Sewing Machine Recomendations please

[emzhengjiu]

My 17 yo dd is interested in making her own cosplay costumes. She's a beginner, but really interested in learning to sew. My very old Singer machine is hard to use and unreliable. I need to save the money to buy a new one and have no idea where to start or how much to budget. An employee in a fabric store suggested an automatic sewing machine. The prices ranged there from about $200 up to thousands! She said Singer is not that good of a brand anymore. Suggestions please!

[mytwomonkeys]

I have a Brother (SE 400), and I absolutely love it. Mine is also an embroidery machine so I’m sure you can find one much cheaper that just does sewing. I bought mine as a birthday gift to myself when I was 40. I had never sewn before in my life & now I can sew anything. I give credit to having such an easy machine; truly it’s fool proofðŸ‘ðŸ».

[Calm37]

My daughter chose one of the Brother machines at Walmart and it's been fine for her costume sewing. I think it was right at $100. 

[Carol in Cal.]

If you can find an old Singer, the black all metal kind from about the 1940s or so, they only cost about $75 these days, and are wonderful workhorses.  Then you take it to a repair store to get it refurbished and oiled, and you're set for like 100 years.

 

They don't have the fancy embroidery options but they do the basics with absolute reliability and don't require a lot of finicky maintenance.

[eternalsummer]

Can you get your old Singer repaired?  If it's one of the older metal models (made before say the 70s, I think), it will be worth having repaired as they last forever and are stronger, more durable machines.

[Jann in TX]

I used to be a sewing machine snob... I have and LOVE my Bernina, I also love my Elna...

 

My dd is in a costume design class (2nd year)

 

The cost to have one of my 'good old' sewing machines cleaned and serviced was more than the cost of a new machine for her.

 

We went with a Singer Confidence 7363 (purchased at JoAnn Fabrics on sale for under $200)... the auto tension is HEAVENLY.

She makes mostly dresses (mid/light weight pretty fancy ones) and that little machine has been a dream.  It is also easy to transport to school if needed.

 

I seriously thought I would regret the purchase-- thinking an older machine would be the way to go-- but I've changed my mind.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Jann in TX

[lailasmum]

I've got a singer heavy duty 4432. It's a lovely machine. Reminds me of some of the vintage machines I've used. I've also got a Singer starlet which is from the early 70s I believe and it's great when it's working but needs some spare parts that I'm struggling to find.

[mamaraby]

Ugh, I have one of those black all metal Singers and even after getting it repaired, it did not sew reliably. Right now I use it as an end table because the cabinet it came in was nice. It makes a better end table.

 

I bought a Brother for my first machine (it was the cheaper Project Runway model) and used that for a long while. I’ve since gotten a more expensive Pfaff and my kids use the Brother to sew on.

[justasque]

For example: machines like this 158.1802 are among the best models made. Even with shipping and someone else cleaning it, you’ve got a steal:

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sears-Best-Kenmore-Sewing-Machine-Heavy-Duty-Green/253416253862?hash=item3b00c929a6:g:DocAAOSwNWxaOsBY

 

I’ve personally serviced this exact model of white, and it was a dream. And indestructible:

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Older-Sewing-Machine-White-Zigzag-zig-zag-Stitcher-35186-Heavy-Duty-366/222825130392?hash=item33e169a998:g:sugAAOSwighZgHoA

 

My main machine is a relative of the Kenmore that Arctic Mama posted.  I recently went to a week-long sewing class, and was interested to hear all of the struggles my classmates had with their machines, while mine, which actually came to me when a neighbor put it out for the trash, purred along just fine.  My classmates and teachers were also impressed with how straight my topstitching was, which I assume is the machine because I don't do anything special in that regard (and I was very surprised with their being impressed).

[GailV]

I have a  portable Viking from the 70s and had a portable Singer from the 70s -- I forget the exact model (gave it to dd) but it was swanky top-of-the-line back in its day.  The issue with both machines is that they weigh approximately as much as my car.  Something to think about depending on your set up -- if I had to haul either one around the house much to set up a sewing area, I'd sew a lot less.

