Machine Help Please

Nov 21, 2003 6 Replies
R

I was originally going to give my wife a Coach wallet to go along with the handbag I got her for last Christmas. However, she has been hinting she would really like to learn to sew and possibly get a machine.



I wish to buy her a nice machine. One good for a beginner, but that she may also grow into as she learns to do more things over the months/years.



I would greatly appreciate any help that could be offered to me by some of the "unofficial experts" out there. Any brands to definately stay away from? What is an expected price range of such a machine as I described?



Thanks for all your insight,



Rudy


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M

Don't "you" buy her a machine. Take her to a dealer and let "her" decide. It's too personal a decision, like buying a diamond ring.

Also, make sure "her" dealer will offer classes and offers an upgrade to another machine or brand (two or more brand dealers are a good thing) should she be unsatisfied with the one she got --- or she just gets a lemon (and I've had my share of those!).

Good luck....and keep the praise up during the learning process!

Mack

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E

IMHO, Rudy, you can do lots of research online on the individual brands of machines, see the features, etc. Also read the FAQ at the site Penny posted. Then SEW NEWS

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and Thread magazines
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should have articles in their archives. I know both publish recommendations periodically. One recently had machines listed in the different price ranges. If you want to give it as a gift to your wife, wrap a pretty card with a note that you wish a date to accompany her to a dealer for the machine with maybe a cozy, romantic dinner afterwards. Have her take some scraps of fabric she will most likely use the most and then try different machines till she finds "hers". If the dealer doesn't allow her to use her own scraps, walk away quickly and find another one because that dealer probably will not offer any assistance when needed. Emily

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R

Thanks for the helpful advice. What is a fair price I (we) should be looking for at this point?

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P

Rudy murmured while asleep:

You need a budget...you can spend up to $7000 (US) on a machine if you want. How much do you want to spend?

Penny S

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M

Maybe you should look at this on the lines of what you have to spend, and then we can recommend decent machines in whatever category.

If your budget is under $300-500, I (and others on the group) would strongly recommend buying an older used machine. Above $500, I am not sure because my budget has never been that big. But I have a lovely used machine that I bought from a dealer that has 30 stitches, an automatic buttonholer, and a set of feet and I wouldn't trade it for anything, because it does everything I need and while it would be fun to have fancy embroidery capability, this is my '65 Mustang of sewing machines -- it does everything I need and does it well, and it's not so complicated that it will be temperamental on me.

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