Hi, Judy. Sewing machines are near and dear to me :o) Sewing machines are fun! There's nothing quite as pleasant to me as hearing a sewing machine humming along (I like the sound of typing too :o) Of course I'm no expert. I have more experience with the machines themselves as appliances than I do with actually making something on them. I mean I've made pillows, pin cushions, fixed clothes, and am now sewing squares together that might some day form a quilt, but for me sewing is more about interacting with the machine than producing something pretty. I had Home Ec all three years of middle school, sewed a little on sewing machines with grandmas, and sold them at Sears for a couple years (though truth be told, I was really there for the vacuums, same department), so that's where my experience comes from. I personally have two sewing machines. They are both Brothers. One is a beautiful all metal green antique from the 50's. Very similar to the old black metal Singers. It is a true workhorse and work of art. A sweet lady from Tampa who restores machines with her husband sold it to me for 50 dollars. She has since moved to NC, so hopefully the machine never needs more than oiling. It's mint and I wouldn't trust it anyone else. Anyway, the old ones are nice, but they aren't versatile. I needed a zig zag (thought I might want to get into applique) at least. I saw a demo of the Brother PC 420 on HSN and when I saw all of its features, I had to have it. It was pricey, especially for the little bit of sewing I do (add another zero to what I paid for the antique)... but I justified it because it was a 26 birthday present to myself. Plus, I'm pretty thrifty, I don't have a big apartment, I own my car, I don't even have cable, so I tend to spoil myself with appliances since they are my passion :o) Well, the PC 420 is computerized and it has automatic needle up down, automatic push button thread slicer, throttle control, knee operated presser foot lifter, a needle threader that actually works EVERY TIME, start stop button... I could go on and on. It's a dream to sew on and I haven't touched the antique since I got the modern one in September (OK, I wiped the dust off of it once, but that doesn't count). It also came with a hard case, which will be nice when I start taking it to class. The included walking foot and free motion foot were wonderful additions to the package as well. Lots of sewing machine snobs snub Brother, but I love both of mine. I don't think a sewing machine must have a certain name brand printed on it and a HUGE mark up for dealers just to be good! Many dealers sell Baby Lock machines which are made by Brother, but say Brother is garbage even though the machines are exact clones. I had another Brother from the early 90's and it was great as well. Until the accident (note to self, do not trip over the ironing board while carrying a plastic sewing machine and expect it to survive... bad bad idea). So, that's my story and where the foundation from where my experience comes... now to address your post! Firstly, it is WONDERFUL that you don't have a budget! That means you aren't limited. So many people want a machine that has all the features and will last forever for 99 dollars. I remember this from my experience at Sears, and I'm sure it still holds true today. It just ain't gonna happen! You just seem to want a reliable simple machine that will do the job well, so you can spend money on quality instead of features which is a good thing. I'd say to go to dealers first, but also try Sears. Their Kenmore machines are made by Janome and that is a very well respected brand. They are easy to use and sew very well. One of the features I appreciated when coming from an older machine to a more modern on as you might be doing is the built in thread slicer... even basic modern machines while they may not have the electronic thread slicer of high end electronic models, they do have a razor built on to the side that you can just draw the threads through to cut them. It's very handy to not have to pick up the shears every time you need to cut the threads. Another thing was the horizontal drop in bobbin with clear cover... No more bobbin case to fiddle with, and you can always see when you are running out of bottom thread. That didn't stop me from sewing half a pillow with no bobbin thread the other night, but I digress. Plus the silly thing doesn't fall through the table and land on your feet if you don't have it snapped in correctly! Many new machines don't even require you to draw the bobbin thread up before starting sewing! A lot of people like new machines because they have trouble threading needles and want that automatic needle threader. Be careful with that! Some needle threader systems are AWFUL. They require you to do a two handed operation where you have to pull the threader down then twist it forward... then draw the thread taut across three guides and a hook and finally release everything. If you are lucky the needle will be threaded. Those types of systems rarely work well, and the user often resorts to threading the needle manually because it's easier. Plus, the hook that grabs the needle on those machines often bends to one side or the other and no longer goes through the eye of the needle. A superior system is the one like my Brother has... you draw thread through a guide and just push straight down on a lever. One touch operation and it's threaded perfectly every time. I don't even know how it works... it happens too fast the the naked eye to see. Magic I guess! Also, newer machines are a lot easier to declutch for bobbin winding than their older ancestors. If you go to HSN.com and type in sewing machine, Darlene Cahill has quite a few presentations of machines that are interesting. She only does Brothers and Singers, and while they may no longer be the epitome of quality, the videos could still give you an idea of some features you might enjoy on your next machine. Some dealers will tell you that only their brand is the best and you must buy that brand (quite often it's Bernina, Pfaff, or Husqvarna... yes, great, but not the be all end all) or you have an inferior product. For that reason, I'd recommend to check several dealers and shop around a little. I've heard this advice given to others and I think that it is good:: "Even though you think you only want to do something simple, buy a little "more machine" than you think you need. Years to come, you will appreciate all it has to offer and you may even grow into it and find that it's inspired you to do things you hadn't even planned on." It's hard to tell someone which sewing machine to buy... you have to test drive them just like a car. Please do let us know what you end up with, and good luck searching. Have fun! By the way (thought I was done...) Judy, I also respond from my phone a lot. Glad someone else does too! LindaC.... yes Featherweights are pricey now. The cheapest I've seen one for was about 400 dollars! Very cute though! The lady who sold me my Brother had a Featherweight for 200 dollars... I didn't have the money at the time, but really that was a good price. Oh yeah, I've never hold the thread tails when starting to sew. I just draw them through the the gap in the presser foot and make sure they are in the back. Haven't had a problem yet!

