sewing machine advice

I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting a
sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

I'm very happy with my lower end Jamome (419S) it's a lovely little work
horse; though with your budget you could probably afford a more expensive
one with a larger harp area.

--
Jessamy
In The Netherlands
Take out: so much quilting to reply.
Time to accept, time to grow, time to take things slow
www.geocities.com/jess_ayad
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jess_ayad/my_photos

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting a
sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

I had the same problem until I went to a yard sale and found an older
Montgomery SM that must have been the top of the line back in 1984. It was
extra dirty, but had the book and all the feet. So I talked with the owner
and got the price down to $5-----she wanted $35, but I explained that I had
seen the sign in Joann's window where it would cost somewhere around $50 to
have someone look at it. She had tried to sew with it a few years back
after her aunt died and couldn't get it to sew. She thought it was junk. I
got that baby to sew like new! I am happy. Maybe you could just keep
looking at yard sales and get lucky with an older machine.
Barbara in SC.



"Betty Maxey" wrote in message
m...
I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting
a sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked
it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Betty Maxey wrote:

I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting a
sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.


Take a long, measured test drive of this one:
http://www.jaycotts.co.uk/acatalog/Bernina_1008.html

Very tough, good household/utility stitch selection, good price, and
used and abused throughout the UK in schools and colleges. It'll cope
with just about any fabric, and any number of layers so long as they'll
go under the presser foot! If I ever need to buy a new second string
machine to complement my Lily 550, this is the first one I'll look at.
I've used one when teaching, and I like them a lot. This I say as a
dedicated Viking fan!
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

I own a Viking Rose (wish I'd bought the Lily instead), and I've looked
around at other machines. I really like the Janome machines. I recently
bought one of their sergers, and I've considered the 6500. Yes, it has
decorative stitches, etc. that you may not want, but I like the features of
the Janome - price range, quality, ease of use, that would apply to many of
their machines. I also happen to like the dealer, so that's a big plus for
me!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
un-STUFF email address to reply




"Betty Maxey" wrote in message
m...
I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting
a sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked
it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Considering the used you will put your machine to, I would definitely
think of getting one with a larger harp area. Curtains/drapes and other
home furnishings would be much easier to handle, as well as quilting.
They are more expensive, but some of the simpler ones - that do not have
fancy stitches - might be affordable?
..
In message , Betty Maxey
writes
I currently have a Viking 535 (Lily). Got it about 5 years ago, and have
had no problems with it. But- starting in maybe 6 months I will be
spending a lot of weekends away from home, and I am thinking about getting a
sewing machine for the other location. Or a new one for home, and the
Viking Lily there.

Here's the question? What sewing machine would you recommend, if I wanted
to spend under $1000 US (OK, maybe a little bit over if I really liked it!)

Factors:
--Not wanting to stay with Viking necessarily. I live in a large enough
city that I could probably test drive about any major brand.
--No particular interest in too many decorative stitches. No little girls
to sew for.
--Tough is nice- I do home dec stuff as well as quilt, so sewing through a
thick stack is important.
--I know there are lots of impressive machines out there for 3 and 4
thousand dollars and more- somehow I would have trouble living with those
numbers, personally. Need to stay within my comfort level.
--no hurry. The need will not be there for a while yet, but I wanted to
start sorting through my options early.

All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill