NEW Machine

There is a "what machine should I buy" FAQ:

Have you read that yet? Your best option is to test drive *several* machines within your budget. Without knowing your skill level, what you want to sew, and how much you can spend, we'd have a tough time advising you.

Beverly

I would say I am a beginner...have made simple patterns, jammies, dresses(no buttons or zippers). I am looking at wal-mart, the one I spotted was $150.00. Marletta

Well, don't look in just one place. Unless you have your heart set on a brand-new machine, in which case with that budget you will have to live with a bottom-of-the-line machine, go look at sewing machine shops in your area for used trade-in machines. I found an absolutely GORGEOUS

20-year-old, 30-stitch machine a few years back for $129, no kidding, and it will sew rings around the cheapies that are sold at Walmart.

Of course, as they say on the internet, YMMV (your mileage may vary -- that is, one size does not fit all), and we have tried our share of current low-end machines, and we found that they don't stand up to regular use.

I completely agree with Melinda on going to sewing machine repair shops to look for a machine! I have 5 sewing machines, none of them were new when I bought them. I consider my best buy to be a Singer Geni at the local Goodwill store. It was $10 and had no electrical cords. I bought it in a heartbeat (quilters love these little things) took it to my favorite sewingmachine repair shop, and paid $16 for a very nice electrical cord and foot pedal. Now, won't waste my money on a Singer if it was new or any other sewing machine sold in WalMart or Kmart. If it's light weight - stay away from it. Good machines are heavier for various reasons. I first bought a used New Home sewing machine when my

20 yr. old Singer Futura died in the middle of a Winter Dance stretch velvet gown. I'd never heard of New Home before and it is so much quieter than any Singer I've ever used. It finished the gown perfectly and I was sold! It was a 1982 New Home and I bought it in 1995. My other machines are Janome (New Home) electronic machine - the first machine I was told that did machine embroidery - it was the most expensive I've ever bought at $800 and is a dream. Then I have the Singer Genie, New Home, Sovereign (made by Brother I think and is semi industrial - can't kill it), Singer 503 (I can only use for sewing jeans and upholstery) and if you count the 2 Treadle machines I actually have 7 machines. And 2 sergers. Bought one new and one for $100 at a garage sale. Garage sales and estate sales where an older family member has died and the relatives are selling off the things they don't want can net you a gem of a machine. Word of mouth, leaving your name and number with repair shops, hanging out at the local fabric store and talk to the customers.......but most of all, take the type of material you use the most with you or take several and use all the machines to sew on that material, not the starched material they use for demos - if it can sew cotton, chiffon, slinky silky stuff, it's good. Sherry

B&M wrote:

Given that budget you would do better with the old Kenmore you have.