Which type of sewing machine do I need?

Question

I am a beginner sewer/seamstress; but I catch on fast. So far I have made curtains for my bedroom, cooking/styling aprons and silk scarves with a rolled hem (on a Serger).

I have just begun maternity leave and I feel the need to get into embroidery as well and enhance my sewing skills and make some money at the same time.

Is there a sewing machine that does a rolled hem, embroidery and regular sewing (an all-in-one); or do I need to have more than one machine? If so, what do you suggest?

Please help. I am tired of driving to my mom's house to use her Serger for the rolled hem and I am seriously thinking about investing in a machine that does embroidery.

Answer 1

I have a Janome and love it ;)))

Answer 2

I have had a Viking Rose embroidery machine for years and love it. It does both embroidery and regular sewing. You can buy a special foot for doing a rolled hem, but it is so much easier to do it on a serger.

You need to go to a professional sewing machine store and try them out. I would recommend Viking and Pfaff.

Make sure you get free lessons on the machine you buy and its embroidery unit.

It does take some time to get use to embroidering. I took several classes learning about hooping, thread, needles, and stabilizers needed to get a good design sewn out.  

Answer 3

There are lots of sewing and embroidery machines about, and you can do a form of rolled hem on some, but if you want a serger style rolled hem, you'll need a serger for that.

You really need to do some research, find out what all the different sewing and embroidery machines do, and have a serious think about what you actually want to sew...  Read this: http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm

Then sit down and make a list of all the things you really MUST have...  Think VERY seriously about the type of embroidery you want to do.  If you are content to use designs made by other people, there are some reasonable mid-range machines about that will do that, but if you want to make your own designs, digitize them, and sew those, you are talking about a much more complex set-up, expensive software for digitizing and converting designs to use, and a more versatile and expensive machine.  Most makes of machine capable of this level of programming use specialized dedicated software, and you have to think about the expense of that on top of that of an already very pricey machine.

Take a look at these web sites - they will tell you a lot more about the different machines available:

http://www.bernina.com/

http://www.brother.co.uk/g3.cfm/s_page/6...

http://www.elna.com/en/index

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/uk/index....

http://www.janome.co.uk/

http://www.pfaffmachines.co.uk/index.htm...

There are more, but...  ;)  I don't use an embroidery machine, but if I did, I'd be saving for something like this: http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/uk/Design...  (DReam on, Kate - you need to win the lottery for THAT one!  It retails for £4,495! ;D )

Sergers also come in a variety of models that do different things.  You need to think about what you want to do with that too, as you can get a lot of choice in both price and sophistication.  Most models come as 3/4 thread, 2/3/4 thread, and 2/3/4/5 thread with cover stitch.  Then there's the Babylock Evolve and wave machines - ARGH!

As a professional dressmaker, I need something reliable, hard working, that does a superb rolled hem on fussy fabric, but the type of work I do rarely requires the cover stitch, so I use a Bernina 1150MDA and a Brother 1034D for the free arm feature.  Again some to look at are the Berninas, Husqvarnas, Brother, Toyota (I've own all these makes and loved them - http://www.toyotasewingdirect.co.uk/site... Babylock (http://www.babylock.com/), and Elna.

Once you think you know what you want, and have a budget in mind, visit a few dealers with the list of things you are looking for and talk to them.  Try lots of different machines to see what you like.  Not all machines suit all people...  I bought a Husqvarna as my main machine 10 years ago, and still adore it.  I tried Bernina (liked, but didn't fall in love), and Pfaff (great stitches and features, but all the controls were in the wrong place for my fingers!).  I now have LOTS of machines, most of which are old, ancient, or somehow pre-loved, and all are fun.  I even have a mechanical Bernina, which is fab, but my first great love is my ever-reliable Husqvarna Lily 550.  This is an expensive purchase, and you need to get it right.  Do the research, try before you buy, and enjoy the sewing.

And congratulations on the baby!  Mine is now 13 and does some of his own sewing on both sewing machine and serger!