If you are in the market for a sewing machine that can assist you in making some amazing quilt, then are some things you will need to look out for.
Standard sewing machines may not be up to the standard you require and so it will be beneficial to have a bit of extra knowledge in terms of what you might need.
Within this article, we will go over some excellent options for sewing machines and go through some of reason why as well as what to look out for when shopping for a sewing machine for quilting.
Want to learn more about sewing? You should check out our complete sewing guide!
Top 5 Sewing Machine for Quilting
5. Professional Choice
4. Best Seller
3. Editors Choice
- Updated with LED lights and one pedal operation
- 1500 SPM for quilting apparel and home décor
- Automatic needle threader
- Aluminum die cast arm and bed for low vibration operation
- Extension table included for wide work area
2. Fan Favorite
1. Budget Option
Buyer’s Guide: Quilting & Sewing Machines
How expensive are Quilting and Sewing Machines?
The price of a good quilting and sewing machine can vary quite a bit and can often be anywhere between $200 to $700 depending on what you want from your machine.
On these machines, there are a variety of features that can impact the price you can expect and you will have to take a look at each option to try and decide which features are the right fit for you.
We will go over some of these features and which ones will be the best to make your sewing and quilting experiences the best they can be.
Quilting
Quilting is the term given to the process of stitching together at least 3 layers of fabric to create a new product. This can be done either by hand or machine and is considered one of the first forms of upcycling.
These layers stitched together will often be used to form a 3D padded surface by utilizing some form of internal stuffing to give the quilt it’s depth.
The stitches will run through all the layers of the fabric and so will hold together extremely well and provide you with a reliable and sturdy end product.
What should I look for in a Quilting and Sewing Machine?
Whilst it may be possible to do the quilting on a sewing machine, it may not be the easiest of experiences. However, the machines you would quilt on would only need a few tweaks from a regular sewing machine to be able to do so.
This is why you can often find machines that are suitable for both quilting and sewing as they have made changes to more easily accommodate quilting but can still sew with ease.
Here are a few things that you should look out for when browsing machines to buy that will make your time quilting much easier and more productive.
Weight of the Machine
When working with heavier fabrics, more than a couple of layers, or just more fabric in general, then you will want a machine that doesn’t jolt around too much in use and make a mess of your stitching.
To achieve this you will want to look for machines that have a good amount of weight to them so that the action of sewing the thick fabrics does not cause the machine to move around.
Looking for machines with metal frame construction or with added weights in the underneath of the machine will be the way to go and these machines will help keep your work tidy.
Sturdy Build
Sewing together a quilt can be quite an intensive task for a sewing machine and so it will pay off to look into whether the machine you are looking at has a study build to keep up.
As we previously mentioned, a metal frame for the machine is important and this will help to add to the overall build quality of the machine and keep it from any damage that strenuous work could cause.
A machine with anti-vibration rubber feet or base could also go a long way to ensuring your machine does not sustain any vibration damage.
Sewing Space
An important thing to look out for in a machine is to make sure that there is enough sewing space provided by the machine.
Obviously, you can alleviate this problem somewhat by having the surface the sewing machine is on be spacious enough but with something like quilting, you will want the table on the sewing machine to be wide enough to sit a decent amount of fabric atop it.
If you don’t have a table with enough space you may find that having too much of your heavy fabric below the sewing machine will cause it to pull on the part you are stitching and cause the lines to be untidy.
There are plenty of machines with extendable tables to help make quilting easier for users.
Computerized or Manual?
1. Computerized
- SIMPLE-TO-USE SEWING AND QUILTING MACHINE: 255 built-in stitches including basic, stretch, decorative, letters and buttonhole stitches, meet your various needs for embroidery patterns.
- USER-FRIENDLY DESIGNED LCD SCREEN: The stitch selector switch allows you to easily see and choose your stitch. Simply select your stitches with the push of a button and view your selection on the LCD display.
- AUTOMATIC NEEDLE THREADER: This sewing machine includes an automatic needle threader that helps you easily thread the eye of the needle without causing your eyes fatigue or frustration and a convenient, jam resistant.
- SEWING MACHINE ACCESSORIES: A variety of accessories are perfect for a wide range of everyday sewing projects, and users from beginners to advanced. They are all conveniently stored in the accessory tray. A soft-sided dust cover is also included in the packaging
- LCD SCREEN: The intuitive LCD display allows you to easily choose your stitches and settings with the push of a button
A computerized sewing machine will offer you the option to many many stitches that are stored in the memory of the machines onboard computer.
They can also let you set up custom stitches that can allow you to do things such as embroider an engram of your initials onto your work and it will do this automatically.
2. Manual
- 1,500 Stitches per minute max sewing speed: Maximum stitching of up to 1,500 stitches per minute allows you to sew and quilt more in less time
- Advanced needle threading system: This sewing and quilting machine includes an automatic needle threader that perfectly pushes the thread through the needle and a convenient, jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
- Included accessories: The PQ1500SL longarm sewing and quilting machine comes with a wide table, 7 sewing feet, knee-lifter, instruction manual and more. The removable knee-lifter enables you to lift your presser foot with your knee, leaving both hands free for fabric handling
- Precision pin feeding system: It’s so easy to sew a wide variety of fabric thicknesses thanks to Brother’s Pin Feed system for precision fabric feeding
- At your side support: The PQ1500SL quilting and sewing machine comes with Brother at your side support offering free technical support via online, live chat or phone for the life of your machine
- This product is intended for sale only in the US at 120 volts, and any other use or sale voids the warranty.
A manual machine is a sewing machine that doesn’t have any onboard computer to do work for you. Some may prefer these kinds of machines as they don’t need the features offered by a computerized machine.
These machines are usually cheaper than there computerized counterparts and so you should consider whether the price difference for a computerized model is worth it for your circumstance.
Final Thoughts
When considering what sewing machine to buy for quilting there are a few things to look out for to make the experience better for yourself.
Making sure the machine is sturdy, heavy, and has ample sewing room will provide you with an experience that is far easier than sewing without them.
Hopefully, this article has been helpful in showing you some options for machines and what to look out for to suit your needs best.
