Well, I'm tired of wrestling with my quilts & it's time to seriously consider a mid-arm - but not with a frame, just one for my sewing machine table. I'm looking for good & bad experiences if anyone is willing to share. I only want a mechanical machine that sews just a straight stitch. I have all the bells & whistles I need on my Viking & barely use any of them.
I thought I'd probably end up with the Brother 1500S - but the shop I generally do business with, no longer carries the Brother - but he can order it for me. They now carry the Babylock Quilters Choice Pro (BLQP) - does anyone have one & if so, are you happy with it? I did try it out & it had a nice feel to it.
Then, I went to the other sewing machine store nearby & they carry the Juki TL98Q & the Janome 1600 DB. I thought the Juki was very noisy & since DH is in the next room watching TV, probably not a good choice. Plus, I didn't like that it doesn't have a speed control. The Janome 1600 DB- I didn't like that you "cover" the feed dogs & it felt like a more flimsy machine - it's much more reasonable than the others, but I didn't have a good feel for it.
I talked to a dealer in Southern California & he loves, love the Juki, but couldn't convince me it was the machine for me. He has a 1 year old Pfaff Grand Quilter that he would sell me for $450 - what a great deal, huh? No shipping either & if I don't like it, I can exchange it within 30 days. In speaking with another dealer, he told me that he had a lot of problems with the thread breaking & the Pfaff technicians couldn't resolve the problem, so he no longer carries it.
DH is not inclined to buy anything "used" - I'm not so picky. Of course, I'd much rather "test drive" a machine that I purchase, but I can't find anyone nearby that has a Pfaff on the floor.
I'd love to look at the Viking, since I already have one, but can't find anyone that has one on the floor either. So, I'm hoping some of you have mid-arms, especially mid-arms that you love & will share your experience with me!
Pauline Northern California