[HS Mom in NC]

A professional seamstress friend of mine and I buy each of our kids a Brother sewing machine from Amazon.  There are lighter and heavier models, but we never spend more than $100. Many come with an instructional DVD.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=brother+sewing+machines&sprefix=brother+sewing%2Caps%2C208&crid=38YMSTFNFX2TC

 

[rose]

I have a singer 401A that is are really good old machine. I've also got a Bernina 807 that I would recommend. Both run around $200 on ebay. The Bernina is probably the better machine but the feet are way more expensive.

[Jenny in Florida]

We've actually had really good experiences with Singer.

 

My son is an avid (semi-pro) costumer. We have a cheapo Singer that I bought at Target for under $100 that has taken all of his costume-making abuse for a couple of years now.

 

Before Christmas, when I decided we needed a second machine (because my son hogs the one we were sharing), my first thought was to go buy myself another one of the same model. Then it occurred to me that, rather than buying a second cheapo machine, I should consider getting my son a better machine and taking the existing cheapo one for myself. (He sews much more and much more seriously than I do these days.)

 

I actually teach some sewing classes in the sewing studio of the big downtown library, and I have been impressed with the quality of the "heavy duty" Singers we have there. So, I ended up buying him a machine one model down from the ones the library uses. 

 

The library studio is equipped with Singer 4452s, which list for right around $300 (and frequently go on sale). JoAnn has it right now for just over $200.

 

I bought the 4411 for my son, same heavy duty series, $150 from Amazon. The only difference we've noticed is that the 4411 has about 2/3 the number of different stitches as the 4452. It's plenty for what he does, though. He's been super happy with it so far.

[HS Mom in NC]

One thing to factor in is the cost of repairs.  A friend has a top brand machine, but she's required to have a $75 servicing done every year for some sort of warranty reason.  You can see it the amazon link above it can cost as little as $90 to buy a new basic brother model. 

My SIL was given a high end machine by her parents.  When she needed a repair and called to make the appointment the person working at the repair shop explained that repairs can cost more than the $100 used models they sell and they wanted her to be aware of it before she scheduled with them.  I don't know what she decided to do, she wasn't at my sewing circle today to help with my middle daughter's wedding quilt because she had company in town.

We're at the point in history where some manufactured goods are cheaper than hiring skilled labor for repairs.  That doesn't mean it makes sense for everyone to buy a cheaper model and replaced instead of repair, but people should be aware of it and consider it for a beginner who doesn't need a specialized machine.

[Carol in Cal.]

 

My main machine is the 158.1602, which I learned to sew on and inherited from my grandmother. But even after working on several dozen other machines, the Japanese zigzaggers like the Dressmaker, Kenmore, White, and random badged brands from about 1970-1982 are my absolute favorite. They sew as well as the European brands but are FAR less sought after. And they actually break less because their tolerances are slightly wider and mechanisms more simple (compared with Pfaff, Necchi, Bernina, and Husqvarna to a lesser extent).

 

 

Wow, this is so nice to hear.

I have a Kenmore than I bought new in 1980 or 81.

I always thought of it as my el cheapo temporary machine, and since I don't sew very often it is practically unused.  Maybe I should respect it more.

[Caroline]

My machine is a Bernina 830 from the mid 1970’s. It was my mom’s. It has seeed many miles I am sure. I get it cleaned once a year. It is on its second foot pedal. The only thing weird about it is that it won’t see navy blue thread. It’s a workhorse. I love it.

 

I also have a 1960’s Singer, an early 1900’s singer, and a treadle New Home. The New Home is not in its table right now.y ds uses the 1960’s Singer. It was my grandmother’s. The other two machines were my great grandmothers’.

