I have two sewing machines (I am so grateful for them), and I have created many fun things on them (pillows, aprons, purses, toothfairy pillows, skirts, pants, etc...). I am sad to report that they are both having issues and are in the shop being cleaned and repaired. So I am preparing myself for the inevitable - the cost of repairs may be as much as getting a new machine. Which leads me to my HELP!!!!!
If you sew and have a machine that you just love or wish you had, please leave me a comment and let me know what brand, model number, and what you like about it.
Preferably not one as old as this darling Singer...
Something more modern would be great!
As you may know, there are so many machines on the market with so many functions to choose from - it can be quiet overwhelming and since my sewing machines were given to me, I have never had to search for one. Any tips you might have will be much appreciated!
6 comments:
I got no advice for you!! I bought mine about 12 years ago and it was really old then!! :) I am interested to hear what people say though, Good Luck!!!
I have an ELNA that I bought 4 years ago. I love it and it's fantastic. That's my opinion.
Shannon, tell me more. I will have to call you about your ELNA.
Okay, I'm not good with sewing machine brands, but I did check out your placemat purses. WAY awesome! I need more details. :)
Hi Megan,
I currently have a Bernina Virtuoso 155. I purchased it about 5 years ago or so.
It is a higher end machine that is completely computerized and has more bells and whistles than I know what to do with, but many of them have come in quite handy.
I love all of the decorative stitches (more than you'll find in the current product line, but I haven't even tried them all), automatic button hole maker, lettering, saved memory, dual thread holder, auto needle down, standard accessories (my machine came with ~10 feet).
All Bernina's use the same feet, so whether you buy an old, new, or eventually upgrade, all of your feet will still be usable. At the time, I believe it cost me a little over $2k, which is really high, but it was an investment, and I know I probably won't replace it for another 10-20 years.
I'd recommend coming up with list of things you want in a machine and your price point, then visit a couple of authorized resellers that offer at least 2 or 3 brands to test out. Most resellers will have used machines from people who have upgraded within very short periods of time, and they usually don't have that many hours on them, so they are still pretty new. The price is usually considerably lower.
When testing, I'd recommend checking a couple of things:
1. Stitch regulation - do the stitches look similar
2. Tension - this is always a major factor when choosing a machine, will the tension work well without always having to adjust it
3. What does the retailer offer with the purchase. You should get free service and cleaning for several years. If the price difference is significant between 2 stores and the higher priced one offers you classes that the other doesn't, you're probably better off going with the one with the lower price with the basic service. I always taught myself how to use the machine before I got to the classes.
4. How long has the retailer been in business, how much longer are they expected to be in business. Many sewing machine resellers are having a hard time keeping their doors open right now. My local shop went out of business, so I am currently up a creek without a service provider.
5. How fancy do you want to get? I make John hawaiian shirts pretty regularly, so its nice to store the button hole for his shirt's pattern in the machine's memory and I don't have to recreate it every time.
My first sewing machine was a Brother that I pounded on for years. It was a workhorse, but nothing all that fancy. I never invested in any other feet besides a Walking Foot because they were hard to find for my specific model.
I'm currently using a Baby Lock serger that I love and my grandma's old Singer still has the most beautiful stitches, but the Bernina is now the workhorse.
You'll find that most sewers are like computer users: Mac or PC, with a bit more options with sewing machines, but they are usually die hard fans that won't switch. You'll definitely see that in the stores.
Bernina, Elna, Pfaff, and Viking are the most popular among sewers and quilters that I know. Embroiderers are in a league of their own.
You can still of course pick up a new machine under $200 at Sears, Costco, Joann's, Hancock's, etc, but I'd guess you'll probably out grow it in a couple of years.
Hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
-Angie
I would agree with Angie - If you ask 12 people what sewing machine they love you're likely to get at least 10 answers. It's kind of crazy, so it's important to determine what is important to you.
I bought (ok I got it for Christmas) a new sewing machine last year and I've been thrilled with it. I love to quilt and knew that would be the primary function. So I chose a sewing machine that had features that would make that fun and help with that. But I didn't want to get into embroidery, so I didn't step up to that model.
A site that I used is
http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingMachine/
Users posts reviews for machines they own. You do need to register, but there's no cost. And some of the reviews are really detailed.
When I was researching I would go back and forth between these reviews and the company websites looking at the machines and their list of features to narrow down my short list. After a while I had it down to one machine that suits my needs really well.
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