Sewing machine recommendations

[maeveiscurious]

I had to retire my sewing machine today it's 30 years old.

I'm a hobby sewer mostly clothes occasionally curtains any recommendations?

I promised myself when I replaced my trusty old Riccar (also 30 years old!) that I would look at Bernina.

I have had my 335 for 2 years now and love it! I don't have the room or the money for a bigger model, but this does everything I need it to and more. It's worth it just for the buttonholes!

I have a couple of Janomes I rate, solid workhorses I use for quilting but if I had spare money I'd like a Bernina.

Whats your budget? I love my Brother Innovis F420, it does button holes automatically.

What is your budget?

I have a brother FS210 and no complaints so far - I mostly use it for dressmaking it would easily handle curtains.

once you get over a certain price point they nearly all do automatic button holes.

I love that mine also sews on the buttons as I hate doing buttons by hand.

if you’ve got money to spend, my bernina 1008 is nearly 20 years old, gets used at least weekly, and is still brilliant.

Another Bernina fan here.
1976 model still going strong.

Thank you hadn't considered the brand's recommended

I have a Janome 5060. It's what they use on the Sewing Bee (that's not why I got it, I only found out afterwards).

I've sewed everything from slippery fabrics to denim (jeans) and coating on it - it's brilliant.

I'd find a retailer close to you who stocks a number of different brands, and go and try them out. They all feel/behave differently. I wasn't a fan of Bernina, but I know lots of people love them - it's just horses for courses.

Have a think about what kinds of features are important to you - I wanted a thread cutter, for example, but wasn't interested in loads of fancy stitches (although they all seem to come with them now).

Can you get to a show, something like the Knitting and Stitching show? All the main brands will have a stand there so you can sit and try lots of different machines.

I have a HUGE Janome Horizon MC8200 QCP which I bought during lockdown and I use for quilting. I love it to bits and it has a huge neck space that I can push a queen sized quilt through while I'm quilting it. Before that I had a smaller Janome, the model isn't made anymore, but I had it for 20 years and it was still working brilliantly when I gave it to a friend. Janomes are generally very solid and robust and not temperamental. One of my friends has a Pfaff which is wonderful when it's working but is prone to just refusing to work unless you coax it and it need quite a lot of services and general maintenance. I've heard a few people complain that their Janome isn't great at buttonholes, but I never do that so it didn't put me off.

Bernina every time. Tried lots of makes in my working life but the Bernina comes out on top every time. Intuitive, sturdy, reliable (Mine was a 21st birthday present over 50yrs ago and has only been serviced/repaired twice.) Brilliant. Love it to bits

Can I jump on this thread and ask for relatively inexpensive starter sewing machine recommendations please? (If OP doesn't mind!)

Its for a tween if that makes a difference.

LaTangerina I highly recommend a John Lewis own brand as a starter machine. They are really simple and sturdy and come in fabulous colours. It can do all the basic stuff and isn't off-putting with loads of fiddly options. www.johnlewis.com/search/sport-leisure/haberdashery/sewing-machines/john-lewis/_/N-enxZ1yzsz8d?search-term=sewing%20machine

If the tween gets really into sewing then she/he would probably need to upgrade in order to do more advanced things, but it's a great starter.

Brilliant thank you so much!

I've just bought this one, it seems JL are made by Janome. Just had a look through the instructions and it covers all the things I need it to do

I found this at John Lewis & Partners. https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-jl220-sewing-machine-peppermint/p5548490?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&sshare=jlappioss_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

Yes, the JL ones are Janome, so you can buy Janome accessories for them if you need to.

If you are getting extra bobbins I would recommend getting the Janome branded ones and also checking that they are the same as the ones that came with the machine. I know that when I changed machine the bobbins were slightly difference even though they were both Janomes. Also the Janome branded purple-tip needles work best for me, I use them for pretty much everything. Jaycotts have them online for a reasonable price if you struggle to find them in a shop.

More than happy with the Brother one bought from JL a couple of years ago. No issues.

Brother XN1700