which machine

You will undoubtedly get responses which suggest that you give your wife a gift certificate and let her test drive machines *herself*. I heartily endorse this route. To a great extent, choosing a sewing machine is similar to choosing any other tool (would you want her to "surprise" *you* with a tool for your work/hobby?). She needs to have major input in the decision, no opinion from any of us will be able to determine what *she* needs/would like best.

What Machine Should I Buy FAQ:

Beverly

On Mon, 6 Feb 2006 15:15:07 -0800, "BEI Design" wrote:

Oh I don't necessarily agree. I LOVE surprises and HATE the hassle of the shopping/selection process. Every year at Christmas I would have been totally THRILLED to say the least if there were a new sewing machine for me! Now...I will agree that it would be imperative to know what functions your wife needs or might be interested in. And, obviously research the machine to know if it fits those needs. Actually my husband did ALL the research for my new machine because all those model numbers and hundreds of stitch and feature options are mind boggling. I think he read reviews of sewing machines at Pattern Review.com and E-pinions He also did a search on e-bay for the price that various machines sold for at the end of their auctions. In my opinion (which is from a person who has used a basic mechanical Singer for 25 years)....any new machine is going to feel different until you get used to it so even after I went into several stores last weekend to do the recommended "try before you buy".....NONE of them had the familiar & comfortable "look & feel" and I realized they would ALL need getting used to. I don't require the use of 400 million stitches but your wife may. I don't have time to doodle around with alot of the newfangled features....but I did find many that I think will be an asset and I will appreciate. For me it was like moving from horse and buggy to automobile. My "horse and buggy" did the job....but I am willing to move with the times. I didn't spend the extra $ for an embroidery machine but your wife may be interested in those features.....so know that before you shop. One more thought on why I think it's great to give a machine as a gift.......Budget. It could be dangerously expensive to tell your wife to go find a machine that she likes!! It is sooo easy to get sucked in by feature-laden fancy machines that practically sew by themselves - WOW! Whereas she might be eaqually WOWed by a machine you select and pick for her.....at a price you know you are willing to spend. (I don't know if that made sense - but if she went to the store and picked a machine that is $6000...and you only wanted to spend $500.....than she is going to feel like she is getting a "less good" machine. But how amazed and thrilled she might feel simply getting the $500 one) Well, I just want to say what a nice husband you are for taking the interest in your wifes sewing. o.k. go have fun making your decision and I hope you both enjoy whatever machine you select. Joy in Michigan

Oh I agree completely. The person who picks the machine, logically, should have experience or a frame of reference with which to make the choice. Someone who hasn't sewn, especially the kind of sewing done by person who will receive the machine, would have no way of making sound judgments and might be susceptible to sales-person machinations. Further, that's a lot of money to invest in something that may not suit her needs. There are many different kinds of sewing: craft work, quilting, utilitarian, home decor, clothing, couture, embroidery, etc. Those considerations can only be made by the person doing the sewing.

But........the options he can afford for around 200 pounds will NOT be able to include the embroidery machine range anyway. The ones in that price range are going to have about the same features (more or less)....and so he really needs to know if the machine in question is good value and that it is reliable/dependable. Other than that.....he has probably seen and knows what type stuff she is doing. Joy

We all have our different opinions. :) And my opinion is that only the person doing the sewing has the experience to judge what feels best. Further, I think it's nearly mandatory to test drive a machine. If you've never driven a car before, it's pretty hard to take it for a test drive. Same with sewing machines. The OP is free to make his judgment as he wishes.

Ah well. I knew I held the minority opinion on this subject.....guess I am weird that way. My last machine that I sewed on for 25 years was a graduation gift...so I didn't really pick it eaither. I think Mom just read reviews and consumer reports and sent me to the Singer dealer and that was that. You are right though in that I have heard many stories of people that never use their machine that "their Mother-in-Law" or somebody gave them as a gift and they "never could figure it out" or "never got into it." So....I don't doubt that there is a lot of truth to your side of the theory. Just count me in the bunch labelled "too lazy to shop" and "as long as it's good quality"......me and the machine can learn to get along fine. Joy

Well, there you go! "...sent me to the Singer dealer..."

She sent YOU to pick out/up a machine. At the very least I imagine you *saw* it before buying it. That's all the OP needs to do, research the possibilities in his price range (£200), locate dealers who have the machines, and send his spouse shopping with check in hand. I really hope he takes a long look at used machine, because almost anything *new* in that budget will be a POC.

JMHO,

Beverly

Mostly I'd agree, but I did like the little Singer 117 Featherweight II machine I bought mum last year: great little Granny's occasional to moderate light use machine. I tested it thoroughly before handing it over, as I knew she was in no position for health reasons to come out machine shopping with me, and she trusts me to know what she likes on this. I have to say it impressed me no end. My dealer in Canterbury, where I bought the machine, has a little Frister & Rossman Cub SP in the place of the no longer available Singer. F&R are good machines in that price range too. Comes up at about £125. Worth looking at, at least.

wouldn't touch a Brother in that price range: I see way too many 'factory reconditioned' and 're-boxed' ones on ebay - means they've been returned for an unknown reason... :(