My daughter (13yo) has been saving up for a sewing machine and we are going to match it for her birthday in 2 weeks. Her budget is then about $600US. She is very talented and has been sewing on an older (dilapidated)machine for years. She takes sewing lessons and is becoming quite advanced. I am a guy - sorry I don't know all the terms and stitches she talks about. She want to get her degree in design when she is off to school so she takes her sewing seriously and I want to encourage her in this endeavor.
What should we look at for brands and models in this price range? We may go higher$ as she is prepared to hold off on her purchase until there are sales - sales which she says happen every so often and the savings are quite significant.
Any advice on a sewing machine purchase would be greatly appreciated because her father - me - doesn't know much (I have learned the difference between a surger and a sewing machine though), and her mother is not domesticated in that area.
I don't know how to give you advice.....but........ I bet a million dollars your daughter knows exactly what she wants, or that she will fall in love with something while you are shopping.
Get her to bring fabric scraps and buy from a store that will let her try the machines.
Gary, please listen to others in this thread, and let her do the research herself. SM are kinds like cars: different strokes for different folks. With a budget of $600 you/she would probably do well to look at *used* top-of-the-line rather than a new machine.
I am still sewing on my Singer 401A, bought new in 1960. I have since bought two additional machines of the same make and model (eBay has them all the time, usually under $300.00). It's a workhorse.
Good luck finding her the perfect-for-her-at-this-stage machine. ;-)
Gotta throw my 2 cents worth in here. I just bought a new machine - not to replace my old one, but to give me more versatility - and I researched online. I started with google, entering "sewing machine comparisons" in the search window. Gave lots of links, some I could select by brand or price range. I decided what I wanted most and then looked at those machines. Found where they could be purchased, then went to look at them in person. The one that I "thought" I really wanted, was NOT as pictured, and I wasn't impressed. Wandered to other stores and found the one that I ended up buying at a totally unexpected source - Target. It pays to shop around and to also have a list of "must haves" as well as "would be nice if it had" options.
Wow I didn't think I would get this many replies and this fast. Thanks all.
Another couple of questions; Is there any brands to stay away from and,
The only experience she has are on two machines, her old one with little features and the $3000 one she uses at sewing class. What would be the features that we should look for in our $600 price range? I imagine she has gotten used to a lot of options on a $3000 machine, but since we are not paying that much what would be the options people here most like in their machines and would recommend?
I would say stay away from cheapie Wal-Mart models. I have a brother machine from Wal-Mart, and while it is ok, it isn't fast enough for me. And I heard that they are prone to failure. The only reason I have it is because my Singer 5137 isn't a free arm, and my husqvarna free arm broke because I was too hard on it.
NOTE: If she wants a free arm make sure its the right size for what she uses it for. I used to have a very small free-arm, perfect for all the flower-girl dresses and baby dresses I make. That broke, then without realizing I bought my cheapie Wal-Mart brother machine and the free arm is too big for kids clothes. Although great for adult clothes.
You might be able to find a used machine within your budget with all the features she wants. She probably knows what features she likes.
I agree with everybody else. If she does that well, she is perfectly capable of looking for a machine herself with some tips from her teachers. And I also agree to go read the FAQ.
In article , gary of Shaw Residential Internet uttered
Right. Get her to jump on the machine at her class and decide, in order, which features she *most* uses/ likes, and which she'd never use in a million years.
If she's going to study textiles/ fashion, then from experience I'd say she needs (in no particular order):
one-step buttonhole stretch stitch (for knit fabrics) an overlock-type stitch free-arm capability a feed-dog which lowers adjustable foot pressure standard low shank (which enables you to use generic feet and attachments, not just that manufacturer's)
nice to have:
needle up/ down selection knee lift for presser foot means of adjusting machine speed (in addition to control of foot pedal!) variety of buttonhole shapes blind-hem stitch
All the rest - decorative stitches etc - are just bells and whistles. If she really wants to study design, forget about an embroidery machine that does anatomically perfect roses, mickey mice, stuff like that, because she won't need them (in fact, she'll probably get laughed out of the studio). She needs a good solid motor and some books on free motion embroidery etc. Whatever she would have spent on the embroidery functions can go towards her first overlocker (serger, your side of the pond). She'll get more mileage out of one of those!
