I had put off writing a review of the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine only because it had so many stitches and features that I thought it might intimidate beginners. Then I noticed the price.
There are many sewing machines with fewer options than this one that cost the same (or more!). This presents a great opportunity for even the most novice sewer to invest in a machine that will truly serve them for years.
Table of Contents
(Click Ahead!)
Built In Stitches / Buttonholes / Letter Fonts / Stitch Creativity / Presser Feet / Functionality / Video / Accessories / Consumer Reviews / Pros, Cons & Manual / Price
REVIEW SUMMARY
MODEL: Singer 9960 Sewing Machine
REVIEWED BY: Erin
RATING: 4.8 
LAST UPDATED: April 8, 2015
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We all start out in the same place, looking to sew basic, straight lines – tackling our square pillows and rectangular place mats.
After that, it’s on to some minor alterations and maybe quilting. Once you become more comfortable, you may want to try other craft sewing or make clothes for you or your family. (Baby clothes are a very popular project!)
However, if your sewing machine is only capable of doing a few basic stitches and doesn’t come with a lot of accessories, it may not be capable of making the next level of sewing any easier. In fact, it may not be able to perform that next level of sewing at all.
That is never going to be the problem with the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine. I paid about the same price for a machine that has only 30 stitches, no font and only 4 presser feet.
The Quantum Stylist makes sewing as easy as possible with automated controls, speed control, and push button operations for everything including thread cutting. It’s got an incredibly sleek style, reminiscent of the Futura series where the majority of the controls are placed low on a panel that sort of curves out to meet you. This makes them very easy to reach during sewing. It also boasts one of the largest (maybe THE largest) LCD screens in this price range.
Some sewing machines have lots of features but not a lot of work space. Not this one. It’s a serious sized machine with tons of extras and great potential.
Mind Boggling Set of Stitches on the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist
The Singer 9960 first catches your eye because of the large number of sewing stitches – a total of 600 built-in patterns. Let’s break them down so you know what you’re getting.
The stitch count looks like this:
- 103 built-in utility sewing stitches (straight, stretch, hemming, piecing, cross stitches, scrolls, vines, etc.)
- 13 styles of buttonholes
- 34 decorative sewing stitches (tulip, car, satin, flower, bird, plane, etc.)
- 90 upper case, lower case, numbers, and characters in 5 different fonts (450 stitches in total) including Gothic, Script, Italic, Outline, and Russian
There’s a reference chart listed on the flip-up top so you won’t have to dig out your manual any time you need to choose a new stitch.
The maximum stitch width on the Singer Quantum Stylist sewing machine is 7mm.
There’s an automatic locking stitch for the decorative stitches and a Tack button so you can tie off your utility stitches.
In some cases, you might need to use stabilizer material to get the full detail of the decorative stitches to show – especially on thinner material – a small step that is not uncommon to most machines.
This stitch collection can handle everything from basting to quilting to professional clothes-making but there are so many decorative sewing stitches that I had to ask myself what on God’s green earth someone would do with all of them?! Is it too many? (Of course, after working with my limited set of 30 for over a year now, I’ve decided it’s not possible to have TOO many stitches but very easy to end up with too few.)
But, practically speaking, what does one do with these extra stitches – that’s the real question. If you’re never going to do anything decorative and just need to attach two pieces of fabric together so that it stays in place, then this might be too much machine for you. If, however, you’re ever going to customize dinner napkins or towels, if you ever want to run combinations of pretty stitches on the hem of a little girl’s dress, if you ever want to edge your plain pillow cases with a row of stitched hearts and your monogram in the middle of the row, this machine is for you.
Have you seen those hand-made cards that look like they’re embroidered? How about taking some plain, white note cards and running a line of red hearts across the edges for Valentine’s Day and then personalizing them with other paper cut outs? (Once you see the machine in action, the possibilities will flood you like a tidal wave!)
Buttonholes
The buttonholes made by the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist are auto-sized which means that you put the button itself in the buttonhole presser foot and the machine gauges the proper length and width to fit your button. Although extra large buttons won’t fit in the presser foot, there are instructions for auto-sizing even those unique widths.
My own sewing machine has this feature and it was one of the first things I tested out. I am absolutely a novice sewer – the kind of person who dreaded Home Ec in Junior High. I knew that if I could sew a buttonhole with my machine, there was hope for me yet. And it worked! I can do buttonholes all day long.
The sides of the buttonholes are also sewn in the same direction, providing the most professional appearance. Fabric gets pulled in the same direction so there’s no puckering.
Just to make the whole buttonhole process that much easier, the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist comes with an exclusive buttonhole underplate which acts like a frame to hold multiple layers of material in place when sewing buttonholes in thick fabrics or through several layers of material. So, when you go to make that wool coat or have to put buttonholes in the thick seams of a jersey button-up sweater, you won’t run into any issues.
