While hand quilting is an art form and many older people love it, machine quilting is more popular thanks to sewing machines that have quilting features as well. Not all of us have the patience for hand quilting!
If you’d like to try machine quilting or you’re ready to upgrade from your current sewing machine, then you’re probably shopping around and doing some research on the best sewing machine for quilting.
I’ve created a review post that lists the machines I think are worth being in a list of the best sewing machine for quilting. I’ve used my own sewing experiences, have interviewed family and friends who sew and quilt, and have researched specific brands to create my “best of” list.
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I’ve looked for the best rated sewing machine for quilting on Amazon and other online stores, to see what other people are buying and why they’re buying that brand.
It’s important to compare sewing machines for quilting, and read as many quilting machine reviews as you can because each machine has different features and benefits and comes at different costs. Some machines have longer arms than others, while some may have larger bobbins, or different stitches that you could use for other sewing projects.
Best Sewing Machine For Quilting- Quilting Machine Reviews
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Brother cs6000i 60-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine with Wide Table
Best Brother Sewing Machine For Quilting
The Brother cs6000i is a top-selling sewing machine that’s easily a contender for the best sewing machine for quilting.
It’s a versatile and value-packed machine, with 60 stitches, including decorative stitches and 7 types of one-step buttonholes, that’s suitable for many different types of quilting projects.
One of the reasons I’ve chosen the Brother cs6000i as a “best sewing machine for quilting” is because it has an oversized table. This is especially design for quilting projects, because quilts are large and bulky and require lots of working space.
For those quilters who hate threading their machines, you’ll love the automatic threading feature on the Brother sewing machine.
If you find it frustrating to access and set your bobbin thread, the Brother cs6000i helps overcome this problem. The machine is jam-resistant, and has a quick-set drop-in bobbin.
You can select stitches and adjust your stitch length and width, and see the selections you’ve made on the LCD screen.
The sewing machine’s arm features a compartment that stores all your machine accessories.
One of the things I like about this machine is that you don’t need to use the foot control- you can press the stop/start button instead. There’s a variable speed control for you to adjust the speed of your machine.
The machine’s light is strong and creates a bright working area. This is important when you’re working on quilting projects with dark fabrics.
The machine comes with a bilingual manual and has a 25-year warranty. There is also phone support available, even outside of your warranty period, which is great in case you have any issues!
Included with the machine is a buttonhole foot, an overcasting foot, monogramming foot, zipper foot, zig zag foot, blind stich food, spring action quilting food, button fitting foot and walking food.
You’ll also receive an accessory pouch that has a needle set, spool pin, three bobbins, a twin needle, cleaning brush, screwdriver, eyelet punch, seam ripper, power cord and a hard protective case.
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SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist 600-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine with Extension Table, Bonus Accessories and Hard Cover
Best Singer Sewing Machine For Quilting
Another well-known and popular brand of sewing machine is the Singer 9950 Quantum Stylist sewing machine, which I think is one of the best sewing machine for quilting choices on the market.
One of the things I look for when choosing the best sewing machine for quilting projects or any other craft and sewing projects is a machine that is sturdy. This is important, because you want a stable machine that won’t tip over when you’re busy quilting and moving your fabric around. The Singer 9960 is a heavy duty metal frame machine- nice and sturdy!
It has a steel bedplate that helps you feed your fabric nice and smoothly for even sewing.
The Singer 9960 has 600 stitches, including alphanumeric stitches. With so many choices, you can customize your project and truly create something unique and professional-looking. You can edit the stitches and control the exact look of the stitch you’re using through advanced features on the machine.
There are many different presser feet available to use on the Singer machine, and some of these include a quilting foot, bias binder, all-purpose foot, overcasting foot, zipper foot, button sewing foot and satin stitch foot. There are many others included!
For those who have trouble threading their machine, you’ll be glad to know that the Singer 9960 has an automatic threader and top drop-in bobbin system that makes it quick and easy to set your machine up for your next quilting project.
