Whether you're just starting out or ready to go longarm, these are the machines our customers come back to recommend — trusted by quilters across Canada

This are our most popular and trusted models.

1. Bernina 480 Sewing Machine

2. Bernette B77 Sewing Machine

3. Brother BQ2500 – The Hobbyist

4. Grace Little Rebel Sewing Machine

5. Brother NQ575 – The Trendsetter 2

Check out our blog post for more information on each model

We often get asked, "What is a high stith count for a used sewing machine?". 

 Truthfully, we feel that is a little bit of a loaded question.   If the machine you are inquiring about has been running smooth and great, it's just getting warmed up!   

This machine is most likely "just getting broken in" rather than nearing the end of it's life.In the world of sewing and embroidery, stitch count is the ultimate metric. It’s more than just a random number on your screen—it’s the "odometer" for your machine’s health and the "stopwatch" for your business productivity.

Whether you’re buying your first used machine or pricing out a custom order, understanding these numbers is key to success.

1. The Lifetime Odometer: How Much is "Too Much"?

Think of total stitch count like the mileage on a car. While a million stitches might sound like a lot, it’s actually quite low for modern machinery.

• Low Usage (< 2 Million): For a home machine, this is essentially "low mileage." The machine is just getting broken in.
• Middle Age (10–20 Million): This is common for active hobbyists. With regular maintenance, machines at this stage still have years of life left.
• Commercial Workhorses (50–100+ Million): Industrial machines are built to handle hundreds of millions of stitches if they are oiled and serviced regularly.

Check out our quilting blog for more details

At Cottage Quilting, every machine traded in undergoes a comprehensive inspection. We ensure that each unit is fully serviced and in excellent working condition before it is made available for purchase.

We review all internal components and accessories, providing you with all available details about the machine so you can feel confident in your selection.

At Cottage Quilting, we want you to feel completely confident in your investment. While manufacturer warranties are technically non-transferable between owners, we take great pride in standing behind the machines we sell.

When you join the Cottage Quilting family, you aren't just buying a machine; you’re gaining a dedicated support team.

We personally ensure that your machine is in top-tier condition before it ever leaves our doors, and we remain your go-to resource for expert servicing, troubleshooting, and guidance long after your purchase.

Our priority is making sure your creative journey is seamless, supported, and handled with the local, friendly care you won't find anywhere else.

At Cottage Quilting, we believe your perfect sewing machine is a match made in heaven. That’s why we warmly encourage everyone to test sew before you buy.

Bring your favorite fabric scraps and take a "test drive" on our floor models to discover the machine that truly feels right for you Cottage Quilting.

Why "Test Drive" Before You Buy?

• Find Your Fit: Just like trying out a new car, you want to make sure the machine's tension, pedal feel, and ergonomics suit your personal sewing style.
• Assess the Features: Practice threading, play with different stitch lengths, and test specialty features like automatic thread cutters or speed controls.
• Zero Guesswork: Avoid Buyer's Remorse. Bring along the exact fabrics you plan to work with—from heavy denim to delicate knits—and see how the machine handles them in person. [

Whether you are upgrading to a heavy-duty quilting machine or picking out your very first setup, our team is here to guide you through the process. Stop by the shop to sit down, thread a needle, and experience the joy of sewing firsthand!

Skipping stitches is often caused by a dull, bent, or incorrectly inserted needle. It can also happen if the needle type doesn't match your fabric. If a fresh needle doesn't fix it, your machine’s timing may need a professional adjustment.

Most people think this is a bobbin issue, but it’s actually usually an error in the top threading. Ensure your presser foot is up while threading so the thread seats into the tension discs. If the problem persists, your tension assembly may need a professional cleaning.

Thread breakage can be caused by using old or low-quality thread, wrong size of needle for the thread (ie. metallic thread and using a universal needle vs a metallic needle), a burr on the hook or needle plate, or incorrect tension settings. If you’ve cleaned the lint out and changed the needle but it’s still breaking, bring it in so we can check for mechanical burrs or timing issues.

Stop sewing immediately! This usually indicates a mechanical jam, a lack of lubrication, or a piece of thread stuck in the race.

1. Oil your machine if your machine takes oil - you should be oiling your machine after every bobbin use. Some machines have foam pieces to oil, some do not and need to be seen by a certified technician.

2. Do you have thread wrapped around the bobbin area, hook area, race track. Clean out all thread james.

3. Bernina machines sometimes see error Main Sync Drive Error 1010. It's very scary, but it's not! It just means you have thread or lint behind your hook area usually. Clean this area out and start again.

If these little tips do not help. Stop Sewing!

Continued use can cause expensive damage. We recommend a full-service tune-up to deep-clean and oil the internal components.

For the average hobbyist, a professional service once a year is ideal.

Check out our blog on stitch count to help you understand when you may need a service.

Yes, we ship all over the world. Shipping costs will apply, and will be added at checkout.

Sometimes we will be required to send you a top up of freight request. The system is fairly accurate, but not always. Our system is designed that orders over $200 sometimes qualify for free freight, so it gets confused.

See our full shipping policies here.

We run discounts and promotions all year, so stay tuned for exclusive deals.

It depends on where you are. Orders processed here will take 5-7 business days to arrive.

We pull orders as fast as we can, and ship out on Tuesdays and Fridays of every week. We will send you a copy of your tracking number once your order has been boxed up and is ready to go.

Overseas deliveries can take anywhere from 7-16 days. Delivery details will be provided in your confirmation email.

We use all major carriers, and local courier partners. You’ll be asked to select a delivery method during checkout.

We always aim for make sure our customers love our products, but if you do need to return an order, we’re happy to help. Just email us directly and we’ll take you through the process.

You can read more about our Return Policy here.

We try our best to carry everything in store, but there will be some products that are very popular and we have to bring in from the various suppliers warehouses.

• Not all items may be present in brick and mortar: While we try our best to hold as much inventory as we can, some items may not be present and in store for immediate shipping.  However all items are available for us to bring in from our suppliers/warehouse etc and are available for purchase.  If there is an issue with your order and we cannot supply your item, we will notify you. 

•  If this is the case, this does not qualify you for a refund as we order daily from the warehouses, Please note that there are many supply issues, and delayed orders do not qualify for refunds.

We have a whole page dedicated to providing you information about our thread of the month program.

Please read more information HERE

There are several ways you can redeem your points for a reward. This article breaks down the various redemption options available to your customers.  In this article, they are often refered to 'smile rewards'.  It is one and the same, we call ours Cottage Cash!

We have a dedicated page for you with videos and information - please refer HERE

How to redeem your store credit:

1. Log in at checkout: Go through the checkout process and look for an option to log in to your customer account. You can do this using a one-time six-digit code sent to your email address.
2. Log out and log back in: If you're already logged in using Shop Pay, you may need to log out and then log back in as a customer to see the store credit option appear.
3. Apply credit at checkout: After logging in, the option to apply store credit will appear on the payment page. You can then select to apply your available credit to the current order.

Complete your purchase: The store credit will be deducted from your order total. If the order is more than your credit, you will need to pay the remaining balance with another payment method. 

You can contact us through our contact page! We will be happy to assist you.