Fonts
Granted, the stitch count on the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist looks so impressive because it includes all the characters in five font styles. Still, most machines in this price range come with just ONE font and usually a plain, old block font, at that. With this one, you get a lot more variety and some pretty nice looking choices.
When you use a sewing machine for monogramming, you will have a small thread leading from one letter to the next. That’s standard and not a fault of the machine.
Someone did mention that the Quantum Stylist sewing machine uses the same size for both upper and lower case letters so that they looked funny. However, the lower case letters really do look like lower case and you can adjust the size of individual stitches in a combination pattern so you can make the lower case letters even smaller, if you’d like.
Stitch Creativity on the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist
One of the Singer 9960’s strengths is stitch creativity and customization. You can edit most sewing stitches in a number of ways. You can change the width, the length, and do a mirror image of the stitch. If you’re working on the edge of a quilt and want to do two rows of a pretty stitch with each pattern facing the opposite direction, you can do so with the mirror stitch setting rather than having to flip your fabric around and run it through the other direction. This is helpful if getting to the edge in the other direction would mean trying to wad up a large amount of fabric through the throat of the machine.
An Elongation button lets you increase some stitches up to 5 times their default size.
You can also combine stitches into your own patterns – alternate the decorative bird stitch with a flower or place your monogram in between a pair of heart stitches. However, the machine separates utility stitches and decorative stitches into two separate groups and you cannot combine stitches between the groups.
All of the fonts fall in the decorative category so those can be combined with the prettier patterns.
The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist will memorize a pattern up to 60 stitches long, allows you to edit each stitch individually, and you can insert any forgotten stitch in the pattern by just moving the cursor to the right spot and inserting the appropriate stitch number.
However, all memory is wiped clean once the machine is turned off. If you have a pattern you want to reuse, you’ll need to enter it all over again – a minor inconvenience but something to keep in mind.
With a few ideas for inspiration, like the ones in the video below, stitches can be combined other than in a straight line in order to mimic the look of machine embroidery. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to create quite the same level of detail, but you could easily mark out lines on your fabric and use a satin crescent stitch in different sizes to create the petals of a flower, put an eyelet stitch in the center in another color to look like the heart of the flower, sew a line for the stem and use other stitches to look like leaves coming off of the stem.
It’s this ability to combine stitches either in a line using the machine’s memory or on your own through manual placement that really lets you put your own, distinct mark on your sewing projects.
Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Includes Lots of Extra Presser Feet
The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist uses snap on presser feet which are so embarrassingly easy to attach that when I showed my mother how mine work she made me do it again because she didn’t even see me do anything other than push the presser foot lever down.
That’s really all you have to do for these – place the presser foot underneath the presser foot post, push the lever down and the foot is picked up by the machine. You might have to position it just to make sure the groove is on the foot is in the right place but after you do this a few times, you’ll know exactly where to put it each time and it takes literally a second or two to put on the new foot.
You get so many presser feet with the Quantum Stylist that it’s easy to miss that this is a huge value all by itself. Lots of machines come with a basic set and then require that you purchase specialty feet later for as much as $20-30 a foot. In this case, you’re supplied with 13 of the most popular feet PLUS a bundle package with an additional 5 feet and tools for attaching trim:
- All purpose foot
- Zipper foot
- Button sewing foot
- Satin stitch foot
- Buttonhole foot with underplate
- Open toe foot
- Blind hem foot
- Overcastting foot
- Narrow hem foot
- Cording foot
- ¼ inch foot
- Darning and embroidery foot
- Even feed foot
NOTE: The Singer site lists a set of extra presser feet that come with the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist which ties in with what one buyer wrote in her review. These include:
- Adjustable bias binder foot
- Single welt cording foot
- Braiding guide
- Braiding foot
- Clear stitch-in-the-ditch foot
- Fancy trim foot
- Clearance plate
These additional feet help you attach an assortment of trims to your projects.
Tons of Automation and Functionality with the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist
Due to the large number of features that come with the Singer Quantum Stylist, I decided to organize the information in subsections in this category to make it easier to find the topics that might interest you the most. It’s a bit lengthier than most of my other reviews but to give you all the detail, it seemed like the best approach.
Features
First, these features are included and don’t need a great deal of explanation:
- Automatic needle threader
- Top drop-in bobbin system with plastic see-through cover
- Automatic tension that is also manually adjustable and reset to default settings with the push of a button
- Extra-high presser foot lifter
- Free arm
- Drop feed functionality
- Warning animation icons in the LCD display
- Extra long extension table attachment included with ruler markings on the front
- Slow Sewing Speed Option
- Two StayBright LED Lights with long-life (100,000 hours)
- Maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches-per-minute
- Automatic Reverse
- Horizontal Threading
- 25 needle positions
- Optimal stitch settings
- Heavy duty metal frame
- Automatic Bobbin Winding Clutch
- Needle bar automatically disengages when winding the bobbin for safer bobbin winding
- Auxiliary spool holder (an extra spool for twin needle sewing)
- Seam allowance markings on the needle plate and you can also use the seam guide for any irregular widths and tolerances
- Great throat space for large fabric projects
- Built in carry handle
- Never needs oil
Singer 9960 Control Panel
The controls may seem a little intimidating at first as there’s quite a number of buttons surrounding the LCD screen. However, with practice, they’ll become second nature. Just plan on taking some time to learn them properly and refer to the guide provided in the manual as needed.