My son is 14, and has just elected to do Textiles next year as one of his GCSE options. My 20+yo Janome has now been designated "his" (12yo daughter is already in on the act too!), it's solid and very basic, but he can use my 14yo Brother and my overlocker (aaaargh!) as required. I'm taking one of his mates machine shopping over the summer too ... what is it with lads and machinery?
I teach kids to sew on my Husqvarna Lily 550 - original list price 6 years ago was almost £1100. Fantastic machine for both sewing and teaching. You may find something similar as a lightly used machine as Husqvarna have recently introduced a whole new range and the Mad Upgrade Grannies are all out there replacing perfectly good ones! ;)
My preferences are:
Perfect stitch quality on all fabrics, from silk chiffon to upholstery canvas a good range of excellent buttonholes (this machine does 10 styles: some do a few more) Blind hemming to die for! I use it all the time... You need plenty adjustment availability. LOTS of needle positions (there are about 26 on this machine) for serious accuracy on zips, blind hems, etc. Controls where the user finds it instinctive to find! One reason that however lovely the Pfaffs are, I will probably never own one! The quality is fantastic, but all the buttons are in precisely the wrong place for my fingers! A BIG factor in choosing the Lily was that it felt like it had been designed especially for *ME*! the ability to drop the feed dogs: useful for darning, quilting, and free motion embroidery
Nice additions: LOTS of feet and gadgets! For me, ESPECIALLY the eyelet plate! Pfaff and Husqvarna are the only two companies supplying these at present. If she wants to do lots of costumes requiring stitched eyelets (waaaay stronger than hammered in grommets), this is a consideration, as those that are 'embroidered' are not as good as those formed by cutting and turning on the plate. The quilting table: useful for all sorts of larger projects
Things that are fun, but I never thought I'd use: rows of embroidered flowers! Oh, and a train... Boys in particular like playing with these; Son James (aged 10) has made me promise to show him how to write his name in stitches!) Being able to stitch names and slogans on things (I have 3 alphabets!)
I never thought I'd use that lot, but one of my first paying jobs after I bought the machine was a Christening gown with rows of embroidered flowers!
Things I CBA with: built in needle threaders! I usually find it just as quick without, and they can get in the way of other processes... Especially bulky stuff like quilts and Fat Suits... Low bobbin thread warning systems: I just check the bobbin... Mind you, the Lily has a clear bobbin cover, so I just look through that!
These are all personal quirks: you need to get your young lady to make a list of essentials, good to haves, and CBAs! If you buy for the essential, you'll get a good few of the good to haves thrown in, and a number of CBA things to look upon as free gifts! Have fun trying all the machines out, the pair of you!
NO brand is perfect, and no brand completely useless (um... Well, I don't consider those $25 dollar mini machines to be anything other than crap - they ain't sewing machines!). I'm currently looking for a machine for my mum: she's 75 and has rheumatism in her thumbs. What I'm looking at for her are small, light weight machines that will do decent stitching, buttonholes, and blind hems, have 3 needle positions, and which she will enjoy using for occasional light weight sewing: no decor stuff or boat repairs! I'm considering all sorts of machines that are not at all the sort I'd be looking at for myself, as they would never stand the pace or the hard wear. If your daughter is going to be a hard user (and it sounds like she might be!), then a decent used machine will give you a lot more bang for the bucks than a new one for $600.
For an idea of what I get up to with my machines, take a look round my web site (URL below - no selling on my site).
James, aged 10, is looking forward to playing with the 'new' Lotus - like me, he loves the 'cute' factor in the little machines! BUT he also loves all the fancy stuff the Lily can do! He has started on quilts, but intends to progress to clothing at some point. We just haven't decided what to make yet... Could be a Windblock fleece jacket!
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