Quilting Machines for Sale
Finding quilting machines on sale
May 29 2011

Quilting Machines for Sale — Info and Great Deals

by Don

Quilting Machines for Sale at Big Discounts

a home quilting machine

Quilting / Sewing Machines for Sale

As you get more into quilting, a good machine becomes more and more important. Here’s some excellent quilting machines for sale at up to ½ off.  Read on for reviews of my favorites. 

If you’ve been looking for quilting machines for sale you may be overwhelmed by the choices like I’ve been.  So I’ve started by looking at the most popular machines for sewing quilts at home.  Some are general sewing machines with a few features useful for quilting while others appear to be designed for sewing quilts from the start.  If you’re new to machine quilting, you may want to read my Machines for Home Use page first, and be sure to check out the great video at the end of this post.

Here’s my post for a great intermediate machine, the Janome 6500.

Starters

Singer 411 Heavy Duty – Shopping around, I found the best price for this model to be around $130. It’s relatively light-weight and rugged enough to carry around to lessons and groups. Yet it’s heavy duty and can turn out 1100 stitches per minute. And most important for beginners, it’s easy to operate.

Brother CS6000I – This is a more advanced computerized model, suitable for quilts, crafts, and general sewing. It’s a great mid-range model. If you shop around you can find it for as low as $160. For that price, you also get lots of feet and accessories, so all-in-all it’s a truly great value for the money. It’s also praised for being lightweight, easy to learn, and reliable.  I’ve found ‘em at almost 2/3 off (!) and free shipping, so I’ll be looking into this one a lot more.  

Singer 7469Q – The “Confidence Quilter” is a true home quilting machine but at a low discounted price of around $250. Quilting features include, of course, some nice quilt stitch patterns. But there’s also nice touches like stopping the needle in the up position making stitching squares a lot easier. The automatic threader doesn’t work too well, but big deal – manual threading is super easy. The Confidence Quilter is great for beginners, and comes with a detailed instructional DVD on how to use the machine.

More Advanced Quilting Machines for Sale

Janome 7330 Magnolia – The going price of $400 doesn’t put this machine at a big discount, but it’s still a good value for a machine that’s great for free quilting and general sewing. It’s computerized, but still suitable for beginners and lets you progress from there. It’s a solid, basic machine with sturdy, quality construction.

Brother LB-6800PRW – Don’t let the price tag ($1,900 list) scare you away; I’ve been able to find it at ½ and even 2/3 off so you’re in for $700—800. It’s a super embroidery machine with quilting stitches and general-sewing features. It’s “grand slam package” includes bulk thread in 61 colors, 144 pre-wound bobbins, and more. Of course it’s computer controlled, and can even hook up up to your personal computer, but it’s still very user-friendly. This model works great for quilting finish, and can even embroider through all your quilt layers.

There’s other great brands I haven’t had a chance to look into yet.  These include Gammil, Juki, and Pfaff.

In Conclusion

Whether you’re just getting started and want a sewing machine that can do quilting or ready to move up to a more advanced make and model there’s many good quilting machines for sale at big discounts.

Categories: quilting machines for sale | 1 Comment »

Aug 25 2011

Janome 6500P, A Quilting Sewing Machine Sweet Spot

by Don

photo Janome 6500pThe Janome sewing machine model 6500P is a very popular mid-range quilting machine.  Here you’ll find an extensive review of this sewing machine’s good and bad points, plus a pointer to a big discount.  That discount makes the 6500 a professional-grade machine at an affordable price. 

It’s hard to choose a sewing machine for quilting, with so many brands and each brand making so many models.  I’ve been sifting through a lot of information to identify some of the best choices, and provide thorough and candid reviews of them.  The Janome 6500 is one of those stand outs.

The Janome Memory Craft 6500p is a great sewing machine for quilt making.  Janome has a strong reputation for quality, and this model is known for its durability, standing up to 8-hour days of professional use.  Plus, it speeds along at 1000 stitches per minute.  Although retailing for nearly two thousand dollars, you can buy it online for well under one thousand dollars, so it’s a very durable mid-range machine.  It’s a well-liked machine for quilting and general sewing, and is the choice for quite a few seamstresses and tailors for general sewing.  Professional quality, it’s also loved for its ease of use.

A Brief Word About Janome

The Janome name is quite popular among quilters.  The corporation was initially founded in Japan during the 1920s, and then in 1954 was renamed to the”Janome Sewing Machine Company.” Today it employs some 3,500 people. The company is well known the world over for its quilting as well as embroidery machines, in addition to its general-purpose sewing machines. Janome machines enjoy a superb reputation for longevity, ease of use, and high quality.

Why is the Janome 6500p Sewing Machine Great for Quilting?

photo of Janome 6500p table extensionAlthough it’s not a long-arm machine, it does have an unusually large 9” by 5” inch bed, and can be used with a quilting bed.  Both are especially important for piecing and final-quilting large quilts.  The 1000 stitch per minute speed can really keep free-hand quilting flowing.

The 6500′s built-in stitches include 5 blanket stitches for applique as well as a hand-look quilting stitch.  This sewing machine also features an advanced feed for thick and layered materials.  It has a knee-operated lifter for pressure feet, leaving both hands free for work.  Finally, there’s an automatic thread cutter that’s especially helpful if you’re using a quilting frame.

If you’re not using a frame, this model includes a table extension that makes managing the fabric a lot easier.

These features work together to make the Janome Memory Craft a joy for free-hand quilting.