The good news is that (unlike my Droid phone), the buttons on the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine are large and comfortably spaced so you’re not going to have to concentrate too hard to make sure you only press the button you need. Some of today’s technology forgets our fingers are not really the size of a stylus but this layout must have been tested in the design phase because it’s easy to select the controls you need for any function.
There is a button for everything from starting the machine to snipping your top and bottom threads when you’re done sewing. I’ll cover them all here:
As mentioned, one button activates the thread cutter and cuts both the top and bottom thread when you’re done sewing. There is still a manual cutter on the left hand side of the machine but the automated feature will work on most situations.
There are three ways you can control the speed of the machine. The first is by use of the traditional foot pedal. The second is by sliding the Speed Control Slider to the left or the right to increase or decrease the maximum speed. The third way is to use the Slow Sewing Speed option by pressing the Needle Up/Down button while sewing. This will automatically slow the sewing machine down to a crawl so you can focus on an intricate piece of work.
The Start/Stop button performs just as its name implies. It starts or stops the sewing process and can be used in place of the foot pedal. Just remove the foot pedal entirely and use the Start/Stop button in conjunction with the speed control slider to handle the speed of the needle.
When the foot pedal is attached, you can use the slider to cap the maximum speed but your foot still controls starting and stopping. When the foot pedal is not attached, the Start/Stop button is used to start and stop the sewing process.
The Needle Up/Down button acts like the hand wheel on the side and will raise or lower the needle when pressed. You can also program it to always stop in either the up or down position depending on your needs. When you know you’re going to have to pivot the fabric to sew a corner, you can tell the machine to leave the needle in the down position when you stop sewing, rotate the fabric around the needle and pick up again without skipping a stitch.
Use the Electronic Twin Needle control to let the machine know that you’re switching to twin needle sewing.
An Automatic Locking Stitch Function will tie off your stitches.
A set of direct stitch selection buttons let you choose the most used utility stitches without having to enter any pattern numbers.
Stitch patterns are scrolled through five at a time and then you press a button under the right stitch to make that selection EXCEPT for a set of the most used utility stitches which have their own buttons. This saves you from having to go through the scroll and selection process for things like the straight stitch.
The Tack button lets you tack stitches at the start and finish of a row.
You also use the controls to select between the Utility set of stitches and the Decorative (and Font) set. When combining stitch patterns, you have a button that will clear the settings and screen and let you start over or insert patterns you skipped in your design.
The Reverse button works two ways – when the foot controller is attached, it sews in reverse continuously while the button is pressed and then sews forward when the button is released. When the foot controller is not attached, it will sew in reverse while pressed but will stop sewing when released.
A single beep occurs when pressing buttons during operation. This can be turned off if you find it annoying. Multiple beeps that indicate errors will still sound.
Threading
The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine uses horizontal threading for smoother thread flow. This means that your top thread spool lays horizontally when attached to the spool stand. The one issue I have with this is that SOME spools of thread have a little slit in the cap where the manufacturer hooks the starting thread. Sometimes, those little hooks snag horizontal thread during sewing, rip it and you’re left to rethread. I find putting a little piece of tape over those slits helps a great deal.
There is an upper thread sensor that notices when you are out of top thread or if the thread has broken and this will stop the machine automatically so you don’t keep sewing and end up having to backtrack your fabric.
Bobbins
This machine uses Class 15J bobbins. You can easily find these at any sewing store, Walmart, or craft store. It comes with a small supply but if you sew a great deal you’ll want to have some pre-wound bobbins in popular colors so you don’t have to unwind and rewind bobbins in the middle of a task.
You can wind the bobbin thread using the start/stop button if the foot pedal is not attached. This is super easy as you just push a button and let the bobbin do its thing rather than having to hold your foot down the whole time. The bobbin winder stops automatically when the bobbin is full.
Bobbin winding takes place under the machine top so you lift the top while sewing and then you can close it up to keep dust from those areas for a tidier appearance when not in use
LCD Screen
The size of the LCD screen on the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist has got to be its pride and joy. It’s HUGE. The icons and information displayed are then also larger than on other sewing machines. No craning your neck to read tiny print on this baby.
It’s back lit and there’s a brightness control so you can turn the backlight up or down so the display is easily visible in all lighting situations.
The screen displays stitch information including stitch pattern, length and width settings, available stitch editing functions (for example, whether or not you can apply the mirror function to the selected stitch) and the recommended presser foot.
