The Best Sewing Machine For Quilting and Embroidery in 2023

There’s an overwhelming amount of different sewing machines on the market at the moment, available for commercial and private use.

With more sewers than ever starting to explore the world of quilting and embroidery, the choices are endless.

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, finding the right machine for your quilting and embroidery machines is necessary.

We share your passion for sewing, and I understand the frustration when a product is disappointing after a 5-star review. If only there were some way to wade through all the noise…

Today, I have evaluated eight of the finest sewing machines on the market, assessing all their pros and cons to help you make the best decision.

What’s The Best Machine for You?

Here’s a summary of all the top picks from the lineup based on category…

Top 8 Sewing Machines For Quilting and Embroidery

Here are the full reviews of each product from the lineup…

I Know What Sewing Is, But What About Quilting And Embroidery?

Quilting is the action of attaching a minimum of three pieces of fabric together, usually through a quilting and sewing machine.

You want to secure the parts to make sure they don’t move over time and provide a decorative element to the quilt.

Quilting is an art form and can be traced back to Egypt, The Middle Ages in Europe, and Asia.

Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric using yarn and may include other materials such as beads.

Some sewing machines have been tailored specifically for quilting and embroidery purposes.

What’s The Difference Between A Regular Sewing Machine And A Quilting And Embroidery Machine?

A quilting machine is also a sewing machine. But, it has many additional features and capabilities that a regular sewing machine won’t have.

Since quilts can be huge and bulky projects, a quilting machine’s working space is larger than a sewing machine.

Throat Width

The throat width is the amount of space between the needle and machine (also known as the workspace).

These are usually larger on sewing machines for quilting and ease the frustration of trying to fold material through when quilting a large project.

When they are around 9” x 5”, the machine can be considered a quilting machine.

Workaround

You can often add an extension table that fits snuggly next to your quilting and embroidery machine.

It will give you an extra boost in space while helping keep material from warping when embroidering.

Another feature of a sewing and embroidery machine is the larger foot option – a quarter of an inch to allow thicker seams, specifically on quilts.

Stitches

There will be many stitches on sewing machines for quilting that you just don’t get on a regular sewing machine.

For basic home projects and simple sewing needs, this amount of space isn’t essential, but with bulky projects and quilts, you need a large work area.

Why Should I Buy a Sewing Machine?

Buying the right machine for the projects you’re into will help make the process easier and faster.

There are many similarities between a sewing machine and a quilting and embroidery machine.

Ultimately, a sewing machine is used for sewing simple things. A quilting and embroidering machine allows for thicker bulkier projects and embroidery stitching.

Details

Suppose a project you’re completing, such as a baby’s blanket or any of the other baby gift ideas here, involves adding borders or bindings.

In that case, a quilting machine can be handy.

Embroidering on fabric can really kick the aesthetic up a notch.

It’s good to see what’s available and find the best sewing machine or embroidery machine for your needs.

How to choose the right sewing machine for me?

Choosing the right sewing machine needs to be considered from different and technical perspectives.

Buying the right machine for your needs is paramount as it can be a large investment.

Purpose

If you are using the quilting and embroidery machine for home use, you might want to consider a smaller size.

Suppose you will be using it for long hours of embroidery every day. In that case, you’ll want to look at a heavy-duty model made explicitly for continuous use.

Can a regular sewing machine do what you want? If not, perhaps an embroidery machine with built-in designs would be more suitable for you.

But if you’re mainly be doing quilting projects, especially large quilts, then a long arm quilting machine is your best choice. And if you’re interested in learning more about them, you can check out my long arm quilting machines article.

Cost

There’s a vast range of quilting and embroidery machines available from $99 – $2000, and you don’t always get more for your money.

Some cheaper models are just as good for small home projects and will serve you well despite the low price tag.

It depends on how much you want to invest in the best sewing machine for you.

Warranty

I cannot stress how important this is!

If you do not buy directly from a manufacturer, you might not be covered under the standard manufacturer warranty.

In this case, you may have to deal with the supplier’s return and warranty policy.

NOTE

For example – Brother can offer a 25-year warranty on their sewing machines. Still, if you do not buy from a registered sewing shop supplier and use a shopping website, you probably won’t be covered by this. That would be a shame! You only want the best.

