Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Review: Endless Customization for Designer

The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist is a computerized sewing machine and one of Singer’s most popular models. With thousands of positive customer testimonials circulating online, it’s safe to say that this Singer machine model has quickly become a favorite within the sewing community. 

Keep in mind, Singer released the Quantum Stylist 9985, an updated version of this machine but it’s completely sold out everywhere thanks to the renewed interest in sewing due to the COVID pandemic. The good news is, the 9960 machine is available online, it’s better priced AND it’s a fan favorite / best seller. I think pre-COVID, many people would skip over it and get the updated model but I say, get the better price point of the 9960 and enjoy this feature-rich machine – it will help you keep your creative sanity while social distancing.

So, what is it about the Quantum Stylist that has people so excited? Is it the range of 600 built-in stitches? The large LCD monitor and intuitive controls? Or might it be the generous selection of tools and accessories included with the purchase of the machine? Yep, all these details make it a fabulous option for the aspiring designer – it offers endless customization!

It also offers many features loved by quilters (extension table, extra high presser foot, drop feed for free motion quilting and more) making it a great option for quilting too.

Today, we’ll be discussing what you need to know about the 9960 Quantum Stylist. Here we go.

A Quick Intro to Singer: Trusted & Loved Brand

It’s always a great bonus to know and trust the brands you buy from, especially if those brands are selling you expensive products.

The Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist isn’t the most expensive sewing machine on the market by any means, despite its advanced features. On the other hand, it’s definitely not the cheapest. The Quantum Stylist is actually a very reasonably-priced, mid-range sewing machine compared to some other well-known models, but it’s still not an investment you want to go into lightly. 

Luckily, you can put your complete trust in Singer when making a purchase. The company has been around for 170 years (since 1851!) and easily ranks within the top 10 sewing machine manufacturers worldwide. 

Singer also has excellent customer support, with helplines open from 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays. Manuals for most products are available through Singer’s website, along with instructional videos and troubleshooting tips. Basically, if you buy a sewing machine from Singer, you can rest assured that your purchase and future sewing endeavors are in good hands. 

But enough about that – let’s take a look at the Quantum Stylist!

Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Notable Features

Durable Frame 

The first thing to note about this machine is that it’s incredibly sturdy. Often, sewing machine users are unexpectedly let down by the construction of their machines rather than the mechanisms or sewing functions themselves. 

We can assure you that this won’t be the case with the Quantum Stylist. The internal frame of the machine, also known as the machine’s “skeleton,” is made out of heavy-duty metal. This metal frame provides rigid internal support and impact resistance. 

Although we’re very impressed with the construction of the 9960 Quantum Stylist, we also recognize that a durable build alone doesn’t make a good sewing machine. Luckily, this machine has an extensive range of features and functions to help it stand out from competitor models. 

Large LCD Screen 

A little visual guidance goes a long way when it comes to machine sewing, and that’s exactly what Singer has provided with the 9960 Quantum Stylist’s large LCD monitor. 

The LCD screen shows available stitch functions, allows you to view the properties of your selected stitch, including length and width. 

Moreover, you can use the monitor to access tension and needle positioning settings. It can even provide recommendations, such as the ideal presser foot for your stitch selection. This makes the Quantum Stylist an excellent choice for beginners because it can actually teach you as you go. However, the machine is just as good for experienced users, as we’ll see in a moment. 

The brightness of the display is adjustable – but watch out for the bobbin winder, which is right next to it. 

The LCD screen built into the 9960 Quantum Stylist makes the machine intuitive to use and eliminates some of the guesswork involved in machine stitching. 

600 Stitches 

Yes, you read that correctly – the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist comes with no less than 600 built-in stitches! 

Both basic and decorative stitches are included in the built-in range. The most common stitches are accessible through push-button controls at the front of the machine, and the rest can be selected using the display screen. 

Although the stitches are adjustable, you won’t need to do much of this adjustment yourself because a lot of it happens automatically. For example, when you select a stitch, the machine will automatically set itself to the correct tension for that stitch. 

