Adding some embroidery is an excellent way to turn any garment into something special, a one-off custom creation that only you will possess. The desire to be creative is something inside all of us and machine embroidery is a satisfying way to express that desire.
Like any hobby/craft, having the right tools will make a huge difference to your output and with machine embroidery having the correct sewing machine can be crucial.
It is not necessary to buy the most expensive machine available, but it is important to buy the machine most suited to the type of work that you want to create. I hope that this guide will help you do just that.
Best Quilting Embroidery Sewing Machine Reviews
Brother Sewing Machine, SE600
The Brother sewing machine company began as a small workshop in 1908 and has since grown into a huge multinational corporation. The Yasui brothers had expanded the business and by 1932 they had introduced mass production of sewing machines.
The business continued to develop and by 1976 they had launched their first electronic model. This technological development has continued until this very day and the SE600 is an example of how far sewing machines have progressed.
An outstanding feature of the SE600 is the LCD display that allows the user to view the embroidery pattern in full color, and even change the colors of individual threads in the design using the included color palette. Once changes have been made, the display allows the user to view the amended design before it begins to stitch.
The SE600 comes complete with 6 built-in embroidery fonts. Users may choose from capital or lower case letters, as well as numerals and special characters. Their embroidering text used to be a long and difficult task. With this wonderful machine, it is automated. Fonts are available in various sizes to suit your project.
Key features at a glance
- Large 3.2” Color touchscreen display for viewing and amending your design.
- 4” square embroidery field, with included embroidery arm and foot.
- Advanced embroidery features such as placing letters on arcs.
- USB import of embroidery designs from online
- Massive 103 built-in sewing stitch collection, including auto-sized buttonholes.
Singer Futura XL-550
The iconic name in sewing machines, is, of course, Singer and was established in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer and New York lawyer Edward Clark. The company, once a clear market leader has, in recent years, been eclipsed by newer Japanese brands.
However, since 2001 (the company’s 150th anniversary) the company has begun to fight back with more technologically advanced models at competitive prices. The Singer Futura XL-550 is an example of the new generation of sewing machines.
The SINGER FUTURA XL-550 has the option to connect the sewing machine to your home PC rather than having a built-in LCD screen like the Brother machine. Using your computer, you can work on the embroidery designs and then send it to the sewing machine with just one button push.
Since many people now have laptops and desktop computers at home, this is a sensible idea and reduces coss. Additionally, the machine has 215 popular stitches and 125 embroidery designs already built-in.
The including design software has the ability to read 13 of the most popular file formats used for storing embroidery designs.
An exciting feature of the SINGER FUTURA XL-550 is “multi-hoop capability, which allows the user to create designs that can reach 18 inches by 11 inches. This opens many new possibilities.
Key features at a glance
- 5 fonts, outline lettering, 215 popular stitches, and 125 embroidery designs built-in.
- LED Lighting, making it easier to see your work and reduce eye strain.
- Automatic Threading of Needles eliminates the frustration of trying to thread needles.
- A computerized system for embroidery with multiple designs combined and added text lettering.
Brother SE1900 computerized sewing and embroidery machine
The first Brother sewing machine was born in 1928 and was created specifically to make straw hats. In 1947 Brother started sending its machines overseas when it exported 200 machines to China. How could anyone imagine that those pieces of mechanical engineering would evolve into machines like the Brother SE1900.
Today’s sewing machines have become electronic masterpieces rather than the old mechanical products they once were. The SE1900 comes with an optional USB stick that can be used for importing embroidery designs from the manufacturer’s website and transferring them to the machine.
This stick is an optional extra and is not standard. The website carries thousands of designs for you to use.
With the SE 1900s, extra size embroider area users have plenty of space for designs and text. You can combine and view multiple designs together on the built-in LCD screen, where you can change colors and prepare the ideal design.
Key features at a glance
- The perfect combination sewing & embroidery machine
- Color touchscreen to preview and change designs before sewing.
- Fast stitching. The SE1900 can sew up to 850 stitches every minute.
- Super-sized embroidery field for work up to 5” by 7”
- Variety of international fonts, including 7 English, 1 Cyrillic, and 3 Japanese.
- The SE1900 comes with a large collection of sewing feet.
Janome Horizon Memory Craft 12000
Janome is the number one sewing machine company in the world. In 1936 the company opened its first mass production sewing machine factory in Japan. The company now also has plants in Taiwan and Thailand. They export to over 100 countries worldwide.
Janome was the first company to introduce a home-use computerized sewing machine in 1979. They were also the first to develop professional-quality home embroidery machines in 1990.
The Janome Horizon is substantially more expensive than other machines in this review and Janome have taken a different approach to Singer and Brother in doing some task. This machine is also more geared to quilting than other machines.
With Horizon link you can link your computer wirelessly to the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 12000 sewing machine. This allows you to use a much larger screen to edit the embroidery designs. Some people like built-in screens and others prefer the ability to link a computer.
Massive 11 inches to the right of the needle.
This compares favorably with some other machines that only offer an 8-inch space.