[mamaraby]

The black straight stitch machines are not what I’d recommend. I have a White Family Rotary and a Singer 15-90 fitted with a hand crank for my kids. And they’re great for certain applications, like quilting or teaching beginners. But the zigzaggers are a totally different animal in terms of machining tolerances and reliability :)

I understand your enthusiasm for vintage machines, and I respect that. There were a number of those people at my local quilt guild. That being said, after buying mine and having to search quite a bit for someone to service it locally, the thing that I’d consider before anything else is who repairs things locally, what they repair, and exactly how long I have to leave the machine with them.

 

My Brother has never needed to go in for repairs, but when I went to replace it, I did not buy another Brother because there’s one dealer locally and it can take 3-6 months to get it back. I bought my Pfaff because the repair person had a much quicker turn around time. In fact, I had almost bought a Juki all metal, mechanical machine instead of the Pfaff, but after talking with local Juki owners, did not because their service experiences were universally terrible.

 

Vintage machines have their lovers. There are some great cheapish machines out there. Personally, I love my machine and it’s computer. I’d start first with the repair person and pick my machine out after that. I can repair lots of things, including my appliances, but sometimes you have to hire out. Shop that first because even the best machine may need service.

[rose]

Which model is it? I can tell you whether or not it’s a treasure or just okay, based on my opinion anyway ;)

 

I actually have another machine that I wouldn't mind your opinion on. I've got a Kenmore 158.43. It might be a Canadian model. I can't figure out the Kemore numbering system. It almost seems that absolutely every machine has it's own number. Did Kenmore really make 5000 different machines?

 

This particular machine has got some weird tension issues. It will stitch just fine for a 8 or so stitches and then it goes way wonky for a bit and then back to fine. I'm inclined to replace the whole tension assembly but maybe the issue is down in the bobbin area. I just don't know where to go looking. It seems like a really sturdy machine in all other respects. My only beef with it is that it doesn't have a light.

 

I keep accumulating machines that are really good in many ways but have one little thing wrong here or there. The Bernina that I mentioned upthread just had worn out carbon rods in the foot. It was a very cheap repair for a $25 machine. My dc14 is really mechanically inclined and we've picked these up as projects and a good source of income for him but I don't know how to direct him very well. Do you know of any online courses in machine repair?

 

[rose]

Is your 158.43 one of the brown ones with simple straight stitch and zigzag but no decorative stitches? Are you missing any numbers on that serial? Usually they are longer than that. For tension issues, I usually remove and clean the white assembly very carefully, and use rubbing alcohol and Q tips on each joint, gear, and connection remove yellowed, varnished old oil before re-oiling. Oftentimes those tension issues are junk stuck between the tension disks, a worn out tension spring, or the bobbin assembly not moving freely due to trapped gunk.

 

Another simple check is to switch out the needle, or try moving it up and down in the clamp. Some machines like shorter or longer needles, so shifting them can help. If you’ve tried all this already I’d consider watching eBay for a replacement tension assembly.

 

I'm not 100% sure about the numbering. We're not at home so I can't check that right now. The machine I've got is greenish grey and has no decorative stitches, just straight and zigzag. It's extremely heavy. It looks just like this one: https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/kenmore-model-43-series-158-a-t197349.html

 

Thanks for the help. It's nice to know that there's someone I can run these questions past.

[Ellie]

My Janome has been an excellent machine.

[emzhengjiu]

Wow, there's a lot more to consider than I realized! I don't sew very much at all. Our machine is a Singer Merritt 4525. It was given to me years ago.  According to the repairman, it has plastic not metal parts. It's really hard to set the tension, at least that's what I'm being told. It skips stitches. The last time I took it in for cleaning and repair, I was told it really wasn't worth the repair cost anymore. I can't remember what the repairman suggested at the time. Now that my daughter is serious about making costumes, I guess I need to replace it. She will be taking a costume design class in the fall where she'll need to bring her machine. So portability is important. Cost is a big deal for me, but I don't want to buy something that doesn't work well or won't last. If I budget $300, can I get a decent machine and a rolling case? I want to buy it soonish, but I have to save the money first.

 

ETA: Can anyone point me to a checklist of stuff to consider when evaluating machines? I'm seriously confused! It sounds as if there are a lot of good sewing machines on the market, vintage and new.

