved it at first but it has gone all funny: it sticks when I push the petal down or try to backstitch. I just turn the wheel but it is kind of a pain. I supposed it needs a tune up. I can't take it apart, too, which irritates me. I took all the screws out but the thing just will Not come apart! Guess Im really going to have to take it in. :P Can't wait to trade up.

I have a white superlock and it kind of sucks too but it was free The stitches just don't seem to hold sometimes. and doing lettuce leaf on it seems to be nearly impossiable... it seems to work ok with about one stitch! haven't quite figured out this whole thing, yet.

[lilyka]

the can't take it apart thing does suck. i dropped my seam ripper into mine (don't ask) and had to have some dresses done that night (costumes for the nextmrning) and I must have takne 30 scews out of that thing. not all went back in. and stil I just got it open a crack and had to shake out the seam ripper. i do have the service warrenty though and will be taking it in for a tune up in a couple of weeks. I will let you know if it helps because there i some stuff that is getting wonkey. But I just assumed it was because it was long overdue for a proper cleaning. I have sewn a lot including 12 dozen flannel diapers. that will make a machine cry for a cleaning.

[E.V. Lowi]

[QUOTE=ud
I have a white superlock and it kind of sucks too but it was free The stitches just don't seem to hold sometimes. and doing lettuce leaf on it seems to be nearly impossiable... it seems to work ok with about one stitch! haven't quite figured out this whole thing, yet.[/QUOTE]

Your White could probably use a new blade (and needle). A good oiling could help as well. All machines need regular servicing by a competent and professional sewing machine mechanic. The timing could be off, or it could be a nicked or damaged hook. If it has been serviced recently, the mechanic might have missed something.

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by E.V. Lowi

All machines need regular servicing by a competent and professional sewing machine mechanic. The timing could be off, or it could be a nicked or damaged hook. If it has been serviced recently, the mechanic might have missed something.

That's what I love about the mechinicals. I'm the competent and professional sewing machine mechanic. I can do anything to my vintage machines. I've taken my kenmore and singer apart and cleaned them top to bottom, oiled and lubed them and got them purring like a kitten. Me! I did it! I'm rehabbing a pfaff right now, but it's killing me, becuz the parts are so spendy and hard to come by.

I'm seriously intimidated by my serger and my computerized machine. But I guess that's the price of progress