Need a new machine, but which one?

Since you don't state what your budget is it's almost impossible to advise you. Also space constraints factor in. You may end up with a full-blown walking foot industrial...

or a good used, all mechanical, all metal 50s-60s era Singer

401A... or..... ?????

First read this: There is a "what machine should I buy" FAQ.

Then come back with additional questions.

Beverly

BEI Design wrote: ::: Any ideas? :: :: Since you don't state what your budget is it's almost :: impossible to advise you. Also space constraints factor in.

Even so, you gave some valuable advice, and I appreciate that. For sewing, I want a free-arm, a killer buttonholer, and durability. For making those seat covers out of auto upholstery, I am thinking I need something a little tougher than usual---although a lady I talked to today at a store said that our Pfaff may be suitable for the job (mainly since it has already proven to be able to sew naugahyde, leather, and upholstery fabric). It has that older two-step buttonholer, though.

I looked at an industrial machine today, but I'd have to give up the free-arm and accept a heavy duty permanent stand. Where to put that? I already turned the dining room into the computer network room (after I moved the bicycles out, that is!)....That's where the space constraints figure in, I guess....

As to budget, I was going to start around $1,000, but that's flexible. After all, we only get a new machine every 20-30 years....

I thought that I first should interview repair people so as to mostly eliminate some brands and narrow down the field that way. The lady at the shop said not to buy Viking, Euro-something,or Simplicity, and maybe not Singer. These ideas were based upon her hearing the repair guy cursing those machine while trying to fix them! Oh, and the difficulty of getting repair parts, too. She showed me a new Elna which appeared to be a clone of my

1982 Pfaff!

Just tryin' to do my due diligence....

Pat

An older Pfaff is a hard machine to beat. My favorite in the buttonhole department was the older Singers that you just dropped the button into the foot, and it made a buttonhole to fit, but I wouldn't recommend those particular machines for general sewing. If you have room, though, you could have a "dedicated" buttonhole machine. I've used the very old Singer buttonhole attachment, which uses cams to select the desired buttonhole and has several different "styles" - regular slot, slot with a rounded end, bound, and gotten excellent results. My Pfaff 1475 is notorious for poor buttonholes. Other than that, it's a great machine.

For $1,000, you may find yourself looking at good used machines as the new ones tend to run multiples of that price.

I love the buttonholes my old Singer 301A makes with the buttonhole attachment. I always find it worth switching machines to use it for the buttonholes and often switch to it for straight stitching too.

--Betsy

I love my 301s, better than the Featherweights. The 401 is my next favorite - unless I need zigzag, in which case it's the fave. But then there's the Pfaff 230......

I don't know if they have buttonholes, but you might try looking for a Sailrite machine, which is strong enough to do sails.

In 10 years I've had no trouble with my Husqvarna Lily. I use it almost every day, making all sorts (I sew professionally). For the leather work you might want to consider a heavier duty machine, though... You may have to compromise on the buttonholes if you only want one machine. Take a look at the Bernina 950 commercial model.

Remember tha the Elna name is now owned by Janome, and the machines are merely badged these days.

Have fun deciding Pat! I can report that all my Husqvarna Vikings - both sewing machine and serger - bought about 3 years ago are good quality and robust, and the sewing machine does a mean button hole!

HTH

Sarah

:: Have fun deciding Pat! I can report that all my Husqvarna Vikings - :: both sewing machine and serger - bought about 3 years ago are good :: quality and robust, and the sewing machine does a mean button hole! :: :: HTH :: :: Sarah

Just because he said he didn't like Vikings does not mean they're not a fine machine. He was saying he has trouble getting parts from the company and didn't like their customer service....He said the Euro-Pros (I think that's the brand) have to be sent to Canada for a major problem and even some minor ones like burned out lightbulbs (this has to do with a computer card inside them).

Pat

And brilliant stitched eyelets for corsets... ;)