MY 'NEW TO ME' SEWING MACHINE - A BROTHER PQ1500SL (IT'S A BEAUTY; AND I SOLD MY PFAFF 7530) - Sunday, August 4, 2024

Why did I buy a new sewing machine while I still had my Pfaff 7530 Quilt & Craft Pro Sewing Machine (see below)?

I have been quilting for more than 25+ years and thought I was perfectly happy with the machine I had.  My Pfaff 7530 Quilt & Craft Pro was over 20 years old and was the top of the line when I purchased it.  She had a bunch of built in stitches and IDT (the Integrated Dual Feed system) Pfaff was known for.  She could do a mean button hole and hem jeans through four layers of denim like nobody’s business.

But . . . she didn’t like to Free Motion Quilt and her throat space (the area between the needle and the right side of the machine) wasn't nearly enough. And now my Pfaff was not as faithful as it first was. Whenever I wanted to sew, I would have to set up my machine and wait for anywhere from 4 to 6 hours before the computer screen on the sewing machine would come up. That was very frustrating and I didn't have that much patience -- especially when I just wanted to sew!

So first thing I did was research what type of sewing machine I wanted. I decided that I did not want a computerized sewing machine -- particularly because we live full-time in our RV and it always had to unplugged. 

I started diligently researching other sewing machines over the next few months.  What can I say, I tend to be an over analyzer.  Some of the features I was most interested in were the things my Pfaff was lacking -- a larger throat space, the ability to easily free motion quilt and speed.  My Pfaff was more of a slow and steady kind of girl, but I needed some speed.

And typically where do you go when researching sewing machines -- the internet of course.  I poured over quilting websites and blogs. I knew I didn’t want to invest in another computerized machine due to the troubles I had been having.  I also knew that I wanted a heavy duty, industrial type machine -- a workhorse that had only a few features but would do it’s job really well.  

While continuing to do some research, I also started looking on Facebook at gently used sewing machines listed for sale. I saved some of the listings for several different sewing machines and continued to research and began watching a few You-Tubes about different sewing machines. But what I kept coming back to was the one I had found on Facebook that I thought would be perfect for me -- a Brother PQ1500SL. The lady selling it said she had only used it a short while (as it had been purchased about 1-1/2 years ago -- January 30, 2023). 

So after messaging the lady selling the Brother PQ1500SL sewing machine and negotiating a little on the price, we were able to come to a price we were both ok with. She had originally wanted $800, but I got it down to $680. A brand new machine of this calibur would have cost me between $1,100 and $1,200 -- so I was happy indeed.

So today we drove to Denver to pick up my 'New to Me' Brother PQ1500SL sewing machine (see above). 

Besides the sewing machine, it came with the manual and a lot of extras (see the pictures below).

 

Extras (see above and below) included multiple threads, sewing machine cover, extra light for under machine throat, about 35 different yards of fabric, miscellaneous silky fabric, 2 rotary cutters and replacement blades, five plexi rulers in different sizes, two pin cushions, and more.

And about a week later, I listed my Pfaff 7530 Quilt & Craft Pro sewing machine on Facebook and . . . SOLD IT along with the Sew Steady Table I had made for this sewing machine!

My new Brother PQ1500SL was just what I needed. It is considered an industrial or heavy duty machine, and it is not computerized. It will sew up to 1,500 stitches per minute  -- and that is crazy fast! It also came with an extension table and a larger throat space (8-3/4 inches to be exact). 

I am so THRILLED with my decision!

Shirley & Mel