Thread: sew machine recommendations

Hi! ladies im about to buy my first sew machine, and i really need recommentation, any sugestions?? ( somethig affordable plz )

The Sears brand (Kenmore I think?)!!!!!!!! I had a Janome before and it caused me nothing but trouble!!! I brought it home and started sewing instantly with no set-up time and I haven't had any problems since (over a year ago). It also didn't cost me much over $100

I second the Kenmore. The one I linked below is a great starter machine. Its very easy to use because of the drop-in bobbin. I used one of these (and the one just a notch above it) for years before getting my Husqvarna machine (and STILL use these Kenmore's as a back up).

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...sewing+machine

I have a Bernina from the late 70's and she's still going strong. Perhaps look into second hand machines. You can get a lot more for your $. Just make sure to have it serviced before you start projects.

thank you sooo much ladies!!

:)

I just want to warn you that asking people for sewing machine recommendations is kind of like asking what religion is best. :-D Everybody has a machine that they have loved for years; everybody has a machine that was nothing but trouble. I had a Simplicity machine bought from Sears that lasted me 20 years. Now I have a Janome I love.

If you have a local sewing machine dealer, you may want to investigate rehabbed machines. Tell them you want a workhorse that's not super fancy and see if they will be helpful to you. Most importantly, try out any machine before you buy it and make sure you don't find it utterly incomprehensible.

Being one that had an old Kenmore and then went to a Top line Bernina. I am now back to a New Kenmore. Nothing wrong with Bernina or any brand sewing store machine But cost. With my Kenmore I get all the stitches at more than half the price. As a matter of fact there is not a machine out there that has the number of stiches for the price I paid for my kenmore. Unless I want another computerized card machine like I had with my Bernina. That cost me over $4000.00 my Kenmore was only $600.00.

Alot depends on what you are after in a machine and if you want classes or not. Sewing store brands you get lots of bells and whistels plus warrenty and some give free classes when you buy from them. If you do not need all that then buying a kenmore saves you alot of money and a good hard working machine. Nice thing is you can sign up for classes and pay for them at any sewing store that has them. So even that way you still save money with a Kenmore.

Just do not over buy. Really think about what you want it for do not get caught up in dreams. Trust me on this been there with the Bernina and sold it for I would never use half what it could do.

I have two old singers. One is a 1920's single straight stitch which will go through just about anything, and a newer one - well relatively, it's from the '50's - which is persnickety. I think my perfect machine is a combo of the '20's machine and a serger.

But that is me being difficult!

{{{HUGS}}}

I have an older Pfaff. I ended up buying the store machine that she rented out for her classes. I would look for a used machine because you will get more bang for your buck. Also look in to who can repair your brand/model locally.

I suggest you sit down at each of them and go through the threading process. Have the salesperson help you or look at the diagram. Because it is usually that process that will make you love or hate it. All sewing machines will work if threaded correctly but if a machine has a complicated threading process you will get frustrated easily and make mistakes which will lead to tension problems and that can screw up computerized machines etc..
You also have to decide what you want to do with it. Plain stitches? Embroidery? What do you sew the most? Leather? Upholstery? Or just household things?
I have a singer from the 70's I am about to buy another one - hopefully industrial and maybe from the same era. It weighs a ton because it is set in cast iron but it will sew through anything, retails for about $40 and I can thread it in my sleep. I can also replace the belts myself.
Which leads me to the other consideration. Brand new computerized machines have to be serviced by a specialist and that costs $$. You can't go in there and mess around yourself.
They are a lot like cars in that respect.

Eshta is right on! I have a Kenmore that I've had since 1978 - can thread it in my sleep - has never given me a problem. I also have a wonderful Bernina serger (about 5 years old now) the threading process is so horrible that every so often when it is screwing up I bring it in for a cleaning ($60 to $80). Crazy I know, but it works for me. I so Totally second Eshta on checking out the threading process!

I used my mom's old Singer (from the 50s) throughout high school and 1969 when I was a senior in college she bought me a brand new one for my very own. Used that one for about 30 years. Also had a treadle machine from the 1880 that I used for straight stitches just cause it was so much fun.

About 8 years ago or so I bought a Brother that I loved because I didn't need all the attachments and had several stitches to choose from. And then a couple of years ago I bought a White heavy duty (read heavy metal machine). And I recently found my mom's old machine in my dad's house. My mother passed away in the 70s and my stepmother used her machine for years. After my dad died, step mom remarried and then she died. The machine sat there in the house until step mom's new husband went into a nursing home and our family was allowed to go into the house and take out things that had belonged to our parents.

The White does everything I need. It is truly heavy duty. Has so many built in stitches. Needs no special attachments and is so easy to thread (including a self-threading needle). Its easy to clean and oil and has never given me any trouble at all. My sister has a Bernini that costs several times what my White did and is more tempermental. But she loves it anyway!

