supposing you had a bigger budget...

If I had 2K drop in my lap that needed to be spent I would go for one of these:

a machine but what a wonderful splurge.FOr a pricey machine I am holding out until Bernina has a largerharp machine. I am not holding my breath though.TAria

Anne Rogers wrote:

hmmmm.... what if you are cutting *and* sewing- back and forth? Do you have to keep popping the table up and down? Maybe I missed something here.....

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in Mo.

any idea at all how much such a thing would cost? I don't feel right now that I need a table, I have an old kitchen table which I use. I'm planning to get an extension table, or the BabyLock Quest comes with one. I know a few of you say the set in is a lot better, but I don't think I can justify the cost, and I know John or Leslie will jump in with a do-it-yourself idea, you really don't want to see what my attempt at it would look like! It does remind me that I do need a chair though - I seem to have ended up with the desk chair bought for my sister when she got her first desk which makes it at least 20 years old and it's adjustment screws are totally jammed, I don't need anything fancy, but I do need to be able to get the right height!

I do intend to try some non larger harp machines, I think my current machine has such a small harp that it's not representative of all machines, but it's still quite a way off having room for my hand and the quilt, but then with an extension table, my hands may come forward enough to not need as much extra room as I might think.

Cheers Anne

IMO the Viking fabric mover and stitch regulator is just a very unnecessary item..Doesn't work worth a darn..Of course, right now, I'm so down on Viking it's not funny. I'll never have another Viking. I've had 2 and hated them both. Babylock and Brother are very good machines. Gen

I'm with Taria. A Bernina with a larger throat/harp thingy, and 2 sewing tables - one to sew at and one to cut at. After all they both need to be different heights. I have a horn table with a lift up piece at the back which is handy since my sewing room is my living room, but it only comes up when I need to quilt. When I'm working on piecing it's down, and if I need to cut a large piece of fabric I take it to the kitchen table, lop off a piece then cut it into smaller pieces back at the sewing table. (I tend to work on smaller pieces too). I have an adjustable office chair that I can put at the right height for sewing. All I need now is someone to make me a little foot peddle platform. Elly... in a dark dreek looking Nrth Scotland this morning.... is it day or night?

My daughter (13) has a Brother BC-1000 ... and she LOVES it!! Does beautiful stitchin' and feeds like a dream!! It purrs like a kitten. She's got the walkin' foot for it and has machine quilted a few things and it never complains!! (And if any SM would complain, it would be when my DD is quiltin' - she's new enough to quiltin' that I cringe when she's SITD!!).

How's this for testimony? She decided to machine quilt her first quilt (doll-size) and she used a Greek Stitch to quilt!! It dove through all three layers with ease!! Not complainin' or strugglin' once!!

Only problem is how light it is - it's clearly meant to be a portable machine. It weighs something like 12 lbs. So we've yet to figure out a way to keep it from "walkin'" when she sews ... but other than that, PERFECT!! :)

Now, my machine is a 10 year Kenmore Computerized (made by Janome) - I've never bought another machine simply because this one does everything I want and is the best little workhorse EVER!!

But I am eyeballin' an embroidery machine!! :)

Hugs!! Connie :)

I too am holding out for a Bernina with a larger harp. I have heard rumors from reliable people connected to Bernina that there is a model in the works scheduled for release in 2008, and that is ALL they will say about it. I'm hoping and wishing that this new machine will have a built-in thread cutter and also a knee-lifter and that the price will be competive with the Viking Sapphire 870 and the Janome MC6600. Meanwhile, my Janome MC6500 is sewing just fine (though I have issues with a few of its programed stitches). Mickie

With a Pfaff of Viking there

I tried the Pfaff fabric mover thing at Houston and it did have a stitch regulator. I didn't think they were two separate things though. It worked great but was hard for me to get used to. However, given the 15 minutes I played it worked quite well. I liked it more than the Bernina stitch regulator thing but it was really hard to see what I was doing as it was a large foot/attachment.