This is where you’ll see any error warnings if the machine encounters a problem.
The screen even shows you little icons that tell you what it’s doing like a picture of a bobbin when the machine is winding a bobbin or a picture of a foot pedal when the foot pedal is attached.
Fabric Control/Feed Dogs
Feed dogs have a big job to do. They work to pull the fabric through the machine. The Quantum Stylist has a 7 point, box feed system which provides the most control you can get.
A button on the front of the free arm lets you drop the feed dogs for free motion sewing, free motion embroidery and darning by hand. The fact that the button is on the FRONT of the machine and not in the back like so many others is, in itself, a huge point. This is much more convenient and easier to see. I’ve never understood why so many machines have it in the back where you have to feel around for it or get up to find it.
Handling thick fabrics, denim, or leather is often a consideration when making your decision. In this case, the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist is prepared to handle almost anything you need and includes some extra features to help you out. First, the general presser foot has a hinge you can lock in place so that it won’t ride up and lose touch when sewing through a thick seam like when you’re hemming a pair of jeans.
The other feature that helps deal with thick material is the motor.
Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Sewing Machine Motor
There are two important features regarding the motor in this machine. First, it uses what’s called Optimum Power Control which lets the sewing machine sense when you’re running into an extra thick piece of work and pulls power in to keep the sewing even and steady. This prevents that jerky motion you can run into on other machines which can cause your stitches to look uneven in those sections.
The second feature is that this machine uses a DC motor so the needle arm has a consistent source of power whether you’re going through thin or thick fabrics.
Another review I read compared this machine to the Brother PC420 PRW however, the Brother machine does not have this level of fabric control nor a DC motor.
Review the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Sewing Machine Video Demo
This video gives a great overview of all the features and closeups of the stitches and fonts.
Dimensions: 17.2 x 8.2 x 12 inches
Weight: 25.8 pounds
Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Included Accessories
- Extension table
- 5 Needles
- 4 Bobbins
- Seam ripper
- Brush
- Auxiliary spool cap
- Spool pin felt
- 2 Screwdrivers
- 2 Thread spool caps (large and small)
- Seam guide
- Quilting bar
The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Has Excellent Ratings from Buyers
The 9960 has been on the market for awhile now and there are quite a number of reviews online. All of those reviews give this sewing machine high marks. The combination of low price, automation, and extra presser feet surely has something to do with this but it has also received many positive comments regarding performance.
Finding a bad review is nearly impossible. Customers love the value this machine provides and Singer fans are very excited to have such a strong performing option. The generous stitches, selection of fonts and customization available at a competitive price are all great reasons to get this sewing machine. It’s just one of the best values you can find in this price range.
Average Rating: 4.8
Pros, Cons & Manual
Pros: Sews through anything. Sews smoothly with nice, straight stitches. Quiet. Thread cutter is very convenient. There are so many stitches that you’ll never run out of options. Strongly lit work area. Extension table is a nice plus. Convenient controls for running the machine like the Start/stop button and Speed control. A money-saving bundle of presser feet included.
Cons: Plastic bobbin cover is a little loose and comes off too easily. There’s no knee lifter which is a handy tool appreciated by lots of heavy quilters. Thread cutter doesn’t always catch both threads the first time but this seems to be tied to when the needle is off-center in one of the other needle positions. Not all of the feet are labeled with a letter so you have to look them up in the manual sometimes to figure out which one you need. There are a few reported issues of thread jamming but nothing too serious. Pressure foot pressure is not adjustable for those who like to fine-tune their pressure on specialty fabrics.
Manual available online here: Get the Manual
Manufacturer’s Warranty: As of this date,the warranty in the US is 25 year limited on the sewing machine head, limited 5 year warranty on motors, light, assembly, wiring, switches, speed control and electronic components, and a limited 1 year warranty on adjustments, belts, rings, bulbs, and attachments. As is standard with most warranties, the warranty may be void if certain requirements are not followed.
Price
These are the two stores showing the lowest prices at the time this review was last updated. Compare the two to get the best deal!
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Features Summary Review:
This review is amazing and soooo thorough. I have pretty much made up my mind to buy this. This will be my first sewing machine. Do you think it will be too complicated for a newbie like me, with all the buttons, bells and whistles? Also, I know Amazon is selling this at $329, but another online vendor is selling this for $400, and including 5 extra feet, a hard case, and an extended 5 year bumber to bumper warranty. Do you think spending the extra $70 is worth it? I like the idea of a 5 year bumper to bumper on something like this with so much technology on board.
Diane – The additional warranty, as long as it covers all the computer components, would be a worthwhile investment, in my opinion. (What’s odd is that the seller to whom I think you’re referring also has it on Amazon here for their same price but it doesn’t mention the extended warrant and the extra accessory kit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RDH7Y8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=sewingmach0b-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004RDH7Y8. See the shipped by info?)
