The Best Sewing Machine for Quilting: My Honest Thoughts

Hello, my quilty friends!

Let’s talk about our most loyal sidekick in the sewing room: the sewing machine. Specifically, the kind that doesn’t cry when you feed it ten layers of fabric, batting, and hopes. Yep—we’re diving into what makes a great sewing machine for quilting.

First things first: you don’t have to drop a mortgage payment on a machine to be a Real Quilter™. My very first machine was a little ole Bernina Activa 125 S that my sweet mother-in-law gifted me for Mother’s Day when my oldest (who is now 18 😭) was just a baby. We’ve been through a lot, that trusty Bernina and me! I still use it today for binding—and yes, I buckle her in when we go places. (My kids say she’s my favorite child. They’re not wrong. 😂)

If you're ready to upgrade or you’re just starting out and want something quilting-friendly, here’s what I recommend looking for:

1. A Nice Big Throat Space

Throat space = that roomy area to the right of your needle. The bigger it is, the less you’ll cry while shoving a queen-size quilt through it. If free-motion quilting is on your bucket list, give yourself some elbow room.

2. Speed Control

Some days, I’m a pedal-to-the-metal kind of girl. Other days, I need to slow down and pretend I’m a precision piecing princess. A machine with adjustable speed control lets you do both (and helps you avoid accidentally launching your fabric into orbit).

3. Needle Down Function

This is a tiny-but-mighty feature that keeps your needle in the down position when you stop sewing—so your fabric stays in place while you pivot or reposition. Total game-changer for piecing, quilting, and general sanity.

4. Walking Foot & Free-Motion Foot Compatibility

Most machines can use these feet, but not all include them. If quilting is your jam, you’ll want to invest in both. The walking foot is your BFF for straight-line quilting, and the FMQ foot is for when you're feeling adventurous (or just really into loopy swirls).

5. Reliability Over Bells & Whistles

I love a good techy feature as much as the next quilter, but what I really care about is how well the machine sews. Smooth stitching, consistent tension, and a feed system that doesn’t munch my fabric—those are the things that matter most.

Bonus: Make it Yours!

Okay, real talk—my machine is basically bedazzled with personality. I love decorating mine with stickers, and yes, I 100% believe it sews better when it looks cute. If your machine needs a little flair, check out our quilty sticker collection right here. Go ahead and quiltify that baby.

PS: Love Your Machine Back

Confession time: I just took my little ole trusty Bernina Activa 125 S in for service after—well, let’s just say it had been years. 😬 It’s my extra machine (I use a Juki TL-2010Q for most things), but I love using the Bernina for binding since I can move the needle over.

When I finally took her to @davesbernina, I was expecting a month-long separation. They had her back to me the next day. But the technician did leave a little note:

“Cleaned and oiled machine. It was probably one of the most lint-packed machines I have ever seen. Please bring your machine more often.”

😳🫣🫠

Lesson learned: treat your machine like the MVP she is, even if she’s not your daily driver. And if yours needs some TLC, take this as your sign to book that service appointment!

So don’t stress about finding the perfect machine. Focus on what feels good in your hands, fits your space, and makes you excited to sew. The perfect machine is the one that helps you make the quilts you love.

Happy making,

🩵 Holly