Once you’ve finished sewing, you can use the one-touch automatic thread cutter which trims the top and bottom threads, for quicker sewing.
You also have complete control over the sewing speed and there’s an electronic auto pilot function.
For quilting with extra thick fabric, you’ll be pleased to know that the Singer has an extra-high presser foot to help you sew with ease. There is also a drop feed to enable free motion quilting.
The free arm provides easier access when you’re sewing sleeves or pant legs, and your work space will be nicely lit up via the 2 StayBright LED lights that use long-lasting globes.
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Brother XR9500PRW Project Runway Limited Edition Sewing Machine with 100 Built-in Stitches and Quilting Table
Best Home Quilting Machine
If you’re a fan of the hit TV show Project Runway, the Brother XR9500PRW is a Project Runway limited edition sewing machine that’s a great choice for quilting, embroidery and monogramming.
It’s an affordable machine for those on a small budget, but still has lots of great value features to help you with your next quilting project. It also has enough features to be used for other projects, not just quilting. It’s quite versatile!
The Brother XR9500PRW has 100 built-in stitches, including utility, heirloom and decorative stitches. There are also 55 built-in alphanumeric stitches in one font, which is great if you’re doing basic monogramming or lettering on your quilt.
There are 8 styles of 1-step buttonholes, to create easy button holes for your quilt.
The XR9500PRW has a built-in thread cutter to help you easily cut your thread once you’ve finished quilting.
One of the reasons I’ve chosen this as the best sewing machine for quilting is because there’s a start/stop button to control your machine so you don’t have to use the foot pedal. You can control the machine’s speed via the lever.
Quilters love large work spaces to make quilting easier. The Brother XR9500 has an extension table to give you more space to move your quilt around as you’re using the machine. The work space is also brightly lit.
Unfortunately, the ¼ inch quilting foot doesn’t come included with the machine, but can be purchased separately.
Brother XR3774 Full-Featured Sewing and Quilting Machine with 37 Stitches, 8 Sewing Feet, Wide Table, and Instructional DVD
I’ve chosen the Brother XR3774 as another best sewing machine for quilting, because it’s great value for money and gives you the features you need when working on a quilting project.
The machine has 37 stitches, including decorative stitches. There are 74 total stitch functions available to you, which is a great variety for different crafting projects. If you think this isn’t enough, then you may need to think about a machine that’s more suited to intermediate or advanced sewers. For beginners, and those not sewing often, the Brother XR3774 is suitable.
When you purchase the XR3774, you’ll also receive a number of presser feet. This includes a buttonhole, zipper, zig zag, blind stitch, button sewing, narrow hemmer, walking and quilting foot. For quilters, you’ll be happy to know that a ¼ inch quilting foot is included! This is great, because most other machine models require you to purchase this foot separately, which can be annoying.
There is an automatic threader available, to help you thread your needle faster. The maximum sewing speed is 800 stitches per minute, which is slower than most other machines but for most people, speed is not that important, unless you’re sewing for a living!
The spacious work area is great when you’re quilting, and there’s a wide table and a quilting table with the machine. It’s also well-lit with an LED bulb used in the machine.
When you’re quilting, you can drop the feed dogs and cover them with a needle plate cover, so that you can easily slide your quilting fabric without it getting caught on the feed dogs.
The maximum stitch width is 5mm while the maximum length is 4mm.
The machine has a 25-year limited warranty.
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JUKI TL-2000Qi Sewing and Quilting Machine
Juki makes top rated sewing machines for quilting
The Juki TL-2000Qi is not for the faint hearted, and is the best sewing machine for quilting when you have a high budget and you’re after the best quality.
The machine doesn’t have lots of features and it only has 1 stitch, but it’s designed for commercial sewing enthusiasts who need an industrial sewing machine for their sewing and crafting projects. This isn’t a machine you’d want to buy for decorative craft projects!