Key features at a glance
- Advanced computer connection to the sewing machine with Horizon link.
- A massive 11 inches space on the right of the needle
- Acufeed Flex which feeds material from both top and bottom
- Janome stitch composer which allows the user to design and edit custom stitches then use a
- USB to load the sewing machine.
- Linear motion embroidery which allows a bigger area for embroidery.
Brother SE400 combination sewing & embroidery machine
Jones Sewing Machines were the UKs premier sewing machine manufacturer In 1968 Brother acquired the Manchester-based company and so continued its worldwide expansion and development of new models like the Brother SE400.
The Brother SE400 is at the lower end of the price scale yet is surprisingly advanced. The machine includes many of the same features included in more expensive machines, such as computer connections that allow the user to import and make digital embroidery designs. Despite its low price, it is certainly in the running for the title best quilting embroidery sewing machine
The brother SE400 includes a back-lit LCD screen that displays 67 sewing stitches, 70 embroidery designs that are embedded in the sewing machine, and 5 text fonts.
The computer connectivity not only allows the import of embroidery designs; it can also be used for downloading updates to the machine at a later time. The machine also uses a standardized .pes file. These are widely available, so you will have access to a lot of different designs.
Key features at a glance
- Large embroidery area so you can get creative
- The sewing area is lit up with a bright LED light.
- Easy bobbin drops in nice and easily
- 7 Point fabric fee easily controls fabric.
- Full selection of accessories included.
Things Need To Know About “Best quilting embroidery sewing machine” Before Buy
I hope you found the above reviews of some of the top quilting and embroidery sewing machines. In this next section, we will look more generally at factors you should consider before you buy.
The Manufacturers
Top brands worldwide are Singer, Brother, Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff, Bernina, Elna, and Janome. Singer, Husqvarna, and Pfaff are actually now all owned by the same company Nobody makes sewing machines in the USA anymore. Theses top brands are made in the following countries:
Singer, Husqvarna, and Pfaff are all made in China. However, Singer seems to make some of their machines in Brazil, Taiwan, and Vietnam as well.
Bernina still makes a few sewing machines in Switzerland but the majority of them are made in Thailand, in a factory that is owned and managed by Bernina.
Elna sewing machines are made in Janome factories in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.
So, if you retain the notion that a domestically made product is best then you will be disappointed as virtually all sewing machines are made in the far east.
Your budget
There is a large spectrum of prices between the highest price machine and the more modestly priced ones. It is important that you consider carefully what you will use the machine for and how many features you actually need. This is where looking at reviews is a useful technique.
Common features in a combination quilting embroidery sewing machine
Section 1 – Embroidery
- Built-in screen for reviewing designs before you embroider
- Some machines will have a small LCD display where you can view designs before you start sewing.
Computer Connection to PC
Some sewing machines replace the built-in screen with a connection to your PC. Mostly through a USB connection, although the Janome is also wifi. An added benefit of this might be that you can download new designs onto your computer and then transfer to the sewing machine. You may also be able to get updates from the Internet and copy them to the sewing machine.
Built-in embroidery patterns
- Some sewing machines have an embedded collection of embroidery designs and fonts.
- Large-sized embroidery area
- A feature of some machines is the extended size of the embroidery area.
Section 2 – Quilting
- Straight line and free motion quilting
- These two styles of quilting can be done on virtually any sewing machine.
- Most of the embroidery machines listed are perfectly adequate for quilting
- Unless they plan to buy a dedicated quilting machine, which will have a wide bed, most people use combination embroidery and sewing machines.
Section 3 – General Sewing
Built-in stitches
A useful feature is a library of built-in stitches.
Automatic needle threader
It can be such a frustrating try to thread a needle, avoid this with an manually automatic threader.
Easy bobbin insertion
On older machines, it can sometimes be very difficult to insert and thread the bobbin correctly. Some new machines have simplified this process.
Smoother fabric feeding
Great improvements have been made with certain new models in the way they feed the material.
Accessories
Check if the sewing machine has a selection of accessories included. Buying them individually can be both inconvenient and expensive.
One-touch thread cutting
Speed up your work with a one-touch thread cutter, it is more convenient.
Automatic buttonholer
Sew a buttonhole easily and in just one step
Automatic thread tension
Some machines will work out the required tension for the material in use. Often there is an override.
Feed dog adjustment
You need to have the facility to lower the feed dogs so that you can do freestyle stitching or darning.
Free arm
This gives you the ability to remove part of the base plate so that you can slide the arm inside trouser legs or sleeves.
Final words
So we have established that nearly all sewing machines are made in the far east. Do not be fooled by well known, western sounding brands, or historical connections. All you need to consider when choosing the ideal machine is what features you actually need. There is very little point in paying extra for features that you know you will never use.
Obviously, you will consider what your budget is, bearing in mind the huge gap between the cheapest and most expensive machines.
Read the reviews for the machines we have suggested and follow the links to check them out. And I am sure that you will find the Best quilting embroidery sewing machine.
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