All these recommendations also go for sergers too. I have a Juki from the 80's - hold 4 cones. Also heavy duty cast iron. Got it for $50 on craigslist even though it is worth $400-500. The old industrial sergers seriously hold their value and they get way more dirty and clogged then regular machines so something you can get in and clean/oil on your own is a big plus!
Also the sound the machine makes is important too. Just like cars they come up with their own moans and groans as they get older. Imagine yourself sitting for hours at your machine. It's a lovely day and you are full of inspiration and ready to work on your project and then your plastic machine has developed a vibration and clacking sound that will drive you up the wall and make you want to scream.
I discovered this when I went to work on my mom's pretty new computerized machine from Target.
The clacking noise when the needle went in and out gave me a horrible headache!
And also keep in mind that this discussion would be totally different if we were talking about big money. A $7000 Husqvarna or Bernina with a powerful on board computer would be nice and will sew like a dream - all quiet and smooth. But do you really want to spend that much? Hmmmmmm should I buy a sewing machine....or a car!?

thanks again ladies!!! :)

One word of caution about buying used: It can be harder to find replacement parts for an older model. Also make sure you get the instruction manual if you're buying used. If you need to order in parts/manual it can wind up being more expensive than just buying new. If you don't need a complicated machine, I would just go with a cheap model and get it new. (I would look into used for something more complicated and expensive like a serger). Also as far as threading goes: My Kenmore has numbers right on the machine, that indicate the order to thread it (VERY handy!) :)

When I was asking these same questions, several dance sisters told me the following:

Buy an ALL METAL workhorse machine from the 70s or earlier that can Zig-Zag. A White, Singer, Kenmore, Montgomery Wards, or JC Penney - from a sewing machine shop. It will do everything you need to do, be affordable, reliable, and it won't break or scootch around when in use.

I followed this advice and couldn't be happier. I went to a sewing machine shop one of my instructors recommended, and came home with:



Which was $75 with a 1 year guarantee. Sews like a champ, and I love the flatbed design - made even better since I installed it into a vintage Singer cabinet I picked up on Craigslist. Just the thing when you're sewing on a gigantic gypsy skirt or anything real big!

Don't buy a new, $79 Brother from Costco or Target - or any other cheap, plastic machine. If you want to buy new, buy a "mostly metal" higher end mechanical machine from Singer or Bernina. Stay away from the uber expensive computerized models unless you REALLY have the need for one - otherwise they're an EXTREMELY expensive acquisition that cost megabucks to have serviced.

Originally Posted by zorba

Buy an ALL METAL workhorse machine from the 70s or earlier that can Zig-Zag. A White, Singer, Kenmore, Montgomery Wards, or JC Penney - from a sewing machine shop. It will do everything you need to do, be affordable, reliable, and it won't break or scootch around when in use.

I so agree with this--as well as all the other excellent advice in this thread. About 10 years ago, I made the mistake of "trading up" from my Kenmore I bought back in the early 1970's and the 1960's vintage-style Singer I inherited from my grandmother. Everytime my fancy new machine jams, breaks a thread, needs servicing, etc--in short nearly every time I use it--I wish I had kept at least one of my older machines.

I've got a brother xl 3750. I got it at target in october for around $140. I doesn't do serging or anything super fancy, but it has a lot of stitch functions and runs really well. I haven't had any problems with it jamming up or needing any fixing (only jammed up when I didn't have the right needle and tension adjusted properly for thick lycra fabric I was using). The stitches are nice and even and the machine is pretty easy to operate. Just my recommendation for something simple. Good luck finding the right machine!

There is a big difference between using a machine every couple of months and using it everyday. So you should consider that as well. A good rule of thumb is to go to the dry cleaners/alterations place in your neighborhood and check out what machines they have cause they use them constantly. You'll probably see big heavy industrial metal machines from 20+ years ago.
But if you are only going to sew every so often a newer machine might be fine. Mine are always set up and I use them constantly so I am really into the old machines. I would rather pay $100 to have my $40 singer serviced than change machines. You get really used to their quirks.

I sew sew sew all the time, using my treadle machine. I have been thinking about getting another workhorse (electric) but am horrified to find that many of the newer 'workhorses' have plastic parts! Awk! Definately all-metal for me.. look at that treadle machine go, it must be at least a hundred years old!

I was given a basic Brother for a gift and am happy with it EXCEPT that it doesn't have a drop in bobbin holder thingie (you can tell how much I sew by that statement) which is apparently much better than the one I have. I can thread it no prob, but the bobbin mechanism can be a PITA if I am tired or frustrated anyway. No problems with it so far but I nearly killed my Dad when he gave away my Mom's old high end Singer without asking if I wanted it ,m::