Best Sewing Machines for Quilting

A perfect way to merge your love for sewing and extraordinary creativity without struggling is to find yourself a machine and learn to sew. Most sewing and quilting machines possess several innovative and refined features, making sewing and quilting very easy for any beginner and professional hobbyist.

Here’s an up-to-date review of the best sewing machine for quilting with varying features and hands-free pressure adjustments to enjoy your quilting without compromising on the quality.

Best Quilting Machine For Beginners         

What is the best sewing machine for quilting? You can choose from the list of top 5 below:                                                                        

    1. JUKI TL-2000Qi Sewing Machine

Features

      • 1500 stitches per minute sewing speed
      • Automatic needle threader
      • Updated with LED lights
      • Extension table for huge working space
      • Presser Foot Adjustment

The TL-2000Qi is a fast, portable, and powerful lightweight machine built with aluminum die-casting to ensure quality sewing.

JUKI TL-2000Qi Sewing Machine is one of the best sewing machines for beginners, with a high sewing speed. It produces a perfect straight stitch and has the best thread for free motion quilting because it has a stable tension. 

It comes with an extended sewing machine table and a large sewing area of up to 23 inches which provides plenty of space for large quilts and home décor patterns. This also means your work will not toss to and fro when sewing as there is adequate support.

The LED light gives an illuminated view of the sewing area, enabling more precise sewing.

      2. Janome MC6650 Computerized Sewing Machine

Best janome sewing machine for quilting
Image source: Janome

Features

      • Sewing speed of 1,000 stitches per minute
      • 170 stitching options
      •  Advanced needle threader
      • Needle up/down button
      • 10″ all-metal seamless flatbed

Do you want to learn how to sew? With an impressive feat of 170 built-in stitch patterns, the Janome MC6650 Computerized Sewing Machine is ideal for every creative sewist and quilter. It’s the second-best sewing machine for quilting beginners, and the top-best janome sewing machine for quilting.

The high-quality build machine has an automatic needle threader, an easy-to-use control panel with an LCD screen, and an auto thread cutter button. You can enjoy your sewing experience while enhancing your sewing skills. If you like free motion, you can switch to janome settings for free motion quilting easily.

Janome MC6650 has an incredible sewing speed of 1000 stitches per minute, an extension table for space, and a quilt kit. These features make the Janome MC6650 computerized sewing and quilting machine a fantastic choice for your everyday use.

The 10″ All-Metal Seamless Flatbed provides the perfect workspace for projects whether large or small. With the speed and precision the MC6650 offers, you can purchase it for any sewing purpose!

      3. Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 Sewing and Quilting Machine

Best sewing machines for quilting
Image source: Singer

Features

      • Sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
      • The incredible drop-in bobbin system
      • 7mm stitch width
      • Extension table
      • Heavy-duty metal frame
      • Speed control slider
      • 600 built-in stitch options
      • 13 built-in buttonholes

The Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 is a favorite for quilters for many reasons.

This machine is easy to operate with a fast auto-needle threader and a drop-in bobbin system. It contains 600 stitches, including basic, stretch, and decorative stitches for fashion and home décor sewing, quilting, and crafting. 

The Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 gives you total control of your stitch width, length, elongation, and mirror imaging. This enables you to customize the stitching to perfectly fit your project’s preferences whether using pre-quilted fabric or not.

With this machine, you get a large quilting table, 25 needle positions, 7mm stitch width, a heavy-duty frame, and 18 different presser feet. When your project needs detailed stitching, you can easily adjust the sewing speed level by simply moving the lever.

The automatic needle threader fixes the sewing machine needle for you, preventing eye strain and frustration.

      4. Brother CS7000i Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine

Best home sewing machine for quilting
Image source: Brother

Features

      • A sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
      • Large throat space
      • 70 built-in stitches
      • Easy bobbin winder
      • LCD touch screen display
      • Automatic thread cutter
      • Extended quilting table
      • Seven styles of 1-step buttonholes
      • Automatic needle threader
      • Built-in LED light

This machine comes with all the best features available for beginners and professionals. The automatic features help you set the thread in place fast and efficiently, creating a great experience for you. It’s among the best-computerized quilting machines for home use.

