Could you please give me some advice on which sewing machine would be best for me?

Hello! I've been looking into intermediate electronic sewing machines. I've looked at the Singer 5160. I will mostly be sewing curtains, pillows, and other household linens. I am looking to spend around $100 on a new or ';gently used'; machine. I have also been looking into the Janome and Brother sewing machines. Any suggestions? Thank you!Could you please give me some advice on which sewing machine would be best for me?
If it has to be new, I'd suggest Janome. For used, I'd keep looking for a pre 1965 Singer or a Pfaff, Elna, Viking/Husqvarna, Necchi, Bernina (not Bernette), Juki or Toyota.





I'm not seeing anything in your list of what you want to sew that suggests you need more than a competent straight stitcher... Singer 15s and 66s go for about $5-10 around here.


http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm





More suggested reading: John Giordano's The Sewing Machine Book.Could you please give me some advice on which sewing machine would be best for me?
If you will be sewing curtains, look for a machine with some ';heft'; to it. You don't want it dancing around the table as you guide yards of 60'; wide heavy fabric through it. You will want a variety of feet so that you may do cording, trapunto, welting, etc. on your pillows. Make sure the machine you choose accepts a variety of needle manufacturers. Schmitz coated needles are a must for some projects and you want to be sure they will fit.





Take each machine for a long test drive at the store. Ask lots of questions. Check out Epinions and other review sites to see what others say about their machines. $100 is at the low end for electronic machines. You may want to shop around some of the stores that sell sewing machines exclusively and see what used machines they have and what sort of warranty they offer.





I have a 20 yr. old Pfaff for everyday stuff and a 40 yr. old Necchi (Italian) that is a workhorse for heavy projects. It's solid metal and can handle the heaviest fabrics with ease.





Good luck on your search. It's always fun to get a new sewing machine.
I have a 1970 Singer, ziz-zag. I bought a buttonholer for it, and I make drape, curtains, slipcovers, men's, women's and childrens clothes with it. I have never needed any more that it does. They're about !5-25 dollars at our St.Vincent's. They may need a tune up, but sewing machines don't ever seem to die.