What’s on your Christmas wish list? If it’s a new sewing machine, I have some tips what to look for to find the best sewing machine for your budget.
Two of my favorite brands are Pfaff and Bernina, but I recommend you do your own research before you go to the store to find the machine that best fits both you and your budget.
Whether you sew for yourself, your family, or your dolls, choosing the right machine is essential. I learned to sew on my mom’s Singer sewing machine. Even though it couldn’t finish seams, it was the best sewing machine to learn on. It sewed forward, backward and zigzag. If you popped a little plastic disk into the top, it could sew some fancy stitches too. It was made of cast metal, made in the U.S., never needed servicing, and seemed like it would last forever. All we had to do was oil it once in a while.
We used that machine a lot. My mom sewed loads of clothing for both of us. She also made doll clothes, and craft projects.
I made dozens of beautiful Vogue pattern dresses, and other designer clothing. I couldn’t professional finish the seams, but many items were lined.
When I was in my early 20’s, my mom and I started a teddy bear making business from home. We made dozens of teddies on that machine.
While in college, I sewed collars onto sweatshirts for a local clothing manufacturer. I drove my mom’s station wagon to their factory on Monday mornings, and loaded up boxes of sweatshirts and t-shirts, then spent all my free time during the week sewing collars onto them.
That machine worked hard!
And finally it quit.
The Wrong Way to Choose a New Sewing Machine
Have you ever felt intimidated walking into a local sewing machine store? I know I did. These are some of the mistakes I made in choosing a new machine.
I didn’t have a clear idea of what I was looking for, but thought a machine that did a bit of embroidery would be nice.
What I walked out of out of the store with was probably not the best sewing machine for my needs. The store advertised a less expensive machine I thought I wanted, but the sales person convinced me to purchase a used Pfaff machine that was slightly more expensive. It has way more functions than I will ever need.
The Pfaff had been completely reconditioned, and was in perfect working order. It not only sewed dozens of stitches and did embroidery, but if you plugged in another card it would create really elaborate designs. I thought that it could embroider designs I created myself, but that wasn’t the case without purchasing an expensive software package. Also it came with a quilting frame. I don’t quilt, but maybe someday …
If you’ve been following my Friday posts where I share both artwork and crafts, you’ll get an idea of how much I sew!
To help you not make all the mistakes I did in my first machine purchase, here are some tips:
How to decide what is the best sewing machine for you
- First of all, plan do a lot of research. If you purchase a machine that does way more than what you need, it may be a lot more difficult to learn to use.
- Take your time looking around and comparing features. Try out different models in the store.
- Understand that even though your mother or grandmother’s machine might have lasted 40 years, new computerized machines don’t have such a long life span. This is something to think about if you purchase a used machine. I am living in fear of the motherboard on my Pfaff going out.
- If the sales person is too pushy, walk away.
- Free classes are often offered with the purchase of a machine. Take them! One on one instruction is way better than even the smallest class. Even the best sewing machine won’t sew beautiful clothing if you don’t know how to use it.
- Check to make sure that there is a technician in you area were you live who has certified training to work on the brand of machine you choose.
We recently had a repairman come to our house to repair an appliance and I was talking to him about why machines don’t work as long as they used to. He told me about how most refrigerators have ice machines these days, and are one of the most frequent causes for needing repairs. Some of the expensive new models even have television screens in the doors! They break all the the time. His advice about kitchen appliances also applies to sewing machines. Don’t purchase features that you don’t need.
I’m still learning to use my machine and going through the manual and tutorials another time. Someday I will feel as confident using it as I did my mom’s old Singer. Maybe. I think the most important piece of advice is not to let the technology intimidate you.