What machine(s) do you have? (or have had)

[Elieth]

I've got a Pfaff hobby 422 which is okay - I'd love to get something else though - it tends to be a pita, gets thread jams and breaks threads so often, plus I can't get any of the fancy stitches to work properly Got talked into buying it by a pushy salesperson and wish I'd bought something else now.
Also have a Brother 3034D lock which I love - it works like a dream and sews 3-4 layers of nappy fabric without any problem.

[Middy]

Bernina 1230: Love it, love it, love it! Awesome, reliable, and clever for an oldie

Globe-Lock M-34: Hate it, hate it, hate it! Throws a wobbly every time I try to sew anything for inserts, snaps threads, and breaks needles. Thinking seriously about ditching it, despite the service-man saying it will go forever and is worth keeping. No use to me if it doesn't like microfibre! ](*,)

[sb]

I have

Pfaff Smart 200C sewing machine, I was seduced by the price and the features, I too have had some trouble and I'm onto my second one which is going great. The first one had a mind of its own, when it went into reverse it did a couple of stitches and then went forward on its own, so it went back to the shop. I am happy with it, I love all the features, especially the overlocking foot and the faux coverstitch.

Babylock BL4-736 overlocker I got this second hand on trade me for $70, Its a four thread, no differential feed or rolled hem, (a rolled hem from my Babylock dealer is $70). I'm too scared to put anything too heavy in it having munted my old overlocker too many times It goes pretty well and the dealer said I'd got a good deal when I took it in for service.

Had
Brother VX1100 It did straight stitch and zig zag, it was a birthday present from my parents 15 years ago. It had been well used by me and my friends over the years to make clothes, hem trousers and jeans and make curtains, duvets, you name it. I even sewed my finger with it Eventually I outgrew it.

Elna Lotus got this at the local Tennis Club garage sale, it was great, it did stretch stitch, three step zigzag, all the things my brother didn't. It didn't have a free arm, which is really useful, especially for childrens clothes.

Globelock M3 This was Grandmas overlocker, it was a great workhorse machine, it is a three thread machine and I thought I really needed a four thread, now I'm not so sure, it didn't have differential feed but it seemed to handle knits better than the Babylock. It can only sew one layer of microfibre and can't do towelling, I know this because I bent something inside of it trying to sew microfibre and towelling. Luckily my Dad was able to fix it (each time)!

Janome (not sure of the model number, but its nearly 40 years old) Mums machine which I've had on long term loan, it handles pul and microfibre like a dream, it purrs like a kitten, I love this machine, I learnt to sew on it. It has pattern cams with fancy stitches, no three step zig zag or stretch stitch. It weighs a tonne.

Another good place for second hand machine reviews is http://www.zigzaggers.typepad.com/

[Annabella]

I have a Globe 877 that my Aunt purchased new in thh 70's and never ever had serviced. I have had about 2 years and got it serviced about a year ago. I do like it, it is very solid and sews most things well including leather but doesn't like PUL or Microfleece. It is a bit clunky at top speed (not very fast )

I am picking up my new overlocker tomorrow so I will let you know how it goes! It is a Globelock 34M.

[Tinkerbell]

Bernina Matic oldie but a goodie, got it for $10 at a garage sale

Bernette 55 Nice easy machine, simple stitches Good for beginning me

Brother 3034lock handles all the overlocking I've done on it like a dream. Got after someone posted a thread on here that it was on special. Kind Kimber gave me her voucher to get it

Singer overlocker Hated it. so traded it for the brother.

I am still a beginner sewer, so love the current machines I have.

[Joanne]

I agree Leanne, a great thread!

I had

A really old manual antique Singer, which in a fit of madness traded in for a new Singer 5910 about 20 years ago.

I have

Singer 5910 - still got it. A good heavy, sturdy machine. Has lots of stitch options. Not worth selling with the other cheap machines around so will keep for the children to use. I thought it had issues as I kept getting birdsnests, but it was actually me When DH was so sick of me complaining about it I ended up with a ....

Elna 3210 Love this It's a good solid mechanical machine (didn't want a computerised). Haven't had any problems with it. Had it about 2 years or so now. Sews everything Lots of stitch options and have recently bought a walking foot to use with it.

Antique Singer - manual with wooden case. Like my old one, but in better condition. My friend was having a cleanout and offered me this to take away. DH was with me, or I would have taken the second one (electric) she had too!!

Janome 744D -

[sunbird73]

I had:

Elna SU
1970's machine. Great machine for a beginner, sewing machine man said hardly anything goes wrong with them. I wanted to upgrade to a Bernina once I got better at sewing when I was looking for a higher quality topstitch, but other than that I sewed on this machine for over 12yrs and only once sent it to the man to get fixed - and that visit cost me $25

I have:



Bernina 930 - Viv's one!!
Its a fantastic machine, really awesome. LOVE it Good solid Bernina construction, made to last a lifetime, and a really good range of stitches.

But buying it gave me a Bernina fetish and I started to covet a machine that had a needle down function (as I had got into a rhythm with my Elna that I could time the end of the stitch to leave the needle down, but the 930 is automatic always needle up)

Bernina 1630
What an amazing machine!! It does wonderful things, all metal body, lots of decorative stitches, alphabets, lots of automatic buttonholes.