Why I have chosen the Juki TL as a best sewing machine for quilting? The machine is made entirely of aluminium- it doesn’t have any plastic components! This makes the machine high-quality, which results in high-quality stitches.
The machine works at speeds up to 1500spm which is more than any other sewing machine on the market. This is great if you work as a quilter or sewer and need to work through your projects as quickly as possible.
Longer stitches are possible with this machine, and you can control the stitch length using the dial. The maximum length is 6mm.
There’s a knee lever which allows you to lift and drop the presser foot hands free, which is great while you’re busy working on your project.
The machine comes with a 1/5 inch quilting foot and has a very large work area of around 23 inches- this is perfect for large quilting projects!
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How To Choose The Best Sewing Machine For Quilting
Ultimately, only YOU can decide the best sewing machine for quilting, because this depends on the features of a machine that you think are important. In my quilting machine reviews post, I’ve included things that I like in a sewing machine and things that I think are important when choosing the best sewing machine for quilting.
As you become more experienced at sewing, you’ll find things that you like and don’t like about sewing. When you’re shopping around for a sewing machine, there are some features that you should look out for that will make your sewing experience easier and more fun.
Metal Machine
Look for sewing machines that have metal parts, making the machine durable, stable and long-lasting. Some cheaper machines, especially those for kids, aren’t made of metal. These machines aren’t as stable, and can get knocked over or moved easily.
Throat Space
The open area of your machine where you place your fabric is known as the throat space. Look for a machine with a larger throat area so you have more room to put your quilt on the machine. This makes life easier for you! Bulky quilts require lots of space.
Size Of The Machine
Relating to the throat space, is the overall size of the machine. A larger machine means that you’ll have more working area to make your life easier. However, you need to think about how much space your sewing work area has- if you have your own sewing room, this might not be an issue. But if you’re working in a small space or on a small table, you might prefer a smaller machine.
Extension Table
While not a “must have”, an extension table can make your quilting project easier. An extension table is a piece that you attach to the end of your machine, giving you a larger surface to work on. This is important when quilting because a large, bulky quilt is harder to work with if you only have a small space to work on. A sewing extension table can be purchased separately.
Presser Feet
Make sure that the presser foot is a ¼ inch foot for quilting. When quilting, you need a ¼ inch seam allowance, so a ¼ inch presser foot helps you create a straight seam and lets you know when you’re ¼ inch from the end of your fabric. It can be difficult to get a nice straight line when you’re not using a ¼ inch presser foot.
Walking Foot
When you’re working on quilting projects with thicker fabric, you’ll need a walking foot. A walking foot has feed dogs on the top that move with the feed dogs on your machine, pulling the fabric from the top and bottom at the same time. A walking foot is a “nice to have”, it’s not necessarily required.
Free Motion Foot
A free motion foot allows you to move the fabric through the machine on your own, in different directions. It helps stabilise your fabric so that the fabric doesn’t move around when you don’t want it to.
Lighting
It’s important to have good lighting when you’re quilting. When choosing the best sewing machine for quilting, make sure that the machine has adequate lighting.
Automatic Thread Cutter
While not compulsory, I think having an automatic cutter to cut your thread once you finish sewing is a nice little extra feature of a sewing machine. Once you finish sewing, you simply press the button and your machine cuts your thread for you. Some machines don’t have an automatic thread cutter but have a cutter on the machine for you to manually cut the thread when you’ve finished. This saves you time finding and using your scissors.
Conclusion
My quilting machine reviews should give you a better idea of the best sewing machine for quilting projects. Armed with this information, you should narrow down your choices to the best sewing quilting machine for your own personal needs and budget.
If you need to read more detailed quilting machine reviews, I’ve included a links to other helpful posts for you.
I’m using Juki old one. I need to upgrade to new one.
I decided to buy Brother XR9500PRW . Your catchy explanation is really helps me.