What's the best sewing machine for a beginner?

Question

What's the best sewing machine for a beginner?

Answer 1

I have a Bernina 930 purchased approximately 25 years ago.  It is still a great machine.  One suggestion you might consider.  Check the trade-ins on the higher end machines.  Someone may have just wanted to upgrade and traded in their old machine  and there is a lot of life left in it.

The dealer is very important and the best source to find one is to ask a seamstress.  And they really know the ones to stay away from.

No Walmart, Target, K-Mart machines due to no service.

Answer 2

singer sewing machines are good

you can also get a nice machine at Walmart, very reasonably.

Answer 3

Go to any good reputable sewing machine repair shop.  They will sell older models for a good price.  Stay away from the machines made today.  Most models are made of plastic and do not last as long as the machines that are metal and have metal gears.  I have had my Singer 401a for many years and probably will hand it down to future generations to come.  Stay away from Sears/Kenmore and Brother.  They do not know how to make a good sturdy machine.  My very first machine was the Little Singer Touch and Sew.

Answer 4

Please - no Walmart machine!  Janomes make good machines that are sold at Sears under the "Kenmore" name.  The Kenmores go on sale frequently.  The only problem is they don't usually have anyone who can demonstrate the machines for you.  They also sell one at K-Mart. Janome is a good brand for a beginner.  I bought my daughter a mechanical Janome and it works great.  Another idea is a good used machine from a dealer who could show you the basics.  I have a Pfaff and it is a great machine.    Pattern Review is an excellent resource for information on sewing machines, patterns and sewing.

www.patternreview.com

Answer 5

I agree with Franki. I also suggest you go to the sewing centers and try some of the machines on display to get a feel for what each is capable of doing. Sears and some places like that don't have demonstration areas.

Bernina and Janome do have demonstration areas and do let people get a feel for the machines they "may" want to purchase. Best way to figure out which machine you want.

That way you won't end up with something that sits in the corner like Franki's Viking.

I have lots of treadle sewing machines, my mother's old Athena Singer (a total lemon piece of junk), and my Bernina 830 which cost a heap when new but has been in almost daily use for more than 35 years and is expected to be in use for another 30 years by me. It has taught more than a dozen girls to sew as well.

Sometimes more expense initially is the best deal, even for a first time machine owner.

Answer 6

http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm

What I want for beginners in sewing:

- a machine that doesn't scare you

- a machine that isn't balky (cheap new machines are often very

  balky or need adjustments often and are rarely repairable --

  just too frustrating to learn on!)

- very good straight stitch

- good zigzag (4-5 mm is fine, more than that is gravy)

- a method of making buttonholes that makes sense to you  

- adjustable presser foot pressure (which helps some fabric

  handling issues)

- accessory presser feet that don't cost an arm and a leg

  (machines that use a "short shank foot" typically handle

  generic presser feet pretty well.  Some brands of machines use

  proprietary or very expensive presser feet)

If the budget stretches far enough:

- blindhem and stretch blindhem stitches

- triple zigzag (nice for elastic applications)

- a couple of decorative stitches (you won't use them nearly as

  much as you think)

- electronic machine because of the needle position control and

  because the stepper motors give you full "punching force" at

  slow sewing speeds -- mechanical machines often will stall at

  slow speeds.

Please go to the best sewing machine dealers around and ask them

to show you some machines in your price range, *especially* used

machines you can afford. You'll get a far better machine buying

used than new, and a good dealer is worth their weight in sewing

machine needles when you get a machine problem -- often they can

talk you through the problem over the phone. While you're trying

things out, try a couple of machines (sewing only, not combo

sewing-embroidery) over your price limit, just so you can see

what the difference in stitch quality and ease of use might be.

You may find you want to go for the used Cadillac. Or you might

want the new basic Chevy. Might as well try both out.

Suggested reading: John Giordano's The Sewing Machine Book

(especially for used machines), Carol Ahles' Fine Machine Sewing

(especially the first and last few chapters) and Gale Grigg

Hazen's Owner's Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers and Knitting

Machines. All of these are likely to be available at your public

library.

Used brands I'd particularly look for: Elna, Bernina,

Viking/Husqvarna, Pfaff, Singer (pre 1970), Juki, Toyota

New "bargain brand" I'd probably pick: Janome (who also does

Kenmore).

Answer 7

My favorite brand of sewing maching is Brother.  This is the one I bought, and it was VERY easy to learn to use:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...

They have several other models there starting at under $100 up to several hundred dollars.  Decide your price range and get the best you can afford so as you learn to so, you won't have to upgrade machines too soon to get features you find you need.

Answer 8

Well, a lot of that depends on your price range.  First, though, DO NOT buy a machine from places like Walmart or Target.  These are all very low priced and low quality.  If you have a Sears nearby, check out both the Singers and the Kenmores.  The Kenmore machines are currently made by Janome, which is a very good brand name.  Sears might also carry Brother machines.

For a beginner, I wouldn't spend more than $300, but don't go too low on price either, or the machine will not have many features, or it just won't be very well made.

For a look at different machines and some good prices, check out http://www.allbrands.com

Some features a new sewer (please NEVER use the term sewist ... it sounds seriously stupid) might like are a straight stitch, a zigzag stitch, a couple of buttonhole stitches, and maybe a few decorative stitches.  Some nice touches are the needle up/down feature and easy or automatic threading.  More and more machines are adding automatic thread cutters as well, and that is a very nice feature.

Personally, I sew with a top-of-the line Kenmore and a $3k Brother, quilt with a Juki, and use a Simplicity serger.  I also have 3 embroidery machines ... the Brother, a Viking (which I hate), and a Simplicity.  So, you can see that I use cheap machines and very expensive machines, and except for the Viking, the quality is exactly what I want.

Just do a little research and find out what the different machines offer.  Write down the things that you want.  And then find the machine that offers most of them in your price range.