The brightly lit LED light for illumination allows you to sew comfortably as it prevents eye strain. The Brother CS7000i Computerized sewing and quilting machine also comes with an extended working table for additional support and is one of the machines with the correct throat length.

      5. Baby Lock Aventura Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Sewing machine for quilting and embroidery
Image source: Baby Lock

Features

      • 300 built-in stitches
      • A sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
      • Twin needle settings
      • Fabric sensor
      • Editing capabilities
      • Mirror image
      • LED enhanced light
      • Color LCD screen
      • Quick-set bobbin winder

For beginners, Aventura Baby Lock sewing machines for quilting give you excellent features with an easy-to-follow manual and instructions.

The machine comes with a detachable embroidery unit. Do you intend to sew, detach the embroidery unit and attach it back for your embroidery needs? Ensure to switch off the machine before you attach or detach the embroidery unit for safety purposes.

Baby Lock Aventura offers you massive options and flexibility when sewing. You get to leverage 141 built-in embroidery designs, 300 built-in stitches, five built-in alphanumeric fonts with 13 font styles, 90 Baby Lock designs, and a 7mm adjustable stitch length.

You can easily view and select designs from the LCD screen. The comfort extends to a bobbin, seam, threading guides, and the presence of a fabric sensor system that is capable of detecting every fabric placed under the sewing feet.

Best Quilting Machine For Home

    1. Brother XR9500PRW Project Runway Sewing Machine

Home machine for quilting
Image source: Evacuum Store

Features

      • A sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
      • Large extended table
      • Jam resistant drop-in bobbin
      • Brightly lit LED working area
      • 100 utility stitches
      • Sewing font for basic monogramming

The Brother XR9500PRW sewing machine is best for next-level quilters and aspiring fashion designers and crafters. It is one of the best monogramming sewing machines.

The superior sewing machine comes with 100 built-in varied stitches, which helps you deliver high-quality items and unique quilt designs.

It has a large LCD screen that allows you to view and select various stitches and change the settings according to your quilting needs. Thanks to a generously sized quilting table, the accommodation of large quilt projects is possible. You can attach and remove the table whenever you need to.

The stitching speed is relatively low compared to other machines and you can control it using a slider. This feature is particularly useful for beginners learning how to make a rag quilt.

Other incredible features of Brother XR9500PRW include an automatic needle threader, jam-resistant bobbin, needle up/down buttons, automatic thread cutter, and a free arm for sleeves and collars.

      2. Brother PQ1500SL High-Speed Sewing and Quilting Machine

Brother sewing machine for quilting
Image source: Walmart

Features

      • 1,500 Stitches per minute sewing speed
      • An Advanced automatic needle threading system
      • Precision pin feeding mechanism
      • Up to 7mm stitch length
      • Presser foot adjuster
      • Knee lifter and fabric extension table

This machine’s high speed, large extension table, and perfect stitch tension make it the best sewing machine for free-motion quilting and all your other quilting needs. Its surface is free of clutter, with only a few dials and a quick manual, including a ruler to help measure out your fabric as you quilt. 

The Brother PQ1500SL has an automatic thread trimmer and needle positioner, that makes your sewing experience easy and enjoyable. The removable knee lever allows you to lift your presser foot with your knee, leaving your hands conveniently free for handling the fabric.

Not only does it possess a vast space to fit any fabric size accurately, but it’s also capable of handling a variety of fabrics, including thick ones! This is possible because of the extreme freedom you have with the thread tension and the effective adjustable pin feed system.

This machine also comes with a fast and automatic needle threader that precisely fixes the thread through the needle and a jam-free drop-in top bobbin. To get a better view of the Brother PQ1500SL machine, view this video.