I don’t think you’ll find this too complicated. Today’s technology has geared us towards being able to adapt to buttons and controls like the ones on these machines and I find them much easier to use, as a result. It will take some getting used to but nothing you can’t handle! 😉
The manual is very thorough and there often how-to videos on YouTube to get you through any challenging tasks.
I think you’ll be thankful you went ahead with a machine that can do this much and, as I mentioned, I paid the same for a machine that doesn’t do this much and always wish I had more stitches on mine. Even if I never used them it’s nice to have the option should something come up.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Erin
You are right. If you click on the Amazon link, the description does not include the warranty, and extras. But, if you go onto the vendor’s website, it does state it. I also called the vendor, and the warranty does include all computer components AND labor. Thank you so much for all your help, and this amazing website. You have no idea how much it has helped me.
Diane – I’m truly thrilled to have been any help at all. I’m so excited for you!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks for this wonderful site! It has really helped me in my search for my first sewing machine. I think I’ll be ordering this Singer for myself–what a fantastic deal on a great machine. And call me sentimental, but I come from a long line of women who used Singer machines, so I think it’s nice to be able to continue that tradition without sacrificing quality.
Ann – Thank you! I think Singer has been working hard to come up with models that connect to their strong lineage. So many of us remember our other family members using their machines and swearing by Singer so it’s nice to have such a great value to recommend to readers.
BTW, what a beautiful site YOU have! Lots of great tips and projects you’ve been working on, it looks like. Thanks for stopping by!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi. I’m looking to purchase a new machine. I have had a super cheap ($60) machine that I bought in college from Walmart for the past 6 years, and actually stopped using it as it wouldn’t work on any of the fabrics I wished to sew.
I need a machine that will get me the biggest “bang” for my buck, (not wanting to spend more than about $300-350) and it has to be able to sew through thicker and multiple layered fabrics, as I plan to sew and alter military uniforms as well as making my own cloth diapers.
I’ve heard negative things about Singer lately, that their quality has gone down a lot… but this one seems really interesting and the amazon reviews are great.
I’m down to the following 4 choices:
This one (singer 9960)
Janome HD1000
Janome 8077
Janome DC1050
I’d also considered the Brother SE400, but am leaning away from that one just based on the reviews seeming more in favor of the ones listed above.
Which of those 4 would you think would be best for me?
Hi,
First of all thank you for the informative site. It is awesome.
I would like to purchase a machine that can do basic sewing and perhaps do quilting and some home decoration stuff.
I am pretty much settled on Janome DC 1050 but since I read this review, I am partial if I should buy this one (price consideration)
Although Singer has decreasing rating lately, this one seems to be OK being that it uses the DC motor and has more metal part (it is like 25 pounds).
Any advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Mary,
The prices are so close on those two machines (on Amazon, anyway) and yet the capabilities are quite different. Both have excellent features for fabric control and similar ratings. The differences are that to the most expert eye, the Janome stitches might appear more professional (but I can’t tell the difference) and that the Singer does so very much more and has so many more stitches to choose from.
The more creative you’d like to get with your sewing, the more the Singer would be the better match. If you’re not going to use all those extra stitches, then the Janome would be your best choice.
Both are capable of doing the kind of sewing you describe and are excellent machines.
Glad you found the site helpful and good luck with your decision. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with either one!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
Thanks for your reply. Although I like all the extras that comes with the Singer, not to mention the alphabet features, I am having a second thought about the Singer because of the thread jamming issues. I am not a professional sewer thus have limited knowledge of how to self fix or fine tune the machine if I need to. One of the lady who teaches sewing also told me about the bobbin/jamming issues with the Singer.
Does Janome produce a model that has the alphabet features?
Thanks again.
Mary – Janome does have several models that include a sewing font. One is the DC5100 which is probably the most lowest priced of those options. You can read more about that one here. It’s another popular model and a very solid machine.
Sincerely,
Erin
For an update, yesterday I called Singer to ask about the issue with the thread jamming. This was on a Thursday at 11 a.m. EST and I was kept on hold for approximately 1 hr and 15 minutes. There was a recording update every so often and I started as the 9th callers in the queue.
I was explained that this particular model is one of their higher end model, which made me very skeptical why the price is so low for a high end model. She explained that most people who experience problems with this, is because they did not follow instructions on how to thread. Customers can always call and support will be provided over the phone.
While it is true and the lady on the phone was really nice and helpful, waiting for more than an hour would be such a hassle.
I am pretty much settle to buy Janome but all the extras for this machine cannot be easily passed.
Mary…what machine did you end up getting? I am debating between this Singer (although the jamming and the overall Singer quality usually scare me away), Janome 2012 (1050) or the Brother 420. Anyway…I am so conflicted. I want quality, but like you said, it is so hard to pass up the features of the Brother and Singer. So what did you end up with and how do you like it? Thank you!
