The Best Sewing Machines for Quilting in 2024
The Best Sewing Machines for Quilting in 2024
In this post, I am going to review three sewing machines that I view as the best machines for quilting heading into 2025.
For the sake of this exercise I have decided to keep the machines under $10,000.
Must-Have Quilting Features for your Sewing Machine
Each sewing machine on this list possess most (if not all) of the four essential sewing machine features for quilters.
These are features you use almost every time you sew a quilt:
Large Throat Space
Electric Presser Foot Lift (AKA "pivot" or "hover" function)
Each of the sewing machines on this list also possesses their own bonus quilting features unique to the make and model, which we will cover in further detail.
Janome Continental M8
The Janome Continental M8 is the best sewing machine in the world for quilting, equipped with all 4 of our must-have quilting features:
13.5 inch throat space.
AcuFeed Flex Walking Foot for a perfectly even feed.
Accurate Stitch Regulator (ASR) for free motion quilting; includes an open-toe foot attachment, closed toe foot attachment, rulerwork foot attachment, and echo quilting foot attachment.
Electric Presser Foot Lift with ability to adjust the height that the foot hovers.
The Janome Continental M8 has all the essential features that quilters love on their sewing machine.
The highlight of the Continental M8 is the 13.5" throat space, which is the largest throat space in the industry for a standalone sewing machine. To put that in perspective, long-arm quilting machines have a throat space of 16"-20". At 13.5", Janome made sure the Continental M8 doubles as both a sewing machine and a miniature long-arm quilting machine. With that much throat space, it's much easier to sew large piecers of fabric, such as a queen-size quilt or king-size quilt.
Throat space aside, what makes the Janome Continental M8 truly special and different from other machines is the brushless servo motor and the powder-coated metal frame. These are industrial-grade design features that no other machine on this list possesses, giving the Continental M8 an unmatched touch and feel. The feel of the M8 is heavy, old-world, industrial-like, but at the same time provides an extremely smooth sewing experience. It sews a king-size quilt with ease, no matter the thickness of the fabric or the batting. Binding the quilt is also a breeze, for the brushless servo motor is the most powerful of any home sewing machine in the industry today, and the metal flatbed frame designed to house such a motor.
More Janome Continental M8 Features to Note:
Comes with arguably the best performing walking foot in the industry (Janome's patented AcuFeed Flex System).
Comes with arguably the best performing stitch regulator in the industry (Janome's patented ASR).
Comes with a straight-stick needle plate, plus Janome's patented HP Needle Plate & HP Walking Foot
Comes with an extension table, which provides even more work space.
Automatic Needle Threader and a top-loading bobbin that is easy to wind and easy to load.
Large color touch screen with intuitive navigation.
Comes with a ton presser feet & accessories included in box with the machine
What's the Price of Janome Continental M8?
The Janome Continental M8 has an MSRP of $9,999. However, it is one of those machine that can't be sold online, and dealerships like ours contractually cannot publish our in-store price on the internet.
If you like Continental M8, but you don't care about stitch regulation, or the machine coming with 30+ presser feet, an extension table, and extra accessories, then the Janome Continental M6 may be a better option for you. The Continental M6 is only $3,999 and it is built on the same platform as the M8- 13.5" throat space, compatible with the AcuFeed Flex walking foot, and designed with the brushless servo motor and powder-coated metal frame. Why is the price so low? It is not compatible with ASR, and it doesn't come with many accessories in the box, though you can purchase them a la carte.
Bernina B770 QE Plus
The Bernina B770 QE Plus is another sewing machine equipped with all four of the must-have quilting features:
10 inch throat space.
Comes with BSR in box (Bernina Stitch Regulator)
Electric Presser Foot Lift with ability to adjust the height that the foot hovers.
One feature of the Bernina B770 that no other machine on this list possesses is the B9 Hook System, which is a steal vertical rotary hook that gives the B770 a unique sewing experience that can best be described as heavy, sturdy, and industrial-like. They combine this traditional old-world feel with incredible innovation, such as their Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR) for free motion quilting, built-In dual feed, and oversized "Jumbo" bobbins that hold 70% more thread than other bobbins.
The built-in walking foot is a huge plus for the B770. Every other machine on this list requires us to put on the walking foot, meaning that we'll have to loosen and tighten screws. On the Bernina B770, simply pull down the building-in walking foot and it will sit perfectly in the back of the presser foot, helping achieve an even feed when sewing multiple layers of fabric. Another unique aspect of the Bernina built-in walking foot is that it is compatible with many different presser feet- any Bernina presser foot with the letter "D" after the number means (e.g. #97d is compatible with the built-in walking foot, while #97 is not).