[drjuliadc]

I really, really like my Bernette featherweight. It is a light machine that a lot of my quilter friends buy to carry to classes because our fancy Berninas and Pfaffs are too heavy to cart around. They are sold by Bernina dealers. I paid around $120 dollars for mine on sale, but that was 8 years ago.

 

I actually gave it to my niece who sews and didn’t have a sewing machine. I am not a panicky person at all, but I actually felt panicked for her because I would be panicky if I did not have a sewing machine on the premises. I immediately wanted to buy another one, but I really have too many Littles to be going to sewing classes for a while.

[justasque]

...

This particular machine has got some weird tension issues. It will stitch just fine for a 8 or so stitches and then it goes way wonky for a bit and then back to fine. I'm inclined to replace the whole tension assembly but maybe the issue is down in the bobbin area. I just don't know where to go looking. It seems like a really sturdy machine in all other respects. My only beef with it is that it doesn't have a light.

...

 

I would also suggest considering it may be a problem with how the bobbin is wound.  Start with an empty bobbin, and make sure that the thread is under tension and is winding properly.  Also make sure you've got the right bobbin for the machine.  I have mainly Class 15 and Class 66 bobbins for my machines, but I didn't realize they were different until I used the wrong one!  The small difference in height makes a big difference in performance.  And the modern metal bobbins they sell at Joann's are horrible - I don't trust them.  They are made of some kind of horrible thin metal that bends really easily.  I only use my old steel ones.

 

I recently cleaned and organized a sewing room that quite a few family members use at different times, labeling boxes and such so we all know what should be put back where.  I sorted out all the bobbins, got a new bobbin box for each type, and labeled them with class and machine, so that no one gets them mixed up.  Between all of our machines, we use five different kinds of bobbins!

[justasque]

The weight of the machines and the way the needle bar is stabilized helps with vibrations. And oftentimes a lightweight drive shaft and needlebar combined with the vibrating table/bobbin plate of the machine gives you that wobbly stitch look. Heavier is better in that regard, but it does making picking them up very tough. I like rolling Pelican cases or luggage style sewing machine carriers over the backpack type because of the twenty to thirty five pound boat anchor factor ;)

...

 

Ah, that explains it then!  Everyone was raving over my topstitching and I was like "huh?" because it wasn't something I put any particular effort into.  My Kenmore is a boat anchor.  The neighbor who put it out for the trash apparently told her family it was "broken" and got a new machine.  It ran perfectly the first time I tried it.  I think she just wanted something new and shiny.  

[Rachel]

Wow, this is so nice to hear.

I have a Kenmore than I bought new in 1980 or 81.

I always thought of it as my el cheapo temporary machine, and since I don't sew very often it is practically unused. Maybe I should respect it more.

I have my aunt’s Kenmore she bought for her high school graduation present in 1972, I love it so much! In fact I found the exact model at Goodwill for $11. I figured that even if the sewing machine didn’t work as well I could use it for parts. My mom and Grandma also have Kenmores from the late 70’s very early 80’s that they still use.

 

I will admit that even though I love my machine I drool over the fancy Berninas at the quilt shops that cost more than the value of my car and my husband’s truck combined.

[justasque]

I have my aunt’s Kenmore she bought for her high school graduation present in 1972, I love it so much! In fact I found the exact model at Goodwill for $11. I figured that even if the sewing machine didn’t work as well I could use it for parts. My mom and Grandma also have Kenmores from the late 70’s very early 80’s that they still use.

 

I will admit that even though I love my machine I drool over the fancy Berninas at the quilt shops that cost more than the value of my car and my husband’s truck combined.

 

 

I’m with you 100%. Right down to drooling over the Berninas. But I just can’t justify it given my sewing needs :)

 

That's what Babylock Imagine sergers are for.  Drool-worthy and SO worth every single penny.  Built as well as those vintage Kenmores, and a dream to use.  

[Melissa in Australia]

Zombie thread

[Jean in Newcastle]

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