      3. Juki TL-2200QVP Quilt Virtuoso Pro Quilting Machine

Features

      • Automatic thread trimmer
      • Stitch regulators
      • A tracking system
      • 18 by 10 inches work area table
      • In-built scissors
      • 4 Stitching Modes
      • Fine quilt options
      • Maximum stitch speed of up to 2200 SPM
      • Easy to reach bobbin

Are you learning how to quilt backing fabric but struggling with eye strain?  The Ultra bright LED lights above the needle area illuminate your work, making it easy to see clearly, reducing eye strain. The machine also has a built-in bobbin system which decreases the frequency of bobbin thread changing.

In addition, Juki TL-2200QVP Quilt Virtuoso Pro has a color LCD where you can watch and operate the needle speed, stitch regulator, light settings, stitch length, and all you need to complete your project.

With four different stitch modes (Cruise, Precise, Manual, and Baste), you can select your stitching preferences and obtain the desired results without added effort.

This quilting machine includes convenient automatic scissors, which help trim the top and bottom threads. It also comes with an automatic quilting thread trimmer that trims the needle and bobbin threads by pressing the push button.

      4. Grace Q’nique Long Arm Quilting Machine

Long arm machine for quilting
Image source: Graceframe

Features

      • Touch screen
      • Functional handles
      • Good stitch regulation
      • Stitch speed regulator
      • A total of 10 sewing needles
      • Built-in bobbin system
      • Two thread towers
      • LED light

Grace Q’nique is great for a quilter who wants to do more with their sewing machine like learning how to quilt as you go.

One of its most notable benefits is that you can position the sewing machine needles in every direction. They rank among the best sewing machine needles for quilting. This enables you to handle even complex tasks like joining the seams and stitching around the quilt’s corners without much effort. Moreover, you can control the stitch speed as per your needs and the fabric you are using.

This machine comes with 200 different quilting stitches and patterns to choose from. But you can easily design one of your patterns and give a unique look to the product.

      5. Baby Lock Unity Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Good sewing machine for quilting
Image source: Vacandsew

Features

      • 537 built-in stitches
      • 266 embroidery stitches
      • Stitch editing capabilities
      • Color LCD screen display
      • Automatic needle threader
      • 57 needle position
      • 19 embroidery fonts
      • Bright led light
      • Twin needle settings
      • 2 USB Ports
      • Independent Bobbin Winder
      • Free arm

Using Baby Lock Unity is an excellent way to combine your sewing and creativity into one pattern with a lot of ease. This sewing and embroidery machine contains several functional features which make your sewing easy and enjoyable.

You can achieve a lot with the 537 built-in stitches, the 266 embroidery stitches, and the threading and bobbin winding guides that the machine offers.

The LCD screen provides sewing, embroidery, and embroidery editing options to choose from when working on a project.                                       

      6. Janome HD1000 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine

Features

      • 14 utility stitches
      • Speed of 860 stitches per minute
      • Built-in needle threader
      • 1 four-step buttonhole
      • Needle cutter
      • Free arm
      • 3-Piece Feed Dog

Equipped with top-of-the-line features, Janome HD1000 is designed to handle various types of fabrics such as cotton fabric, leather, natural fibers, synthetic fabrics, or types of polyester fabric. Others include thick fabrics, fur, upholstery, and Fine fabrics/silk-satin-taffeta/velvet.

Janome HD1000 comes with 14 stitches and a helpful utility stretch. It also has a free arm so that you can sew sleeves, pants, collars, and cuffs quickly and accurately.

The machine is also built with a darning foot, a drop feed for each attachment of buttons, and stippling. The automatic needle threader helps you fix the thread without straining your eyes or neck.

How To Free Motion Quilt On a Regular Sewing Machine

Even without an advanced specialty machine, you can still add beautiful patterns and texture to your quilts using free motion. As long as your machine can do basic straight stitching, it can successfully allow free motion quilting.