Bernina designs a very unique machine compared to other sewing machine manufactures. Generally speaking, I would say that is a great machine for someone who is a perfectionist and likes to have control over every single setting and the ability to customize their sewing experience.
For example, the B770 gives user options in regard to automatic thread trimming: (1) press the trimmer button & cut the thread; (2) press the trimmer button & the machine stitches in place ~4 stitches to secure the seam before cutting in order to secure the seam; (3) press the trimmer button & the machine performs an automatic backstitch before trimming, plus you can tell the machine how many stitches the backstitch consists of (you have the option of anywhere between 2 & 6 stitches).
Another example: through the Creative Consultant feature, you can tell the machine the fabric type you are using and the application, and based on that information the machine will automatically change the upper thread tension, presser foot pressure, stitch pattern, needle position, etc.
The B770 is probably not the right machine for someone who just wants to sit down and sew and not have to deal with too much software. Like I said earlier, the design is exotic. There's a lot of "breadcrumbs" on the touchscreen that allow you to delve deeper into the machine and tinker with specific settings. The front loading bobbin is more difficult to load than the top loading bobbin of the Janome machines. Also, unlike every other machine on this list, the B770 is designed with an semi-automatic needle thread, not a truly automatic needle thread, which just means the B770 is a little bit for difficult to thread.
What's the Price of Bernina B770 QE Plus?
The Bernina B770 QE Plus has an MSRP of $7,999. It is another one of those machine that can't be sold online, and dealerships like ours contractually cannot publish our in-store price on the internet.
Part of the reason for the higher price is that the B770 is that it comes with the BSR stitch regulator package in the box, which is roughly a $1,000 value if you were to purchase a BSR by itself. Also the B770 is embroidery compatible, meaning you could always purchase an embroidery unit for ~$2,000 later down the road and make the B770 a sewing-embroidery combination.
If you like the sound of the B770, but are looking for something more affordable, the Bernina B570 is identical in every way, except that the throat space is 8.5", the touchscreen is slightly smaller, and BSR is not included in the box, but can be purchased separately.
Another affordable alternative is the Bernina B740, which shares the 10" throat space and built-in dual feed, but is not embroidery compatible, has a slightly smaller touchscreen, and BSR is not included in the box, but can be purchased separately.
Janome MC9480
The Janome MC9480 may be the least expensive machine on this list, but it still offers all of our must-have quilting features:
11.25 inch throat space
AcuFeed Flex Walking Foot for a perfectly even feed.
Compatible with Janome’s Accurate Stitch Regulator (ASR) for free motion quilting
Electric Presser Foot Lift with ability to adjust the height that the presser foot hovers
Think of the Janome MC9480 as a versatile quilting machine that offers a ton of bang for your buck. The 11.25" throat means you can sew large quilts with ease, plus it has a large metal frame that gives the machine a smooth yet sturdy sewing experience. It has the power to penetrate thick layers of fabric, but also possesses features like the AcuFeed Flex walking foot and straight stitch needle plate to handle delicate and/or stretchy material.
The Janome MC9480 is compatible with Janome’s Accurate Stitch Regulator (ASR), but the ASR kit itself is sold separately. Other than that, the machine packed with features and accessories that make it one of the best sewing machines for quilting:
Designed with Janome’s “stadium” lighting
Truly automatic needle threader
Automatic thread trimmers
Needle paste system pops on and off with ease, not requiring any screws
Straight stitch needle plate & HP needle plate included
AcuFeed Walking foot and HP Walking foot included
Extension table included
Over 30 presser feet included
What's the Price of the Janome MC9480?
The Janome MC9480 has an MSRP of $6,499. Again, it is one of those machine that can’t be sold online, and dealerships like ours contractually cannot publish our in-store price on the internet.
If you like the sound of the MC9480, but you don’t care about having stitch regulator capability, consider the less expensive Janome MC9410 at $3,299. It is built on the same exact platform as the MC9480— 11.25” throat, stadium lighting, automatic needle threader, easy-to-use needle plate, ect. The reason for the lower price is because it is not compatible with ASR, and it comes with far less accessories. You can still use the AcuFeed Flex walking foot, the HP foot & plate, etc., but these accessories are not included in the box and must be purchased a la carte.
Thank you for reading.
-Cale
Your newsletter on quilting machines was great. However, my roommate quilts and goes to retreats. A large percentage of the quilters are retired and could not afford the machines listed. Most are on limited incomes. I would love to have a more advanced machine for my apparel sewing. I am also retired and can not afford one. Just a comment from the average sewist.
This is a thorough recap, answered a lot of my questions, thank you.