Quality

If you choose a reputable brand, you often won’t be disappointed with your machine’s durability and quality.

Read a review of the product first, make sure it’s the best for your needs.

Manufacturing errors can happen.

That’s why it’s crucial to do lots of research before purchasing and checking the warranty! Only go for the best sewing machines!

Requirements

If you will be using your sewing machine for mostly quilting, embroidery, or regular sewing, what’s important to you? Is a knee lift essential?

What about an automatic thread or needle threader?

It’s worth considering the amount and type of stitches, too, as the amount varies from 27 – 600. Consider how regularly you will be using your sewing and embroidery machine.

Maintenance

Your sewing machine is going to work more efficiently if you oil and clean it regularly

You should remove the lint and threads that become acquired after every use.

Most sewing and embroidery machines are effortless to clean and maintain.

They can be wiped down with a clean cloth (I like microfibre cloths).

TIP

There should be a cleaning brush that comes with the sewing machine used to dust and clean inside the bobbin case.

Lubricate

You should oil your sewing machine depending on how much you use it. Check the instruction manual first because some devices are self-lubricating, so they don’t require oil. Only use sewing machine oil, which you can find in haberdasheries or fabric shops.

Put some old paper or material underneath when oiling as it may drip through.

Stitches

It’s worth considering the amount and type of stitches you’re looking for as the amount varies from 27 – 600.

Some sewing machines offer simple stitching. Others will have more elaborate and beautiful built-in designs.

Consider how fast you’d like to sew.

One of the best brands out there features 850 stitches per minute, but some will accelerate at 1500 stitches per minute.

Hoop Capability

An embroidery hoop is a tool that is used to hold fabric taut while the sewing machine stitches on it.

You will need to hoop your fabric before placing it in the sewing machine.

It’s easy to assume that you can stitch a design that’s as large as the stitching area of your largest hoop, but that’s not always the case

Hoop Area

The hoop area, which can be embroidered, is not going to be the same as the machine’s sewing area, so you will need to check it in the user manual.

This can be a confusing process.

You don’t want to be left with a half-finished design. Some sites will allow you to use the embroidered design and resize it for free.

TIP

Be mindful of the sewing speed your sewing machine is set to before you begin.

Computer Connectivity

Some of the best computerized machines will come with a variety of built-in stitches. You can also purchase and download many more designs and stitches from the internet onto the computer or upload your own – pretty cool, right? I think this feature is on the best sewing machines.

Built-in memory

Built-in memory allows you to make the best custom stitch sequences and letter and stitch combinations.

Some machines allow you to include as many as 40 stitch patterns and remember them even when you switch it off! This is awesome to get the best sewing from your machine.

Ability of Editing

Some of the best sewing machines come with a software DVD and have screen-editing capabilities.

You can set a design or stitches from the inbuilt library from your electronic device and change the size.

This would be a feature on a computerized quilting sewing machine.

Accessories

These can be a costly add-on to your already expensive new machine, so it’s worth checking to see what’s already included.

Most quilting and embroidery machines will come with tonnes of tools such as:

Features

There are also loads of features that come with a computerized quilting sewing machine, so it’s essential to see what you’d like and what would make your life easier:

Thread Cutter

When you’ve finished with your stitches, a button is pressed to automatically cut the thread for you.

This is sometimes followed by a tie end to keep the thread on the project secure. It saves you from reaching for the scissors and will save on thread!

Automatic Needle Threader

We’ve all sat for minutes in frustration, unable to thread the needle of our sewing machine.

Well, most modern sewing machines now come with an automatic needle threader to save you precious time! I think this is one of the best features of a modern sewing and embroidery machine.

Lights

It’s good to know what type of lighting the machine has for the workspace and on the screen if it’s computerized.

As for the best sewing machines, typically most models come with a bright LED light.

It’s good to know if you’ll be able to see your stitches throughout all times of the day.

Free arm

The bobbin case, the feed dogs, and stitch plate are all built into the free arm. You can remove the accessory box to use the free arm to put stitches on tube-style panels such as cuffs and hems on some models.