If you are trying to learn how to free-motion quilt with a regular home sewing machine, these tips are for you.

    1. Disengage the Feed Dogs

In regular sewing and quilting, the feed dogs on the sewing machine control the movement of the fabric.

Therefore, you will need to lower or disengage the feed dogs to get them out of the way and make sure there is no resistance or pushing of the fabric. Lowering the feed dogs allows you to control the direction and speed of the stitching line.

If you cannot lower or disengage your feed dogs, you can cover them instead with a piece of material.

On most machines, the feed dog is a lever or switch on the side or back of your machine. Check your manual if you are unsure whether your machine has this feature.

Lower your stitch length to zero with the feed dogs covered or disengaged.

      2. Attach a Free-Motion Foot

Once the feed dogs are lowered, you need to attach your free motion foot to gain total control of the fabric and the stitching. Free motion quilting is straight quilting. There are varying presser feet for stitching and quilting. They are known as free motion feet or darning feet.

Since the feed dogs are lowered, your machine will have no resistance, and you can easily maneuver the fabric around to make a pattern of choice. If you are excited about free motion quilting, here is a video that will help you execute this method better. 

How To Choose a Sewing Machine for Quilting

Not all sewing machines can make perfect quilts kits. If you want to find the best home sewing machine for quilting, you have to think about your preferred quilting style.

You can go for an advanced sewing/quilting machine that enables you to do regular sewing and quilting. Or choose from some of the best sewing machines for quilting and embroidery. This machine allows you to make and decorate your quilts with embroidery designs.

Asking yourself relevant questions and evaluating what features you want in a machine will help you choose a good sewing machine for quilting that allows you to take your quilting to the next level and return your money’s worth. 

    1. Consider Your Sewing Habits

First, if you move a lot by attending classes, sewing retreats, or quilting guilds, you need to find a lightweight and portable machine that you can easily pack and carry around. A more sturdy, heavyweight machine will suit your needs better for those who sit and sew in constant allocated space.

It would be best to have a quilting foot, a walking foot, and a quarter-inch foot for basic quilting. A drop-in bobbin is also crucial, so you can see how much thread is left. Choose a machine that allows you to lower the feed dogs to enable free-motion quilting.

If your quilting style is technical and detailed and you are making a high volume of quilts or are looking to quilt more professional projects, perhaps you should find a long arm sewing machine for quilting.

      2. Stitch Regulators and Free Motion Feet

Stitch regulators can be expensive and rare, but it creates evenly-spaced stitches and enables free motion quilting. When feeding the fabric, the stitches perfectly match your speed resulting in even stitches. 

To learn more about stitch regulators and how they function, check this video.

Although not very important, check if the selected quilting machine enables free motion feet aside from the one which comes with it. If you can get more free-motion feet, it will be effective.

      3. Extended Quilting Table

A machine with a large sewing machine table is the best solution, mainly when producing large fabric quilts.

Check if the machine has an extended quilting table. Some of the best sewing machines include a detachable extension table that is convenient and efficient for creating many quilts for larger projects.

The advantage of an extended detachable quilting table is that you can attach it with your sewing machine while quilting and remove it when done.

      4. Price

Most advanced quilting machines can be costly, like long arm quilting machines. If you need a machine for technical quilting projects, you can invest in an expensive machine with the right features. 

But if you are simply a casual quilter, you can find lots of quilting machines for beginners that have incredible features and abilities and don’t cost a fortune.

      5. Quilting Stitches

Since you are purchasing a machine for quilting, you have to check if the selected sewing machine has quilting stitches. These are efficient for stitch options during quilting.

The higher the number of quilting stitches, the more choices you’ll have for your quilting project.

Conclusion

Quilting machines are constantly developing and changing to fit the demands of the quilters. However, choosing the specific sewing machine for your quilting needs can still be a huge and challenging task, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for. This review is here to help you get the perfect sewing and quilting machine, from a list of the best-rated sewing machines for quilting.