Five lettering fonts are included in the stitch selection as well, although these fonts have a fixed size and, admittedly, the results aren’t of the highest quality. While it’s nice to have these fonts accessible, it’s clear that this is a sewing machine and not an embroidery machine. 

The machine is also capable of executing 13 different 1-step buttonhole styles, so you can add almost any buttonhole design you like to your project in no time at all! 

High-Speed Stitching 

A sewing machine is supposed to make stitching quicker and easier so many makers find themselves feeling constrained by their machine if it doesn’t stitch fast enough for the skill level.

If you’re an experienced machine stitcher who likes to work at lightning-fast speeds, the Quantum Stylist does not disappoint. This machine can reach stitching speeds of 850 stitches per minute! That’s just over 14 stitches every second. 

Of course, you can slow the speed right down too, so you never have to work faster than you feel comfortable with either.

Adjustable Needle Position 

A fixed needle position can be the Achilles heel of an otherwise great sewing machine. Being unable to change the position of your sewing machine needle puts some pretty strict limitations on what kinds of projects the machine is suitable for. 

Singer’s Quantum Stylist has 25 adjustable needle positions that you can use to execute any task or project to perfection. There’s a top-stitching position for quilting, for example, as well as an option for edge stitching and attaching zippers. 

Twin Needle 

Because the Singer Quantum Stylist has such a wide range of built-in stitches, not all of them can be executed with a single needle. 

The Quantum Stylist has a twin needle function that minimizes stitch width, allowing twin needle stitching without catching on the presser foot.

Built-In Needle Threader 

Needle threading is arguably the most annoying part of using a sewing machine – depending on what kind of machine you use, of course. But it’s necessary. After all, you can’t sew if you don’t have thread on your machine.

Skilled crafters may have an advantage on the dexterity front when it comes to needle threading, but nobody wants to waste time struggling with something that should be simple. 

Singer knows what its customer base wants, so the 9960 Quantum Stylist comes with a built-in needle threader. Singer’s automatic needle threading system means that you’ll never have to spend more than 6 seconds threading your needle ever again! 

Drop-in Bobbin

The Quantum Stylist uses a drop-in bobbin system, which many machine users prefer to front-load bobbin threading. This is because drop-in threading is typically easier, quicker, and easier to monitor (i.e., see when you are running low on bobbin thread). Some crafters swear by the fact that drop-in bobbins yield better quality stitching than front-load bobbins, but this is debated. 

What isn’t debated is how easy the Quantum Stylist’s bobbin threading system is to work with. The drop-in bobbin compartment comes with a transparent bobbin cover that allows you to keep track of your remaining thread as you sew. This way, you can always preempt running out of thread before the bobbin empties. 

Automatic Thread Cutter

If you thought Singer’s automatic needle threading was good, wait until you hear about the automatic thread cutter! 

This function is just the icing on the cake of the Quantum Stylist’s ease of use. Once you’ve threaded the machine, all you need to do is press the thread cutter button, and the job’s done! No more poking around your sewing machine with scissors and interrupting your work to snip threads manually.

This feature is certainly a “nice to have” but once you have it and get used to, it becomes a “must have” item. It keeps your work flow smooth.

Drop Feed Function 

Quilters everywhere will rejoice at the Quantum Stylist’s Drop Feed function. 

Feed dogs or ‘teeth’ are essential components of any sewing machine. They help to feed fabric through the machine evenly, preventing bunching, creasing, and uneven stitching. 

Sometimes, however, you need them out of the way. For instance, you’ll need to drop them down when free motion sewing to give you full control of direction and speed while stitching).

The feed dogs on the Quantum Stylist can be dropped mechanically at any time, allowing for free-motion quilting and buttonhole stitching, and raised again when needed. 

Extension Table 

How often have you struggled with not having enough space to work with at your sewing machine? For quilters, we know the answer is ‘a lot.’ 

With the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist, you get an additional 5.5 x 10 inches of workspace, so you’ll never need to trail the end of your fabric over the end of your table again!

