Beginners Sewing Machine

The usual stuff applies here. Don't buy a cheap machine from Target/WalMart/Kmart etc. Don't buy a machine in a box from Joann/Hancock (*). They're usually fairly junky machines that don't work very well, or last very long.

(*)if the sewing machine area inside your Joann/Hancock is affiliated with a real sewing machine shop, that's ok. The clerk in there should be able to help you. The floor clerks at Joann/Hancock can only really tell you what the box says.

Go to a sewing machine store or a repair shop. Tell them what you're looking for, and how much you want to spend. They should have some new machines to look at (although maybe not under $200). They will probably have some used machines. Don't be afraid of the used machines. In most cases, the older machines are better built than the new ones. Get one with a warranty. Ask about lessons. You may need to go to a few different stores to find what you're looking for. Try out the different machines they suggest. If they won't let you try it out, walk out.

This gets discussed a lot on both this newsgroup and on alt.sewing. Check the google groups archives for discussion on sewing machines.

and

"how to buy a sewing machine", "good sewing machine"

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

what do you guys think of the

Simplicity SA1100 or Simplicity S07?

For $129.99??? It's very likely a toy or a piece of junk.

Which sells for $109.99. Another toy or POC. I'm pretty sure you can depend on the fact that those are NOT *serious* sewing machines. (But if all you intend is occasional mending-hemming they might work ... for awhile.)

If that's your budget, I recommend looking at 30-40 year old Singers. Specifically the 401 and 401A. Solid machine, great straight stitch, and many useful decorative and utility stitches.

You may be able to find a re-conditioned one at a repair shop or one which someone (foolishly) traded in at a sewing machine shop. They come up on eBay frequently, too.

S

Neither. Really. Anything under $200 new is probably going to be far more trouble than it's worth, and may turn you off sewing entirely. Did you even *read* my message?

If you only want to spend $150, don't buy a machine. Learn to sew by hand. It'll be far more satisfying than fighting a junk machine.

Go to a sewing machine shop or a repair shop. Ask about their used machines.

You'll get a much better machine for the same price. F'rex, when I took my 1940's Singer into the Singer shop for a tuneup, the shop had a bunch of early '60's Singers, Pfaffs, and Kenmores. All in good mechanical shape, 1960's colors, some cosmetic damage (mostly wear and tear, although there was one that had a chip in the enamel). All of them were priced under $175. You get something like that, it'll run circles around the machines you mentioned (probably sew circles around my White 979, as far as that goes). It'll last you longer, too.

I second this idea. IMHO the Singer 401 is the best of the vintage Singers. They are absolutely awesome. I have two, one was $100, the other $40. They are my main machines (I have over 50 vintage machines most of which are Singers). I sew a LOT, including quilting, home dec., clothing, etc. Right now I'm making fabric boxes.....

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

I am a heavy user of sewing machines (a fact well known on this and several other sewing groups). Listen carefully to what Irene and Sarah are saying.

I bought a 1923 Singer 66K while I was a student back in 1976. I still have it, and I expect to leave it, still in good working order, to my grandchildren. As my son is presently 10, that won't happen in the next couple of years... OK< so that machine still only does straight stitch (not even reverse!), but on it over the years I have sewn:

spray deck for sea-going kayaks (they went across the Irish sea and circumnavigated Ireland) A PVC window in a Landrover tarp... More jeans alterations than I care to remember! (Putting coloured 'flares' in straight leg jeans when you couldn't get flared jeans!) silk chiffon panne velvet more garments than I can actually remember... Bags projects with kids

...and far too many other things over the last howevermany years!

I recently bought a brand new Singer Featherweight II 117 for my mum. It was £200. I looked at a lot of machines in the £100-£300 price bracket and discovered:

Most of them were 'thin and plasticky' rather than just light weight Stitch quality was dubious ease of use was non-existent/awkward feet and attachments were flimsy

I bought the Singer after testing, and found it good FOR THE PRICE and FOR THE USE it was intended: light weight domestic use. My mum is 75 and has rheumatism: picking up heavy machines is a no-go for her. Light weight and lots of stitches was her need. She will not be sewing heavy duty fabrics like denim, heavy costume or outerwear items like coats, or large things like curtains. For occasional light weight dress making (blouses, skirts, whatever), it is good to go for several years. Nice solid little machine. I did a full work-up on it before handing over. It's worth looking at, but may be out of your budget, if that is only $200.

If you are at all capable of lifting a heavier metal machine, want to make LOTS (say a garment per week or more - I sometimes make more than one garment per day!), then look at the older machines. Something like the Viscount 2000 on my web site, or the machines Irene mentions will do you very well indeed. That Viscount cost me £70 used several years ago, and would now sell for under £40, despite being capable of sewing a far better stitch than the new modern light weight cheapo-crap. For new light weight machines, look at that little Singer, look at the £200 Janomes (NOT their very cheapest - next level up!), as I hear good things of them, and avoid anything put together in Iran (some of the Silver/Viscount machines). My dealer had to send a whole lot back as they were ALL faulty! They are trying hard, but quality control is very poor. The Brazilian made Singers seem to be OK. Machines made in Korea and Taiwan seem to have more consistent quality than anything other than the TOTL machines from the Big Names.

