Sewing machine recommendation

[ChickenToes]

Long story short, I broke my sewing machine the other day. It got jammed up with a thread nest, so I cut out the nest and tried to keep sewing. Now it clunks every time the arm goes down and the top thread won't pick up the bottom thread. My husband and I are pretty sure it's out of time.

I only paid $70 for this machine, it's a Brother. I've used it for 2 years, this is the first real problem I've had with it. I really don't want to spend gobs of money to fix a $70 machine, so here are my options - buy a new machine, or try to find an old Singer or something similar that's not a plastic wonder. Anyone have any opinions/recommendations? I only use straight stitches, zig zags, and do the occasional buttonhole, so I do not need anything fancy.

I was curious about Husqvarna-Viking sewing machines, does anyone have one? Any tips at all would be helpful at this point, as I need a new machine pretty quickly - Christmas is coming, and I have gifts to make!

Thanks in advance!

 

[suzyq53511]

I have a singer confidence and its awesome! Its also affordable!

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

I bought a Brother too. It was on clearance and I don't sew a lot so I couldn't justify spending hundreds of dollars a nice machine. It does jam up a lot, the stitch timing is off . . . But it sews a straight stitch.

My mother has a Singer that works like a dream. I have used a very basic Husqvarna machine that did a fine job. I think Singer and those basic Husqvarna machines are very comparable.

 

[ChickenToes]

Quote:
That's why I bought my Brother, too - it was on clearance. At first I thought I would just use it for mending and making the occasional dress or set of curtains, but then I started sewing more heavily.

I'll have to look into Singers a bit more...the bestselling machines on amazon.com are Brothers, so I was looking at another one of those, like a heavier duty version of the one I already have.

 

[Scoop]

I got a Singer and love it although it was $400.00. It's got all the fancy stitches that you probably don't want. I see used machines all the time at flea markets for el cheapo - some look really new! Around here you can't even give sewing machines away - nobody wants them.

 

[buckeyejerseygiants]

I love my old Singer! Can't always just expect to go out and find one, but they do show up dirt cheap in all kinds of places.

 

[speckledhen]

I have a Brother 6000i, which is about $170 at Walmart. It doesn't jam unless I use cheapo thread in it so I use the silk covered thread most of the time. You have to keep the fuzz cleaned from the bobbin area and it works just fine. Have made many quilted items with it. Has lots of computerized fancy stitches, but I mainly use the piecing stitch.

 

[dawnchick]

I bought the cheapest machine with a needle threader that WalMart had, when my vision started getting fuzzy. It is a My Home. certainly cost less than $200, and is probably 10 years old. Never a moment's trouble, and it sews through seams on jeans for shortening them better than any other machine I've ever had. All I wanted was one that would reverse and zig zag, but it has several other fancy stitches, including a built in buttonholer. Has and 800 number on a metal plaque on the back; I've never needed it.

Used to have one of those old fashioned black Singers, bought it used for $25 around 1960, and made most of my own clothes on it for 25 years.

 

[luvchicks8]

Janome are by far the best in my opinion. I bought mine for 150

 

[flgardengirl]

I'm looking into getting a new one as well. I have no clue which one I am going to get yet. My Singer is almost 14 yrs old and has a bunch of pieces missing. Luckily, my teenage son, who can fix anything mechanical, has fixed it for me a bazillion times lol. I still use it all the time even though the thread is held on by a long screw

I use it mostly for quilting so am looking for a good quilting machine this time. Some of the craft and fabric stores like Joann fabrics have machines set up and you can try them before you buy them.