However, this isn’t possible on all sewing and quilting machines. Only the best sewing machines and quilting machines (review here) have access to a free arm.

Buttonhole

If you add buttons and buttonholes to your projects, you’ll want a buttonhole stitch pattern. It’s pretty standard for a quilting and sewing machine to come with different designs for you to choose from.

There are loads of videos online to show you how to use this neat feature on your sewing and embroidery machine.

Blind Stitching

Blind stitching is when stitches have been added to two pieces of fabric in a way that the thread is invisible or nearly invisible.

It’s a popular technique used for decorative quilts.

Some quilting and sewing machines provide a blind hem foot in the catalog of feet given as accessories.

If not, you’ll be looking to spend between $10 – $30 on one. 

FAQs

Can you embroider with a quilting machine?

Yes! And on a regular sewing machine too.

You don’t need the fancy feet, features, or stitches to create something beautiful. It can be as simple as drawing a stencil onto fabric and following it on a stitch of your choice.

You can make it as complicated or as simple as you like.

However, on a computerized quilting sewing machine, the extensive library of features and built-in stitches on a quilting sewing machine give you elaborate designs you’ll never tire of.

Why are the machines so expensive?

Sewing machines not too expensive, it depends on where you buy them. I’ve found a sewing and quilting machine on the market now for $99. Some of the best sewing machines are reasonably priced, with similar attributes to high-end models.

What’s a walking foot?

A walking foot is described as the quilter machine foot that evenly feeds layers of fabric through the machine for stitches.

The foot grips to the top layers of the material to help it move under the needle while the feed dogs move the fabric’s bottom layer.

What’s the difference between knotting and quilting?

Knotting vs Quilting

Quilting is where you attach three or more fabric pieces together using a machine, and knotting is an alternative where you will knot the fabric together using pearl cotton or yarn ties.

It’s a perfect alternative if you don’t have a quilting machine or a lower budget.

It’s easy to quilt your quilt layers together by tying (knotting) them.

It can add features of a beautiful design element.

Knotting Procedure

After measuring where to place the knots, you thread your desired thread through all the layers and back out close by using a tapestry needle.

You won’t want to tie the knots too tight, or you may end up damaging the holes and making them more prominent.

This can be a useful technique if a quilting machine is not in your budget. You don’t want lots of holes from a quilting machine to make something such as a waterproof picnic blanket.

Tips

Read the Manual

I cannot express how vital reading the instruction manual is. I know it’s easy to skim over it and get to the fun part.

But, if you invest time reading it, you’ll hopefully have an excellent understanding of all the nifty bits and features.

Most problems in reviews that I’ve read could have been resolved if time was taken to read the manual first. Read the manual!

Give it a Test Run

Always do a test run on fabric when you turn on your machine again…

It might sound silly and unnecessary, but it would be a shame to have to sit and resolve something that could’ve been rectified with a 5-second test run, especially if you have to manually adjust the tension.

Turn it All the Way Off

Make sure to turn off the machine when changing the foot. Just one accidental press of the foot or a button, and ouch!

Bright Lights Are Helpful

As mentioned earlier, most sewing machines lighting in the workspace isn’t mighty.

To protect your eyes and enhance visibility, it’s worth investing in a clip-on LED light.

Conclusion

There, now you have an abundance of information about the eight best sewing machines for quilting and embroidery.

There are many things to consider depending on your projects, dream features, and personal sewing goals.

Top Pick

For high capacity sewing, Brother XR3340 is a fantastic choice and the top overall recommendation.

he fully-automatic machine bestows an expansive library of built-in stitches – an absolute for a long time sewer.

Best Value

If you want to sew and embroider without breaking the bank, or invest in a lightweight sewing machine, check out the Brother CS6000i.

It can handle thinner to moderately thick materials with high-quality stitching at a remarkable value.

Editor’s Choice

For sewers wanting to splurge, my editor’s choice is the Bernette b77 W/8 piece foot set.

This sewing machine makes free-motion quilting a breeze and offers fantastic features for long-time sewers who want to upgrade.

Whatever model you go for, hopefully this has helped you and given you invaluable information.

Best of luck with choosing the right machine for you, and enjoy unleashing the designer within you!