Of course, you might not need that extra room all the time. The great thing about this extension table is that it’s detachable, so you can clip it on and off at your convenience. 

Additional Features 

Singer has also included a selection of sewing accessories along with the Quantum Stylist. While many sewing machine models come with some additional features to get you started, Singer has gone the extra mile. The accessories included with the Quantum Stylist have a combined value of hundreds of dollars. 

Presser Feet 

A versatile sewing machine needs equally versatile accessories to reach its full potential. 

Singer has included a selection of 13 different presser feet to complement this machine and allow you to sew in whatever style you like! 

The Quantum Stylist comes with an all-purpose foot for everyday work, 2 feet for buttons (buttonhole and button stitch), a darning and embroidery foot, walking foot, cording foot, satin stitch foot, blind hem and rolled hem feet, an overcasting foot, an open toe foot, and a straight stitch/quilting foot. 

The machine makes automatic pressure adjustments depending on which foot you’re using, so you don’t need to worry about anything other than your technique. 

Needles and Bobbins

Along with the range of pressure feet, you’ll receive a pack of needles and Class 15 bobbins with your new sewing machine. 

Needles and bobbins are probably the sewing accessories that need replacing most frequently. Bobbins are very small and, because of their cylindrical shape, they have a tendency to roll away and get lost the second you take them out of the packaging. Needles are even smaller and easier to lose, and even with the most high-quality machine and careful use, they break once in a while. 

Singer provides a generous collection of bobbins and needles with the Quantum Stylist, so you’ll have everything you need (barring thread and fabric) to get sewing straight out of the box and enough spares to last for years.

Seam Ripper and Guide 

Machine-stitching seams can be stressful at times. From working out the proper placement to figuring out which stitch will work best, a lot of time and effort goes into making sure that machine-stitched seams come out perfect. 

The seam guide and seam ripper included with the Quantum Stylist machine will help you to prevent any mistakes during the seam stitching process – and correct them if and when they do occur. 

Using the seam guide, which fastens to the stitch plate, you can keep your seam stitches straight and even. It’ll also make you aware of your seam allowance as you sew. However, even when using a seam guide, mistakes happen, which is why Singer has provided a seam ripper, too. Seam rippers are easily a favorite took of all sewing enthusiasts.

Quilting Bar 

This small accessory can make a big difference to your sewing success! Quilters out there, this one’s for you. 

If you’ve never quilted before, you might be unfamiliar with what a quilting bar does and what it looks like. Not to worry – it’s simple! A quilting bar is essentially just a metal bar, usually bent in 3 different places. The bar is designed to attach to the arm of the walking presser foot. 

From there, the quilting bar’s purpose is to guide the foot, ensuring that all your topstitching is straight and even.

With this small but indispensable quilting tool, the provided walking foot, and the stitch elongation options built into the machine, even crafters with no experience of quilting will be able to try their hand with successful results.

Specifications 

• Dimensions: 8.2 x 17.2 x 12 inches 
• Weight: 18.2 lbs 
• Volts: 120
• Amps: 0.46
• Watts: 55 

Pros for Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist

• 600 built-in stitches 
• High-speed sewing 
• Brightness-adjustable LCD 
• Easy threading system 
• Automatic thread cutting 
• Twin needle 
• Adjustable needle position 
• Large extension table 
• Generous accessory selection
• Mid-range pricing 
• Suitable for all experience levels 
• Extra high presser foot accommodates thick fabrics / layers

Cons for Singer 9960m Quantum Stylist 

• Not for embroidery even though it provides some font stitches
• Only for use in U.S. and Canada 

The Finishing Touch (a.k.a Final Thoughts)

Having familiarized ourselves with the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. If you are in the market for a new sewing machine because you’re feeling constrained by your current machine or looking to start out strong in your sewing career, the Quantum Stylist won’t disappoint. 

It’s a high-performing machine that will cater to a wide range of sewing styles and projects – quilting, garment construction, home decor and more.

Overall, we love the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist, and if you give it a chance, we’re sure you will, too!

Happy sewing!