Sewing Machine drama

I took my little Singer sewing machine to get fixed. The service fee is around $60. I think that's almost what I paid for my very basic beginner machine in the first place. So I'm having the guy just diagnose the problem, and if it was just me doing something stupid to make it stop working and it's a quick fix, then I'll keep it around for a bit longer, otherwise, it seems more prudent to just invest in something better. Besides, the repair guy said, "Not to talk badly about Singer or anything, but..." and then went on to tell me all the reasons why Singer is awful. Ha. But I'm sure he has legitimate points. He says they aren't made as well as they used to be. A lot of the parts are plastic and they don't even make replacement parts in order for the machines to be fixed. I guess you're just supposed to buy a new one. Not so smart of them. Since if your Singer can't be fixed, you're probably not going to buy another new Singer now are you?

So I called the nearest sewing guru - Scott's aunt; who gave me some great input on what kinds of machines to look at and what brands she has used and enjoyed and I've come up with 2 finalists. Now, I must admit, I haven't fully researched ALL my options, so maybe I could come up with something cheaper or with fewer features that also suits my needs, but I think these two will give me some room to grow and sound like they'll be pretty reliable. I mean really, if I have to get my machine fixed (or buy a new low end model) often enough, the nicer machine will have paid for itself in no time.

Aunt Sue actually happened to have a sewing machine that she's looking to sell - the Baby Lock Xscape. It's lightweight and portable and has lots of great features. She said it runs a little loud and clunky, but this is the one I'm leaning towards getting because since it's used - I'd be getting a great deal on it. No warranty, but less cost upfront plus some personalized lessons. I'm pretty excited about it. And it just so happens that another aunt and uncle who live in our town are in her town this weekend and can bring it back here this very next week for me to try! How great is that?!

The other is one from the sewing store here in town. It's a Janome Heart Truth - limited edition and is supposedly a great deal, but I found several on ebay from dealers for a bit less than their super special low price. If I go this route I'll buy from the store in town, but just helped to give some perspective on the 'awesome' deal. From what I can see, besides it being a bigger model and running smoother, there aren't any extra features that the Xscape doesn't have. I'll see if I can try it out at the store though, just to make sure of which I like better. But I'm thinking that cheaper is probably better especially at this point when I'm still learning the basics, but we'll see.