LaDona – I’m not sure Mary will see this in order to reply but I did want to mention that while I do think Singer has some issues with reputation, they’ve come out with a few models that I highly endorse as being much more representative of the quality for which they’ve been known in the past. The 9960 is one such machine and the 7258 is another. If you have either of those on your list of possibles, don’t let any past Singer issues keep you from considering them in the mix. Instead, compare them only based on features and price to the other potential machines.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you, Erin. I wouldn’t have even gotten this except I came back to reread the comments. 🙂 I wanted to share with you (though this is not confirmed by me) that Singer fixed the jamming issues that were with the 2010 model and the machine with the decorative lines under the control panel should be the machine with the fixed jammed issues. I am seriously considering this machine. BTW…Sewing Machines Plus has a great added 5 year warranty! This gives me even more confidence to get it. 🙂
LaDona – Thanks for the Singer update and an extended warranty on purchases like this can be a good thing!
Also, I keep meaning to tell you that you must be a FaceBook Queen as I’ve never had so many likes show up at once as when you said you were sharing the link on your page. I nearly had a stroke trying to figure out where all those wonderful likes came from! Thank you!
Sincerely,
Erin
Wow…I didn’t realize that people were even clicking on it. Glad it helped!
My Singer arrived today. I devised a series of things to test it out. 1) overlocked a large rectangle of doubled home dec fabric using one type of overlock per side. 2) sewed rows of stitch samples changing stitch lengths and sizes. 3) made a zippy pouch with home dec fabric (http://erinerickson.com/2012/08/easy-zippy-pouches/)
The only thing I regret? That I didn’t BUY THIS SOONER! Holy moly. This machine is so easy to use and made it through the multiple layers of the zippy without a single hiccup.
Tomorrow is round two of torture 🙂 I am thinking a purse.
Heide – That’s so great to hear! I do think this machine is such a great deal. I love the tutorials on your site, too, btw. We just got a Chihuahua and some of your projects would be great for me to try for him.
Good luck with tomorrow’s tests!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hello Erin,
First of all, I love this site! Thanks so much for all of your efforts put in to this! It goes to great lengths to help sort through this overwhelming decision…
I think I have narrowed it down to two. What I am having issues with is deciding between this Singer Quantum 9960 and the Brother SE400. I mostly sew/alter clothing and dabble in upholstery off and on. But the idea of embroidering is appealing – being able to monogram my kids clothing, towels, backpacks, the list goes on, right?
I have read all of the rave reviews about the Singer, but am curious if the sew quality is comparable on the Brother – if I can’t resist the pull of the embroidery options and the touch screen LCD. I love all of the additional accessories that come with the Singer but am disappointed that it does not appear to have a side cutter foot available for purchase and then I would need to buy a hidden zipper foot. Both are offered by Brother. I have also looked at the Brother CS6000i and CP7500. I think I am having problems finding an upholstery welting/piping/cord foot for the Brother. Or, maybe I am just getting cross eyed in all of my searches…
Another point to consider, my daughter has an ambitious school project that she is undertaking this year. She is designing a clothing line and will be presenting the final project on a runway setting. I want to make sure I get something that will support her undertaking the best I can. She will be sewing a variety of fabrics from sheer to heavier weight.
My last machine was a very basic Brother purchased at least 15 years ago. It really started having issues and I finally gave it up with my last move (we are in the military) so I would be forced to buy another (upgrade
Still cut off. I hope you can paste it all together when you moderate it…
So I’ll skip the rest and try again with my final question… If you have any thoughts about the comparison of the stitch quality, or anything else I would appreciate it!
Thanks so much!
Donna
Hi, I apologize that I did not see the comments sooner. I purchased the Singer Quantum 9960 and is very happy with it. I own it for more than 2 months now and have sewn 6 quilts. I am learning the free motion quilting and so far so good with this machine. I have no complains whatsoever. I love the varieties of stitches and extra feet. I found when I am using a wrong thread, like serger thread (I happen to have the right color but the wrong type) it make a weird high pitch noise. Despite, it runs like nothing happen except for the annoying noise. I know now that I am not suppose to do that, all I am saying that this machine is very ‘forgiving’ for beginners’ mistakes. I have nothing to complaint about and was very happy with my purchase. It is rather heavy though like 25 pounds but it is actually a good thing except when you need to take it to class. I could get another lighter and cheaper machine for class but then the ‘feel’ will not be the same and I am totally in love with this machine.
The best features that I like is the automatic thread cutter, stop and start button (great for straight line quilting) and needle down position (again great for quilting). I it also very quite, in fact I love the sound of it.
Totally worth every penny.
Absolutely the best, nicest, most pleasurable machine I have ever owned! I cannot afford a more pricey machine – but do not need one either. This does it all for me. I ordered the Brother Runway PRW420 and sent it back after 2 wks. Comparable price, not as many features, weaker motor, and could not sew a straight line. Got this instead. Soooooo happy! Highly recommend. Have had for 2 months. I sew an avg. 6 hours/day, all fabrics. It’s what I do!
