How to choose a sewing machine

My Elna sewing machine

I love my sewing machines. (Yes, machines, plural.) Without them I never would have become a piecer or a quilter. I started off with a simple Kenmore sewing machine, purchased many moons ago.

I used that machine to make curtains, pillows, clothing for me and my then-husband, and later on, quilts. Once I started taking classes, and then attended my first quilt show I decided I needed something a bit fancier. There was nothing wrong with my Kenmore. It was a great machine and I could have continued using it for many years. Instead, I sold it to a friend and traded up.

I bought an Elna Quilter’s Dream. This machine has a few advantages over my old one. It has an automatic needle-down feature that I use every time. This feature forces the needle to stop in the down position so that I can easily turn my work (for example when turning a corner) without skipping any stitches. It has an auto-stop on the bobbin winder so that I can’t overfill my bobbins. It also has an assortment of decorative stitches, and digital controls for stitch length and width that let me string different decorative stitches together for unique patterns. It also came with many special presser feet, the most important of which was the walking foot (also called an even-feed foot), which lets me sew multiple layers together without worrying about wrinkles and puckers on the back. I even do my piecing with the walking foot in place. It’s a little bit noisy because of the extra moving parts, but it guarantees my pieces won’t slide.

I still have and use my Elna, but it is pretty heavy and I managed to throw my back out while trying to load it into the trunk of my car for a trip to a class. After spending weeks in physical therapy, I started hunting for a smaller machine to take to classes, bees, retreats, etc. I lucked out and found a lovely little 1953 Singer Featherweight at a local antique shop.

The electrical cord was frayed and held together with electrical tape, so I ordered a brand new cord/foot pedal assembly from Featherweight211. I bought a pretty brocade carrying case to replace the original musty-smelling box, and bought the user’s manual and service manual so I could give it a little tune up. It only weighs 11 pounds and it’s adorable. I just had it serviced at a local quilt shop and it’s humming right along as well as it did 55 years ago.

You can find machines in a variety of styles and price points from under $100 to well into the multiple thousands of dollars. My advice is to try them out. Go to a reputable sewing machine dealer who will let you actually sit down and experiment with all the machines. Let them tell you all the features and make sure you tell them how you plan to use it so they can help you choose the best one.

Talk to other quilters in classes, retreats, at your guild or bee or online, and ask them what machines they use and why they like them. If you do a particular technique over and over and there is a machine that will make that easier for you, so much the better!

Don’t rush your decision. A machine is a big investment for most of us and if you think how many hours you will spend with it, you want to make sure it’s comfortable to use and has all the features you need.

Many dealers offer classes to new owners so you can get the most out of your machine. Take advantage of them. Also take advantage of any maintenance services they offer. A clean, well-maintained machine will make for a sane, happy quilter! A regular tune up will cost between $40 and $60 dollars depending where you live and what kind of machine you have. That's a small price to pay to make sure your machine is always purring along as it should.

Do you have a favorite brand of machine? Let us know why you love it in the comments section below.