Personally, I would go for a nice sewing table. I know you said you like your nice kitchen table, but once you experience your machine even with a whole table, well, it's a wonderous thing. Yes, the horn is lovely but very expensive. There are nice and budget friendlier options

- Janome makes a small one for their large harp machines for around $200 and the ladies on the Janome list love it and say it is very sturdy and doesn't vibrate at all when sewing. I have a Sylvia designs table - bigger than the Janome one, smaller than the Horn but works great and has very good leg room (some sewing tables are very squishy in that area).

marcella

About the "fabric mover".. it is a pain and the cruise control bit is part of it. IF I could have gotten the "quilter's cruise control" to use without the fabric mover I would have jumped at it. sigh.

As to a dedicated quilting machine/frame... I am getting one. My Tin Lizzie is on order and should be here soon. After researching and trying several of the frame-machine combos I decided that the Tin Lizzie had more of what I wanted and is complete. I have my regular machine for sewing and smaller quilting projects, but wanted the stitch regulator/cruise control. And the 18" throat is a bonus too.

If I were going to invest in a new, general purpose sewing machine it would probably be the Sapphire. But I haven't really looked at the Janome. Don't know who makes the BabyLock Quest for BabyLock. But I have owned a Brother machine and would have to be really convinced to buy another. (Long story and about 5 years of fighting that machine. sigh.)

Have fun. Be sure to sit down with your own fabrics with each machine and try out everything you think you might want to do. Including different appliqué stitches, and so on. Every individual reacts differently to each machine, so find the one that fits you, not someone else. Also remember that you are, in part, "buying" the dealer/service people, so be sure you are comfortable with them too.

Pati, > So, definitely getting a new sewing machine soon, looks like I had

I like the ideas of many of the Horn cabinets/tables. But won't buy one because they are set up so that you are centered on the machine, but not centered on the needle. :(

I also don't want to pay for the "lift" for the machine since I don't put mine down.

Pati, > If I had 2K drop in my lap that needed to be spent I would go for one of > these:

That was in a splurge with cash falling from out of the sky. Reality is my favorite sewing table. It is a singer oak one made probably in the early 70's. I have adapted it for my brother 1500 and now my Janome 1500. It works just right for me. It is not like any table made today. I keep watching for another one sort of local on Ebay. 2 of those would make me happy. Oh, btw the one I have cost $10 at the thrift store and a few more $$$ for new knobs and refinishing supplies. Except in my dreams I mostly live in 'the cheap seats'.

I doubt I would use the lift either but hav> I like the ideas of many of the Horn cabinets/tables. But won't buy one

Take a look at Tracey's Tables ???? That is a line of sewing machine tables/cabinets that takes all that into consideration. Would love to have one custom made, even know exactly what I want. But..........

Pati, > That was in a splurge with cash falling from out of the sky.

I've looked at those. I guess I should buy a lotto ticket? Some of the locals are buying from this guy:

has more wood rather than laminate.Too bad we can't do woodworking like John.I am jealous of his sewing furniture.Taria

Pati C. wrote:

ok, so I had to figure out what the deal with the fabric mover and the quilters cruise control and I think I have it figured out, the quilters cruise control is something that can be fitted to many home sewing machine, home frame combos, they have a list on their website, but it isn't something you can use on a machine only (not sure whether that is obvious or not). The fabric mover seems to have been invented as a way to put a stitch regulator onto a machine without having to have a frame. I guess someone then got the idea that it could be sold separately, though whether or not there is much benefit to that, I do not know.

I think the fabric mover on it's own is grossly overpriced, as a bundle with the stitch regulator it's 200 dollars more than buying the stitch regulator for a frame, which still seems expensive, though maybe I'm underating the technology.

Anne

On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:19:28 -0600, Pati C. wrote (in article ):

Does any one know (just in case GASP!, I have to invest in a new machine) if the gazillion feet I have for my Lily would fit the Sapphire?

Maureen

If I were splurging on a cabinet, I'd definitely want one with a lift. That's because my sewing room is small, and so I have no room for a cutting table. If I could put the machine down, I'd be able to use the flat surface as a cutting/basting surface. :)

Maureen, I have the Sapphire and was able to purchase second hand feet for it. The manual references a number 7 for the Sapphire, concerning the needles. Does that make any sense? I haven't had my Sapphire long and am still learning how to read the manual. Launie, in Oregon