I am a beginner and am trying to decide between the 9960 and The BrotherSE400. The Embroidery option seems enticing. I see the 9960 does free motion embroidery. What does that mean?
Jane – Free motion embroidery is done completely by free hand. You would lower the feed dogs so they don’t control the fabric and keep the presser foot up. By moving the fabric around yourself you can accomplish some embroidery. It takes some time to master and is not automated at all. That’s the big difference between the SE400 and the 9960. If you want to do any amount of embroidery and have no experience with free motion then you’ll want the features that come with the SE400. Those are two great machines to choose from, though!
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin, thanks so much for your input. So much information can get confusing and you are a lifesaver. I have another question. When looking further at the Brother SE400, the Brother PE770 popped up. It appears to be twice the price but I’m more concerned about what are the major differences in these two machines. I looked for a review of the 770 on the website and did not see one. Can you tell me the major differences in the two. Looks like I many have additional embroidery capability? Let me know and anything else that a plus or minus for either machine.
Thanks so much!
Jane, the biggest difference is that the PE770 does ONLY embroidery and does not have any sewing functionality. I did do a comparison of the PE770 with two other embroidery only machines here: PE770 Comparison. If you want to do any sewing though then you’ll want to stick with the SE400.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
I am looking for my first sewing machine and am a beginner. Initially I was looking at low end machines, but I realized I wanted something I could grow into rather than needing to upgrade. Right now my three needs/wants in a machine are for it to be computerized, be able to handle heavy fabric like regularly sewing jeans, and stretch stitching. Based on what I’d like electronically and viewing the machine as an investment I came to the Singer 9960 and the Singer 9100. I have had trouble finding out how many stretch stitches are built into both, but know they have several. And given the information I could find on construction I’m assuming the 9960 would be better with heavy fabric. But, I’m wondering if these aren’t basically the same machine but that the 9960 has more decorative stitches and alphabet stitch choices? Since I’ve never had a sewing machine before I don’t want to pay for tons of bells and whistles (600 stitches on the 9960) that I’ll probably use barely none of.
Any help on comparing the 9100 and 9960?
Thanks so much!
Ali
Ali, I hadn’t looked at the 9100 yet but I spent some time comparing the manuals and the product sheets to identify the differences. For the most part, the functionality seems to be very much the same. There are some slight differences in the stitch selection process but nothing that would impact performance.
It looks the 9100 has 4 stretch stitches. The total stitch assortment for the 9100: 13 Utility Stitches, 4 Stretch Stitches, 184 Decorative Stitches,
194 Alphabet and Numeric Stitches, & 9 Buttonholes.
The included stitches appear to make up the largest difference. The 9100 has only 2 font styles for the letter stitches whereas the 9960 has 5 fonts.
You can see the entire set of stitches on the 9100 in this online manual starting on page 6: http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/b3d065ab531566234763763d9b667ee93d568cf6.pdf
The 9100 has 9 buttonhole styles vs 13 on the 9600 and comes with 10 presser feet vs. 13 (18 if you buy one with the extra presser feet bundle included) with the 9960.
The automation built into each is the same – automatic needle threader, start/stop button, speed control, automatic bobbin winding, stitch customization, etc.
The prices are very close so I’d look at a couple of things to decide between the two. First, look at the fonts. IF you’re going to do a lot of font stitching you’d want the extra fonts on the 9960 but if you’re not going to do much of that then leave that out of the equation. Second, look at the included presser feet. The extra feet with the 9960 more than makes up for the price difference between the two. Third, look at the decorative stitches because there are some different styles and the set on one might appeal to you more than the other.
Good luck! I’ll have to add the 9100 to my list for a full review shortly. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin,
I finally made my purchase. I decided against the Brother SE 400 and went with the Singer 9960 as well as the Brother PE770. Sooo excited and can’t wait to dive in to this new pastime. I hope I have made some good choices.
Jane, those are great choices and you’re going to have a wide variety of options for creative projects. Should be a lot of fun and it’s a great time of year for some fun holiday items, too. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin,
Thanks for the help comparing the Singer 9100 and 9960. I just ordered the 9960 – I found it for $30 more than the 9100 with an included extra 5 year warranty and some extra accessories bundled together. So based on that I decided to go with the 9960 even though I’m pretty sure all the extra stitches won’t get used much. The warranty was worth the $30, especially given I’m a beginner. Plus I figure it’s better to have a machine I can’t imagine outgrowing. Thanks so much for your helpful website – the reviews are incredibly thorough and I plan to come back often once I get my new machine!
Thanks again!