Other Features

photo of Janome 6500p stitch patternsJanome’s 6500p features 135 built-in stitches.  In addition to quilting stitches, this includes 7 types of button holes.  The stitching patterns also include block and script letters for monograms.

It’s back-lit LCD and control buttons are well thought out making this machine easy to learn and easy to use.  The auto-threader is also well liked.  Users have noted that it’s particularly easy to change feet on this machine.

Nothing’s Perfect

I’ve found only one drawback that might keep you from choosing this quilting machine.  It does not come with a hard case, so it’s not suitable if you need a machine that’s easy to carry back and forth to classes.  At nearly 30 pounds, it’s not exactly lightweight either.  But neither is a problem if you have a place at home where you can leave this Janome set up.

There’s a few minor items also worth mentioning.  Although the auto-threader works well, it is made of  plastic and this has concerned a couple of owners.  Also it’s not free-arm so there’s no sleeve opening

Owner Comments

“I’m sooo glad I bought this machine … what an awesome sewing machine!”
Joy, Ontario

“The very best… had several higher end sewing machine over the years but… this is far and away the best.”
Guy, Colorado

Click Here for the Best Deal

The Janome 6500p Sewing Machine is a Great Choice

photo of quilting footThis is a real workhorse of a machine, standing up to 40-hour weeks of professional use.  It’ll still be going strong if you want to add a quilting frame later.  It’s also quite versatile handling chiffon to leather, general mending to tailoring and quilting.  Quiet and smooth, it’s well loved for its outstanding features and ease of learning and use.  The huge bed opening and extension table, as well as other features of this Janome sewing machine, make it a great choice for quilting.

Great Videos on This Machine from Janome

Categories: Janome sewing machines | No Comments »

Jun 2 2011

Brother CS6000I Computerized Sewing Machine – Very Popular, Very Practical

by Don
photo Brother CS6000I

Brother CS6000I quiltin sewing machine

The CS6000I sewing machine is a great value for quilters. It’s a very good mid-range machine, and you won’t need to buy any accessories or other ad-ons.  We’ve found where to buy it at well below 1/2 price!

The Brother C6000I computerized sewing machine is a great starter quilting and sewing machine, especially for those of us on a budget. It may not be a professional specialty quilting machine, but for many of us it’s more than enough.  It’s list of features combined with a low price is quite amazing, especially when combined with a 25-year warranty.

Among the 8 sewing feet included, you’ll find just about every foot you might need. Of course there’s a quilting foot and the usual button hole foot, but there’s 6 more: overcasting, monogramming, zipper, blind stitch, button fitting, and walking.

Plus the Brother CS6000I sewing machine lightweight and reliable. Portability may not be at the top of your list of wants in a quilting machine, but it’s helpful to be able to bring your machine to classes and groups. And portability is helpful at home if you don’t have a dedicated sewing area and need to put it away from time to time.

This model is exceptionally easy to use, and for once the included manual is actually helpful. That’s a must for beginners and folks still learning. It’s particularly easy to thread, and also to wind bobbins, but these features don’t always work well with some inexpensive threads.

Perhaps the key drawback of this machine is that it’s sensitive to adjustment and it often has trouble with anything other than high-quality thread. But if you run into trouble you can use a thread lubricant.  It’s not up to many heavy materials, but is just fine for general sewing and quilting.

This Brother model is durable and easy to use.  The only other complaints I’ve ever heard about it is that the LCD screen is small and a bit hard to use and that it doesn’t do embroidery.  But at under $200 after discount that would be expecting too much.

Brother CS6000I Computerized Sewing Machine for Quilting

photo of CS6000I special accessories

These Accessories and More

Experienced quilters like this make and model too. It’s an easy introduction to the new technology of computerized sewing machines, so it’s well suited for those getting back into quilting after many years. This Brother model is also noted for being fast and precise, desirable qualities for everyone.

photo CS6000I 60 stitch patterns

The CS6000I's 60 stitches

The computerized functions aren’t just for fancy stitches; it makes the basic stuff easier with features like automatic threading. The “automation” also makes it easier to move up to more advanced quilting and sewing techniques, and lets you enjoy the fun of creation rather than fiddling with a darned machine. There’s 60 built-in stitch functions ranging from basic utility stitches to decorative and heirloom stitches. This includes 7 styles of self-sizing one-step button holes. And of course there’s quilting stitches. It’s easy to select among these 5-dozen options. No complicated mechanisms; just an LCD display screen and a few buttons.

Click Here for Lowest Price

What makes the Brother CS6000I computerized sewing machine good for quilting? It includes all the features you need. There’s quilting stitch patterns already built in, and the machine comes with a spring-action quilting foot. It also includes a wide-table accessory to make your quilting go smoothly.

Also, it is an excellent option for all around sewing. A Brother CS6000I offers you sixty built-in stitching types (including the quilting stitch), together with 6 other sorts of feet. It is able to do 7 kinds of button holes. What’s more, it comes equipped with several other little do-dads. You’ll find it quite speedy going 850 stitches each minute. This particular model is unusually light in weight (16 pounds), and has a hard case.

Possibly best of all, they have a 25-year limited warranty. There is only one factor that I feel is missing: while computerized, it does not perform embroidery patterns. Though it really ist too much than should be expected with regard to this low cost machine, most definitely since you regularly can locate a Brother CS6000I computerized sewing machine for a lot less than ½ price any time you check around.

Categories: Brother CS6000I computerized sewing machine | No Comments »

 
Scrappy Theme by Caroline Moore | Copyright 2012 Quilting Machines for Sale | Powered by WordPress