Janome 134D Overlocker
Have had this for about 5 yrs. I can't do without it but at times I have arguments with it. It is *OK* but the tension can be annoying and it can randomly lose tension at intervals. But then, I have never serviced it ever so perhaps that is my fault.

I am now having a huge dilemma - I am in love with both my Bernina 930 and my 1630. I need to sell one (DH is becoming increasingly frustrated with me - I couldn't really afford the 1630 in the first place, and we have some huge dental bills coming up - not to mention my latest layby of a Janome Coverpro )

I love the 930, its a wonderful machine and if it had needle up/down then I would marry it and settle down. But I am so in love the 1630 too! I was supposed to sell one when I bought the other but I just haven't been able to decide.

I think I have to sell my beautiful 1630 - purely because its worth more, and we desperately need the $$. But I think I will cry when I let it go! I just took photos today and ran it thru some stitches to show what it can do and it pained me so much cos it does it all so beautifully. Waaaahhh!

I just don't know if I can do it!

[bubbagirl]

I have a Husqvarna 2000 which was my Grandmother's - a lovely, old & solid machine

Since I had it serviced it's been pretty good (except I've given up on trying to sew microfleece side down, but use suedecloth OK now). Copes fine with velcro.

Am now on the hunt for an overlocker (I've been wanting one for years, but keep putting it off)

edit to add: just ordered a Babylock 097
and Mum has a Pfaff hobbymatic 803 (but I expect she'll be borrowing my overlocker a bit when I get it )

[hannah]

I have had:
Bernina Nova (mums and about 30yrs old) stupidly traded it in when I got a brother bm2600 and brother 3034D overlocker) ](*,) Was a great machine I just didn't realise it 18mths ago
Brother BM2600. Great for a beginner but I was well past that stage when I got it - sold it on tm end of last year.

I have:
Janome Ltd Edition something, older maybe 15yrs? works well. Cream and dusky pink I bought this for $32 on TM just for the plug really for the other Janome (see below) but really like it.
Janome My Style 16S. This was a $60 TM score as it had no plug. I thought it had issues with speeding up etc, making the stitch length vary, but I worked out last week that the foot pressure was too loose and maybe it didn't like the other Janomes plug. So I tried it with another plug I also got on tm for $15 and its now going like a dream (as in no stalling on thick seams etc) I loooooooove it.
Brother 3034D overlocker. 18mths old. Goes well. I do covet Goldilock's Janome 744D though.
Janome CoverPro 1000cp. Still to use it properly but I love it.
Janome Mylock 434D overlocker, just bought off tm not long after Arlo was born as it was cheap, $150 and i still covet a Janome Overlocker and had planned to sell my other one.
Singer 100yr old hand driven sewing machine in a bentwood case. Its black with gold scroll print and has the most divine embossed plate on the side. I bought it because its beautiful and in case of power cuts
Yamato 5 thread industrial Overlocker. Yet to use properly as it needs a service. This lives at my mums with my sisters 2 industrials.

Pfaff 1214 just got on TM. Has IDT I only picked it up today and had a quick play but its lovely.

[Happy@home]

I've got a Bernina 801 which I inherited from my grandmother. I'll never part with it

And Bernette 234 A really good overlocker, going much better since I had it serviced!

I used to have a Brother VX-1100. It cost about $200 new and only lasted a few years.

[Khai]

Had:
(still have it, but am going to flick onto TM, I think) an old Brother somethingorother.

Have:
An old Elna a friend gave us that was his late mother's. It's clunky and solid as anything, but it runs really well!

MIL's horrible 3 thread Elna overlocker

Expecting:
Janome Mylock 184D

[Vivianne]

I now have a Bernina Nova to add to my other two machines. Yay. Was meant to be for the kids to use, but I'm using it to take to sewing clas so I don't have to pack up my 1230. It runs really well now that DH has given it a good service, but the bobbin winder is buggered and Bernina don't have any is stock now, so I will buy one of those seperate bobbin winders to use with it.

[Khai]

Elna overlocker - does everything it needs to, but is an utter PITA because it goes through needles at a tremendous rate (expensive!!!), breaks threads (no matter how expensive), and I've given up replacing the overloopers, they snap off again within 5 mins, and tends to skip stiches too (it's been serviced) wouldn't recommend any of my machines to anyone (unless you can get another like my old brother in good working condition)

This sounds just like my MIL's Elna overlocker!

[Judy]

Janome DX Combi sewing/2 thread overlocker combo - an older machine that runs like a dream.

Babylock Serger - can't remember the model number. Hate it. It's the naughty corner.

Previously

Juki 3 thread overlocker - very basic.
Janome 234D? overlocker - good machine; love Janome.

Judy

[jailee]

I have:
Bernette 50 Very basic sewing machine, has given me a fair bit of grief over the years, but running well at the moment and actually has been for quite some time!
Mercury Overlocker 4 thread one, don't know the model but it has been pretty good (but not as good as my Aunty's Janome that I borrowed for awhile ). The cutter seems to get blunt very quickly so have been through quite a few of those (is that normal?)
Janome Coverpro 900cp Just got it, haven't even tried it out yet!