Ali
Ali – I’m so happy for you! I know you’ll love it and I can’t wait to hear about your projects. Thanks so much for the compliment on the site – exactly the kind of thing that keeps me motivated to work on it more! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to put all of this information together. I can’t tell you how helpful it has been in the search for my first sewing machine. I thought I was going to purchase the 9960, but when I went to Amazon I see they are selling the 9970 for $70 more. I think it may include more presser feet than the 9960 but other than that is there any difference between the two machines? Any input you have would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi I have singer quantum stylist and I’m very happy with it :)) but still one this is still a mystery to me — how do you increase the font size of the alphabets ??!!??? Is it even possible ? I can’t seem to write bigger size letters .. I really need to write sons cute stuff on my daughters dress but the size of the letters us toooo small …. Pls help !!!!
I am curious as well, I would love to know if the font size could change.
I have researched the Quantum Stylist 9960, comparing to other models and what I needed from a sewing machine. The issue I am having is living in a state that does not have any Singer warranty service centers. The control pedal has never worked, so I e-mailed Singer and they sent me a new control pedal. That didn’t work either, so I am led to believe the actual port on my machine is messed up. I have had the machine for 5 months now, and I don’t know what to do. I want to go to a local sewing shop, but that can void any warranties with Singer.
Has anyone experienced this? Or do you have advice to help me out?
Thank you,
Hi 😉
I hope this is not the most novice of questions but, do you happen to know if any companies sell sewing tables that easily integrate the machine flush into the table?
Thanks for your time,
Naomi
Oh I started snooping around on your site now and I see you posted some things pertaining to sewing tables… I’ll check that out. Thanks!
My 9960 will not run with either the presser foot or start stop button. How do I reset? I have unplugged and left to sit. still nothing any suggestions?
Could someone please tell me what the throat size is on the 9960……this is the area from the needle to the right of the machine (the open area where quilts are rolled and have to fit thru). Thanks
I wanted to share these awesome YouTube videos on how to use this machine. There are at list 12 of them. Here is the link to the first one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JVYWJkIeyI&index=12&list=LLSdwZ6FnUWoVI985xnaWfHQ
Hi, I am not sure how big the the throat of the Singer Quantum 9960 but I am a quilter and I am able to do FMQ up to a queen size quilt. I turn the machine 90 degree so it looks like a long arm machine. That way I have more room on either side. To level it up I use coffee table books.
I just purchased the Singer Quantum 9960, but can not get it to stitch correctly. I’ve tried rethreading multiple times both the upper and bobbin thread, different needles, and different fabrics. The issue is that the stitch looks like one continuous thread as opposed to have tiny gaps in between (where the knot is hidden between the layers of fabric). Plus the line is slightly wavy. I’ve also tried multiple different tension settings and even tried making small tweaks to the lower tension by turning the small screw in the bobbin case. Any advice would greatly be appreciated. I so much want to love this machine. For the price of $309 (Amazon) it has such great functionality, like the thread cutter.
Hi, This machine sounds amazing, but I just have one question. How wide is the throat area. I need it to be at least 6 1/2 inches or more. Thanks for all the wonderful information.
“You can also program it to always stop in either the up or down position depending on your needs.”
HOW can you program the needle to stop UP?
Thanks,
Carol
Erin, do you answer questions posted here? Please see my question above about how to program the machine to stop with the needle in the up position. Thank you.
Erin:
WOW! What a site. I am so thankful I stumbled on this. My Husqvarna has died and I’m in the market and am between the Singer 7258, Singer 9960 and Brother CS6000I.
They all seem great. Buy them all right?
If you had to choose just one- and you’ve used them all- which would it be?
I love the idea of being able to add pretty stitches to dress hems or and have so many decorative stitches. But the reality is I sew straight 99% of the time but I do need a great button hole as most of my items include button holes.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Lesley
Lesley, if I personally had to choose, it would be the 9960 and that would be because of it’s larger size and the seemingly endless numbers of stitches and types of sewing I could tackle in the future. My reality, like yours, is that I know I’d never actually use half of them but I’d want the option to use them should I suddenly find myself with extra time on my hands (wishful thinking, I know, but my kids should move out some day…I think…). 😉
So, if you know that to be true for yourself, too, and would rather buy something less expensive, I’d go with the Singer 7258. Performance and size are similar to the CS6000i but you’d still get some of extra stitches.
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you Erin! The 9960 has been ordered. I’m giddy waiting 🙂 I appreciate your response too!
I too have this 9960 sewing machine and have loved using it but now I am having a problem with the bobbin jamming up or freezing!!! Have tried various things to resolve it but no luck. Is this going to continue to be an issue? Is there anything at all that I can do to fix this?
Hello Erin,
I am considering buying the Singer Quantum 9960 and plan to use a lot of monograming fonts on projects. How large do the fonts get? Relative in inches please or some measurable distance. You stated earlier in the review that stitches can get up 7mm wide and can be 5 times larger. Is that true for the font size? What would the largest font size be? How about the figures too?
Also do they make a acrylic material guide to snap on the extension plate for straight line sewing?
Thanks for your help and I’m excited to purchase this item for quilting too.