If you are looking for a powerful and easy to use computerized sewing machine, the Singer Quantum Stylist 9980 is an excellent choice.
In this guide, we’ll cover the basic features, included accessories, and frequently asked questions of the Quantum Stylist 9980.
Singer Quantum Stylist 9980: Overview
The Singer Quantum Stylist 9980 is an affordable computerized sewing machine for beginners and advanced users alike.
Like the other machines in Singer’s Quantum Stylist line, the 9980 is meant to bring the functionality of a computerized machine at a more accessible price than other brands on the market.
What we like:
- Large selection of built-in stitches: The Singer Quantum Stylist 9980 has 820 stitches available for use, including several decorative and monogram font options.
- Fast stitch speed: At 850 stitches per minute, this machine is faster than an average sewing machine.
- Lots of included accessories: You get a huge selection of accessories with this machine, including 13 different presser feet.
- Extremely quiet while using: The Singer Quantum Stylist 9980 is much quieter than most other sewing machines and produces less vibrations while running.
What we don’t like:
- Can’t download more stitches from the internet: While 850 built-in stitches is a lot, you can’t install additional stitches like you can in most other computerized machines.
- Can’t save stitch and lettering sequences in internal memory: This machine allows you to edit and customize your stitches, but you cannot save your edits for later.
- Thread cutter unthreads the needle: The most common complaint users have for this machine is that the thread cutter unthreads the needle when you use it.
Key features and accessories
The Quantum Stylist 9980 has a huge variety of features and included accessories that make it the perfect option for all sorts of applications.
Built-in stitches
The Quantum Stylist 9980 comes with 820 built-in stitch options. It has everything from utility stitches to decorative stitches to embroidery designs.
It comes with five different sets of alphanumeric stitches, including a monogram, script, and block font.
Unfortunately, you can’t download additional stitches from your computer like you can with many other computerized sewing machines. This means you are limited to the stitches that come pre-programmed with the machine.
Still, 820 stitches is enough to keep you busy for a while. You can also do minor edits like mirror imaging and elongating stitches up to five times their original size to add some variety and uniqueness to your projects.
Automatic thread cutter
The 9980 has an automatic thread cutter for added convenience. It helps speed up your sewing process by eliminating a small but tedious manual task.
Some users have reported that their thread cutter sometimes unthreads their needle, but since the 9980 also has an automatic needle threader, it doesn’t take much effort to fix this occasional glitch.
Start/stop button
One of the great features of the Quantum Stylist 9980 is the start/stop button.
The start/stop button is a feature that allows you to sew without using a foot pedal. You set the machine to a certain speed and then push a button to start stitching. When you are done, you push the button again to stop the machine.
This is a handy feature if you are a beginner or if you are doing an intensive project that requires a lot of concentration (like free-motion quilting).
You don’t have to focus on controlling both your foot and your hands at the same time, which some users find extremely helpful. It also stitches at an even and consistent speed, which is not always the case when using the foot pedal.
It’s also a great option if you can’t use your foot pedal for some reason. If you’ve hurt your leg, forgotten your foot pedal while on vacation, or you have a disability that makes using the pedal uncomfortable, you can still sew using the start/stop button.
Automatic needle threader
As mentioned above, the 9980 has an automatic needle threader. Not only will it save you a lot of eyestrain, you will be able to sew faster than ever when you don’t have to waste time trying to thread the needle every time your thread breaks or needs to be changed.
Presser feet
The Quantum Stylist 9980 comes with a whopping 13 presser feet included in the box!
This a much wider selection than what you typically get with a machine in the 9980’s price range. You get:
- All-purpose foot
- Zipper foot
- Buttonhole foot with underplate
- Button sewing foot
- Blind hem foot
- Satin stitch foot
- Open toe foot
- Overcasting foot
- Darning and embroidery foot
- Rolled hem foot
- Cording foot
- Straight stitch/quilting foot
- Even feed (walking) foot
These presser feet are used for a wide variety of projects and offer a lot of diversity to the 9980. They allow you to make garments, quilts, embellishments, and much more.
Needle up/down
Another great feature of the machine is the needle up/down function. It allows you to dictate if the needle will stop in the up or down position when the machine stops.
This feature is excellent for quilting, piecing together quilt tops, and other uses that require pivoting around sharp corners. It will save you a lot of time in the long term, since you won’t have to manually lower the needle every time you need to change your sewing direction.
25 needle positions
The 9980’s 25 needle positions are helpful for sewing various distances from the fabric seam.
A large variety of needle position options means that you will have more control over your zigzag stitches, so if you use those with any regularity, it will be much easier to produce the results you want on the 9980.
Presser foot sensor
Yet another great feature on the Quantum Stylist 9980 is the automatic presser foot sensor.
It senses the placement of the presser foot, so if you accidentally forget to lower it (it’s okay, we’ve all done it), the machine will not sew. This prevents thread nests and tangles, and it saves you a lot of clean up.
Stitch speed
The Quantum Stylist 9980 stitches about 850 stitches per minute. While this isn’t particularly fast in comparison to other machines in its category, it is still faster than your average machine.
It also has speed control functions that allow you to adjust how fast the motor can run. This is helpful for beginners because it keeps the machine at a specific range of speeds no matter how much you step on the pedal.
Frequently asked questions
In this section, we’ll take a moment to review and answer some common user questions for the Singer Quantum Stylist 9980.
Is this a heavy-duty machine?
While the 9980 is certainly powerful enough to sew through thick fabrics, it is not considered a heavy-duty machine.
That being said, it can still perform some heavy-duty tasks and sew through some light garment leathers, denim, and multiple layers of fleece with little issue.
Can you purchase an extension table for this machine?
Unfortunately, Singer does not currently have an extension table that is compatible with the Quantum Stylist 9980.
Is this good for beginners?
For the most part, yes – this is a good machine for beginners. It is computerized, so it is going to have a lot more bells and whistles than a regular mechanical sewing machine.
That is both a good and bad thing for a beginner. On the one hand, its sheer number of features could overwhelm a novice sewist.
On the other hand, it adjusts a lot of settings (tension, pressure, etc.) automatically, and that is helpful for users who are unfamiliar with those sewing machine features.
So I would say that it is helpful and accessible for a beginner, but it may take a week or two to get used to the controls.
How wide is the throat?
It is six inches, so it is not particularly helpful for quilting projects. You won’t be able to fit large projects like queen or king sized quilts in the machine without running out of room at the throat.
Wrapping it up
Now you know all of the basics of the Singer Quantum Stylist 9980. Still have questions? Do you know of a tip or feature we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