Any of the old Singer machines with straight stitch and zig-zag will do, provided you use the right needles. They are good for quilting-weight cottons up through heavy denim ... Sunbrella is in that range. One trick is to pause just before you hit a seam, with the needle down, and put a shim under the presser foot to avoid hitting the bump and stalling. If you are planning to sew extremely heavy upholstery material - the stuff with the thick backing, puffy chenilles, car upholstery stuff - you need an industrial machine. I just bought a Singer FashionMate 237 ($15 at a swap meet) and it's having no problems with repairing denims and sewing shirts. Check at businesses that sell new machines, and repair shops, and Craigslist.

I have a Brother (low end - I think there's something wrong with the bobbin thingy) that's not all that old and two old Kenmores (very old - one won't do long stitches and the other is currently not working at all). I'm using the bobbins that came with them and I have no idea on the needles (my MIL gave me the Brother and loaned me the other two and I'm using the needles that she sent with the Kenmores). It might be worth it to fix one of them, but I'm really short on time. I only get to sew for about two hours a night and I only have a week to get a shirt, a pair of pants, a vest and boot covers done (oh, and did I mention I'm pretty much a beginner, so it takes me a little longer than it would an experience sewer.) I think I'm heading out today to visit a dealership or two to figure something out. Thanks so much for your help!

It isn't always the brand of sewing machine. Its just that the cheaper, newer ones are not meant to last very long. Find a reputable dealer, one that will give you a warranty on a older, used, simple straight stitch, zig zag sewing machine. Those 15, 20 year old machines that are metal, a bit heavy to pick up, will outlast most of the 300 dollar ones today. I have seen some Older Pfaffs 360's, Older White, Viking (6010's),Necchi and Singers still sewing after 30 years. They can handle the size 18 needle and stitch denium. Alot of the better,older ones will have a front loading bobbin. The " drop-in bobbin"" ones are "medium" duty and have abit of trouble with the heavier fabrics. All of these have metal hooks and used metal bobbins. Plastic bobbins "chip" and cause stitching problems. Hope you find something!!