Sewing machine tariffs – revisited

July 26, 2025

I finally caught up on all the email that arrived while I was in Oregon last week. Apparently, Bernina has announced significant price hikes on all Bernina and bernette machines effective August 1st. They’re joining Janome, Brother and Baby Lock in hiking prices due to tariffs. My local Janome/Brother dealer raised prices 10-25% across the board a couple of months ago. Stopped in today after guild meeting (7/25) and was told the price on the Janome 9480 with ASR (very competitive), but was also informed prices would be going up again on 8/1. I questioned this as I know there’s inventory in the back that’s been there since last fall. The clerk responded it was a “business decision” that applied to all inventory, regardless of when received.

If you’re seriously in the market for a new TOL machine from a dealer, you may want to consider finalizing your purchase in the next week. The good news? Prices on more modest machines available through mass merchandisers such as Wal-Mart appear to be holding steady for now.

What’s a fair price to pay for a sewing machine? Only you can decide. Check eBay, Check FB Marketplace. Check patternreview.com. My personal rule of thumb? The sweet spot for a new machine is about 65% of the suggested retail price (less if you can get it). For a machine that’s used – no more than 50% of the MSRP for a current model. Classroom machines from consumer shows should have every option available and carry the full manufacturer’s warranty that a new machine would have.

Am I ready to move on the purchase of a Janome 9480? Absolutely, but not at $1000 more than what the same damn machine (still sitting in the backroom at my local dealer) was selling for last fall.

No thanks, I’ll pass. I can wait. Maybe I’ll get to the point where I don’t need a stitch regulator for FMQ on a domestic machine.

Make time to travel

July 22, 2025
Picture of Mount Hood taken at Panorama Point, Oregon

Once Quilt Camp was over, we packed and headed out west to explore places long on my travel bucket list – the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, Astoria and the Pacific Coast Highway. It was an incredible seven days. We flew into Portland (PDX), but didn’t spent much time in the city. What little I did see of downtown Portland was typical of any other large city – meaning I’d avoid the downtown area and shop/stay in the suburbs.

Our journey was basically one large loop – Hood River, The Dalles and back over to Astoria, following the Pacific Coast Highway as far as Newport, then over to Corvallis with a stop in Salem before heading back to Portland. Things we liked best: National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles, Western Vintage Auto & Air Museum in Hood River, Columbia Gorge Maritime Museum in Astoria, Latimer Quilt & Textile Museum in Tillamook (just up the road from the Tillamook Creamery), Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville and the Deepwoods House & Gardens in Salem.

Photos from Latimer Quilt & Textile Museum in Tillamook, Oregon
Vacation souvenir from Fiddlesticks Quilt Shop in Vancouver, WA.

Oregon has no state sales tax, plus had great end of season sales, so we did some much needed shopping at the only full-fledged Eddie Bauer retail store in the state. At Montavilla Sewing Center, I also found the left bi-level 9mm foot for my Janome 8900 that none of the 3 Janome dealers near me had. While there, I also asked for a price quote on the Janome 9480 with the ASR. Extremely competitive, but as this model’s now been available for over two years, I expect prices will drop again soon.

Our last day/night was spent in Vancouver, Washington – just across the bridge from the Portland airport. This also the home to Connecting Threads, in case you receive their quilting catalog in the mail. We thoroughly enjoyed dining out on the patio at the The Cove and walking the along the river trail. I also visited the lone quilt shop of our trip – Fiddlesticks Quilt Shop where I purchased all the fabric needed for the upcoming Giant Dahlia class with Michelle Yeo.

Are you familiar with The Country Register? It’s a national publication focusing on individual states or regions. A number of quilt shops, textile museums and craft events have printed copies available. I always like to pick up a copy whenever I travel. When browsing through the Oregon, Washington, Idaho edition, I noticed that Michelle Yeo is also teaching at a shop in Oregon the week after she’s with my guild in Atlanta. I didn’t fully appreciate how much my guild subsidizes the cost to bring teachers to us until I saw the fees to attend the same class in Oregon.

Make time to travel – it forces you outside your comfort zone and allows you to experience new sights, sounds and tastes that you probably won’t experience at home. Dining al fresco on the waterfront of the Columbia River and enjoying huckleberry jam on my toast are two things that come to mind. Well, a jar of huckleberry jam did make the trip home with me.

That’s a wrap for Quilt Camp!

July 12, 2025

For several summers, I’ve volunteered as a mentor at Quilt Camp sponsored by the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum. I even have the t-shirt collection to prove it! Charlotte, a rising sixth grader I’ve known since she was a toddler, accompanied me this year. She had a great time, a wonderful mentor (Ms. Joyce) and stated she definitely wants to return next summer. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the ‘tween version of Charlotte on our daily commutes.

We were set-up in the main gallery this year, which gave us so much more space to spread out. The local Quilts of Valor group meets in the main gallery for their sew days, so Education Chair figured why not set the campers up in there, too. Janie, a horse-crazy rising 7th grader was my assigned camper. She was a joy to mentor – personable, focused, accepted feedback well and was able to complete her project with minimal help from me. She was so proud of her finished project – as she should be. Hopefully, our paths will cross again in a future camp.

If you have a young person in your life curious about sewing – encourage that interest. Most sewing classes for kids limit enrollment to upper elementary age students (4th & 5th graders) and up. This is largely due to the fact that 9-10 year olds have developed better hand-eye coordination, more stamina to focus for longer periods of time and the fine motor skills required by sewing (scissor cutting, unpicking, pinning, etc.) The SQTM charges about $100 for 10 hours of one-on-one instruction, including use of a sewing machine and supplies. Kits are furnished for 1st year students as part of the tuition. That’s a deal!