In 30 years of sewing and 20 years of teaching, I have had the pleasure (and displeasure) of working with many different makes and models of sewing machines. I have kept a journal of the hits and misses I have come across with these sewing machines.
In the space below I share my experience, point out some flaws and offer some workarounds. This is a work in progress and will be updated as I discover more issues.
If you have any suggestions for additions, correction, comments, or additional work-arounds, please e-mail me at dawncamerondick@aol.com
| Bernina | ||
| model 180 | hard to adjust tension to be happy with Wonder Thread | |
| no lower tension "finger" on bobbin | ||
| 1600 & 1630 | seem to prefer the Wonder Thread with the base up | |
| do not thread thru last hook on needle shaft | ||
| 1008 | does everything perfectly but does not include a sew table | |
| n/a | ||
| Brother | ||
| Galaxy 2000 | Does not adjust | |
| n/a | ||
| Galaxy 2100 | use decorative stitch | |
| width .05/length 1.6 | ||
| XL4050 | Does not adjust | |
| use zigzag | ||
| Super Galaxy 3000 | won't reduce below 3 on Blind hem. Mirror image #204 | |
| width 1/length 1.8 | ||
| Ace +E | Blind hem won't adjust use button hole stitch | |
| width 1.5/ length 1.6 | ||
| PS31 | has the correct stitch and full adjustability | |
| Front loading bobbin. sews very well | ||
| Celebrity 15 | no width adjustment at all | |
| n/a | ||
| Super Galaxy 2 | Does not adjust | |
| use zigzag | ||
| XL5031 | Does not adjust | |
| use zigzag | ||
| Super Ace 2 | press the box with 4 A's choose the stem with leaves | |
| #55 width 1/length 1.4 or 1.2 (tension is very touchy) | ||
| Bulbs | cost œ3-œ4 use Janome which cost only œ1.50 | |
| Elna | ||
| model 6003 | stitch #12 | |
| width 1.5/length 1 | ||
| model 6004 | stitch #17 activate reverse stitch button | |
| width 1.5/length .7 | ||
| 3007 | Stitch 9 or 10 but both "bite" to the right | |
| Has L & W dials which is nice | ||
| 2007 | Stitch 8 but "bites" to the right | |
| has good W & L control | ||
| 6003 | Has three good choices 12, 13 or 14 | |
| completely adjustable | ||
| 6005 Heirloom Edition | n/a | |
| stitch 16 adjusts as does buttonhole number 25 | ||
| Fister & Rossman | ||
| new cub SP | has no width adjustment | |
| n/a | ||
| Husqvarna | See Viking | |
| Janome | ||
| model 3500 | stitch #26 can't reduce width on left bite blind hem | |
| width 1.5/length .6 | ||
| M>C 5700 | stitch #22 can't reduce width on left bite blind hem | |
| width 1.5/length .8 | ||
| Memory 4000 | will not reduce width activate TOM button Stitch #17 | |
| use reversed | ||
| Memory 4800 | Stitch #16 won't reduce but reverse blind hem #25 will | |
| use TOM button 1.5 width/ .7 length | ||
| Memory 9000 | #27 will adjust but not below 1 which is still too big | |
| #30 will adjust fully width 2/length .9 | ||
| Memory 8000 | won't adjust below .1 which is still too wide | |
| use zigzag | ||
| Memory 7500 | won't adjust below 2.5 must use zigzag #35 | |
| width 1.5/length 2.5 | ||
| 6125 | Adjustable but stitch 6 is backwards or use 22 | |
| Has nice slide controls for width | ||
| My style 22 | Has blind hem but stitches it backwards | |
| is fully adjustable | ||
| XC 33 | Fully adjustable use stitch 15 | |
| Width 2 / length 1 | ||
| My Excel 23X | Stitch 10 is backwards | |
| Width 1.5 / length bottom of red tension at 1! | ||
| 6019 | Has stretch blind hem & does regular blind hem backwards | |
| Is fully adjustable | ||
| 6260 | Hopeless. 15 wont adjust width & 26 wont change length | |
| zig zag? sad for such a potentially good machine | ||
| 3000 | #11 stitch wont adjust the width | |
| #13 is a backwards blind hem but adjusts fully | ||
| One Step 659 | No width adjustment at all | |
| use zig zag | ||
| EZEE Quilt | not so easy! no width adjustment & only 3 zig zags | |
| pretty hopeless | ||
| 100000 version 2 | wont adjust blind hem | |
| use stitch 84 blanket stitch 1.5 w/1 length | ||
| M>C> 3000 | Stitch 13 can be adjusted but "bites" the wrong way | |
| 1 width/0.8 length | ||
| 415 | Does a backwards blind hem | |
| n/a | ||
| Pfaff | ||
| 1469 | Stitch #17 | |
| 1 width/ .5 length | ||
| Creative 1475 CD | Stitch #16 | |
| activate Twin Needle button to reduce width | ||
| Creative 1473 CD | Stitch #16 | |
| Activate Twin Needle | ||
| Tipmatic 6122 | Use H | |
| width is acceptable | ||
| Tipmatic 6120 | Has no width adjustment use zigzag D | |
| Width 4 | ||
| Tiptronic 2020 | Won't adjust below 2 | |
| n/a | ||
| Quilt Style 2040 | Stitch #15 | |
| Width 1/ length 3.5 | ||
| Quilt Style 2042 | Stitch #15 | |
| Width 1/ length 3.5 | ||
| Quilt Style 2010 | Stitch #5 | |
| Width 2/ length 1 | ||
| model 7510 | n/a | |
| Activate Twin Needle width 3.5/length 1 | ||
| 1522 | Has no Blind Hen stitch only stretch hem | |
| Has dial width and length control | ||
| 1540 | does adjust both width and length! | |
| width 1 / length top of 1 | ||
| 6091 | no width adjustment | |
| use zig zag | ||
| Creative 7550 | does blind hem - activate twin needle | |
| width 3.5/ length 1 | ||
| Creative 7570 | same as 7550 | |
| n/a | ||
| 6150 Tipmatic | Use K&G together just under the line | |
| n/a | ||
| Stretch & Jeans 6091 | No width adjustment | |
| use zig zag | ||
| Tiptronic 6270 | Stitch #14 reduce tension to just before 2 | |
| width 2/ length 1 | ||
| Tipmatic 1151 | no width control | |
| n/a | ||
| Tipmatic 6100 | has no width adjustment | |
| n/a | ||
| Toyota | ||
| Quilt & Couturier | no width or length adjustment only 3 preset zigzag & straight | |
| Does not even drop feed dogs! Useless! | ||
| SA63 | under œ150 has blind hem & is completely adjustable | |
| n/a | ||
| Viking | ||
| 550 Lily | Beautiful stitch still has drop in bobbin | |
| n/a | ||
| Easy Sew 350 | Not so easy-no blind hem must use zigzag | |
| n/a |