In article , Sarah of uttered

Or similar vintage Pfaff or Husqvarner

Yes I *read* your message (no need to be rude). I came for advice knowing absolutely nothing about machines, or sewing for that matter, and will look for some repair shops in my area. I'm not looking to start sewing like a madwoman (it will probably take me a month to get my first project done), only as a hobby since I work all week. Thanks for all of the advice everyone! I'll post back once I've gotten my machine and let you all know what I end up with.

I wan't being rude, I was just wondering, since the first thing I said was "don't buy a cheap machine from a discount store", and you came back with two cheap machines from a discount store.

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

"Jenn Ridley"

Someone has got to defend the cheap discount store machine so it might as well be me. I bought a Brother for $159 at Walmart and see no reason why a beginner (as I was/am) would be turned off by it. The only reason it was that expensive was because of the one step buttonhole feature that I wanted.

I have since bought a Singer 66 1912 vintage and a Singer 15/13 clone vintage '55 on Ebay for $25 and $20 respectively. Neither worked when received but I had fun getting them to work.

For straight stitching, the Commodore (clone) is a treasure and the Brother sits on the floor waiting to be needed for zig zaging or button holes. If I was not an engineer and fascinated by machines, I would be perfectly happy with the Brother and really think bashing these machines does a dis-service to beginners on a budget.

There may have been a time or there may be bad machines out there but catagorically trashing all of them without firsthand knowledge of every specific machine is simply not fair. The Brother is a nice sewing machine with nothing inherently wrong with it.

As a point of interest, my wife's Singer Touch and Sew has cheezy gears that have been replaced several times and the reason we switched to the Brother after the last failure. So there is a lot more to all this than the purchase price.

js

-- PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver

I've got a 401 or two and agree with Sarah. Other great old machines I've got are a Singer 306 but it takes a hard-to-find needle, a Pfaff

230 which runs like a top, and an Elna Supermatic. Machines like these can often be had for under $200, and are a far better investment.

In article , snipped-for-privacy@schmidling.com of

uttered>

Ah yes. The infamous Touch and Jam - not one of their better models.

If you lurk awhile on the ISMACS and FeatherweightFanatics mailing lists/ digest you will undountedly learn more - probably, in fact, more than you ever wished to know,

I'm not denying that there are good inexpensive machines. The problem is that most beginning sewists have no way of knowing whether the machine they've picked is a cheap machine or a good inexpensive machine. You can't try them out in a box store. The clerks at the box stores don't usually know either. (And even if that model was good last year, it may be built in a different factory this year.)

Many of us have stories of friends/relations who thought they couldn't/were awful at/hated sewing, but when given a chance to use a good machine, found that it was their cheap machine they hated/couldn't use.

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

So, if someone asked you about a car purchase, and one of their choices was a Yugo, and the other was a 20-year old Mercedes at the same price, you'd be Ok with recommending the Yugo?

Not me! I'll take older, sturdier, proven-reliable *anything* any day over a "new", "tinny", "flashy" POC. YMMV

Almost 15 years ago I bought a Singer from Walmart for $179. It put me off sewing for 10 years. It never held the tension correctly (upper or lower). IT wasn't until I got my 401 almost four years ago that I began to sew seriously again. Guess that's why I picked up as many old machines as I could find :)

-Irene=20

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

"BEI Design"

Not sure what those acronyms mean but I certainly agree with what I do understand.

Problem is, as our experience and Irene's with older Singers shows is that old or big name isn't always good anymore than expensive is.

Frankly, most of the glitz on newer machines (cheap or expensive) is useless nonsense. Who needs any of those wierd looking stitches? Certainly not a beginner.

As I said, I got two perfectly nice machines on Ebay for $25 but unless one is mechanically inclined, the chances of getting a working used machine is pretty slim unless purchased from a retailer where it can be test driven but then it will cost as much as a low end new machine. Furthermore, beginners have no idea what to look for when test driving.

Buying a low end machine at a discount store has the great advantage of being returnable without a hassle if unsatisfied. Not so easy on Ebay and shipping costs take the fun out of a $25 machine.

BTW, I have no use for my 1912 Singer and will sell it for $20 more than I paid for it if anyone is interested. That comes to about 10 cents an hour for my fixing time.

js

-- PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver

POC=Piece of crap YMMV=your mileage may vary

"Older Singers" means 1940-1950. 1960-1980 Singers were not good. Singers' been building machines since the 1890's.

Yeah, but they'll work *much* better. And if you get it from a real sewing machine store, you can get *lessons*.

Personally, given a choice between a refurbished 1965 Pfaff and a 2005 Brother for the same price, I'm gonna get the Pfaff. It'll sew better, and probably last longer.

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

"BEI Design" wrote in news:99Wdnfo- u snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

******APPLAUSE******

news:99Wdnfo-

I use this same analogy all the time :)

I recently purchased a wonderful, gently used Husqvarna/Viking 1+ which was the top of the line when it came out (it was $4999 new). My 'new' machine is 6 years old, and was a trade in. The dealer gave me a one year warranty, 20% off all feet and attachments, and lessons -- the first of which was **all day** today for me and another woman! What fun we had! ANd, the machine is FANTASTIC...the embroidery is amazing.

I'd rather by a top of the line used machine instead of a new machine for the same amount of money. While I don't do this with everything of course, for example I do buy new appliances, I do purchase higher-end used cars rather then new low-end models for the same reason. =20

You can see some of my 50+ year old vintage machines here on my webshots album:

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------