I have gotten by up until this point in my life by hand sewing everything. If I can’t sew it by hand, I ain’t doin’.
That said, I’d like to make some throw pillows for my new couch and I’m not even about to sew those bad boys by band. I’m also not paying $40 for one freakin’ pillow from Pier 1.
So, what’s a nice, cheap easy to use, quality sewing machine for me to buy? I can order online, because I’m not planning on getting started on the pillows for 2 weeks or so.
Extra points if you can find a cheap place online for me to get pillow. . . fluff.
No one sews anymore so you can usually find a really nice basic used machine for around $50.00. For an older used machine I recommend a Kenmore with the metal body. Do not get a Singer that has the slanted needle and non-standard plastic bobbins, they need a lot of maintenance.
If you can’t find a used on on your own most sewing machine shops have used machines from trade-ins. For just doing simple things like pillows I would definitely go used, the quality is so much better.
Yeah, agreed. For new machines, the words “cheap” and “good” do not go together. You can pay less than $200 for a piece of junk, or ~$250 for a solid basic machine that will last a good amount of time.
I have a Kenmore 3/4 sized, simple machine, cost me $75, very basic (I think it has 9 stitches?). The model is called the Mini Ultra, it was new in 2005, but I noticed they don’t sell it any more. A friend of mine who sews quite a lot recommended it.
I have a Shark brand that was given to me as a gift. It’s actually a bit too complicated for my needs, but I like it - but really I just came in here to say once you start using it you will never want to hand sew again. Everything goes so quick! And straight! Look at those perfect little stitches!
I will never be a master seamstress but now I make
pillowcases
dufflebags
curtains
a bag for plastic bags
And a bunch of other stuff and it comes out GREAT!
Because I stalk 'mika and constantly go through her things I also acquired a Shark. Got it from Target for about $100 when my $700 Singer shit the bed after fewer than 100 hours of operation.
Although it pains me to do so, I gotta disagree with dangermom. I have been so satisfied with the Shark for stuff like making kid pajamas, Halloween costumes and hemming pants that I’ve recategorized this appliance and would now recommend the same buying strategy for sewing machines as I do for vacuum cleaners: Don’t spend more than $100, plan on replacing it every 2 years and be amazed and pleased when you find you don’t have to.
That said…For the OP’s needs I’d say: go cheap, and maybe take a couple lessons at your local fabric store to get some tips and tricks. Sewing machines are not always self-explanatory. If you really get into it and your toy machine doesn’t suit your needs, take out a bank loan and get a professional serger.
So that’s what’s going on with my underwear drawer!
Seriously, my sewing machine works wonderfully - I don’t need a really expensive one and wouldn’t buy one. Well I wouldn’t buy one at all, as I said, I got it as a gift.
Yeah, while I understand what the first few of you are saying in that to get something genuinely of decent quality, I’ll need to drop some cash. . . I’m in no way planning on doing regular sewing. I don’t have the patience to be crafty, sadly. Now, my mom, she’s freakin’ a crafter to the max, but I understand my natural limitations. Those limitations include sewing holes in pants by hand, making tutus for infants, and making throw pillows :D.
$250 is a ton of money for me to spend for my needs, while I do understand that it is nothing for a decent machine. I’m still a college student and I just staved up forever so I could buy a $500 TV- something we use every day. Half that on something I’ll maybe pull out once every six months. . . yeah.
Any old sewing machine is likely to have issues. At the very least, a machine that’s been tucked away in the back of a closet for several years will need to be cleaned up, lubed and adjusted. Plan on spending $90-100 for a basic service.
That’s not to say you should avoid Aunt Bessie’s Golden Touch-n-Sew or a Slant-o-Matic. If they’re not actually broken, these are solid metal machines from an era when “Made in America” meant something. Just be aware that they will need $100 worth of professional attention from the start. They may need a couple of bits and bobs - people always seem to lose their bobbins, thread spool holders, etc. Fortunately, these things are easily purchased.
Any Singer machines from within the past ten years or so is disposable junk.
If you want to buy a new machine and can spend about $400, have a look at Viking’s Emerald.
Diosa, when I get home tonight i’ll look at the specific brand/model I have. You don’t need computerized anything, for one. I’ll post what I have and what it runs for, and maybe that will help.
I appreciate the advice, but I absolutely, positively cannot spend that much, even if I wanted to.
Well hrmph, I assumed I could get something workable for under $100. If I’m going to have to spend a bunch of money on a machine, then a bunch of money on fabrics, maybe I am just better off buying the pillows. Boo.
And Anaamika, thank you. I’d like to hear what you have!
My old man taught me to work on cars. The worst part of working on cars is buying the tools. Sometimes, the cost of tools is about the same as the cost of having a mechanic do the work for you. But if you buy the tools, you know exactly what’s been done and you can do it next time for free.
You can always buy pillows made by Chinese children, but if it costs about as much to make exactly what you want…
Consider the Janome 2139n. Sewvacdirect has it for ~100 and it’s on eBay for ~80. It’s the machine we bought for our daughter when she started sewing and it’s been a very good, simple, machine. Janome makes some of the best machines in the business, and they have great service. I think it may have been a custom make for Hancock Fabrics, when they wanted a line of starter machines. We bought ours there for $125 a couple years ago and they still carry them, although they want $150 now. It sounds like it would meet your needs very well. My daughter has made numerous pillows, lots of quilting squares, and a few skirts with hers.
Sure, but if I can’t afford the tools in the first place, because they are going to set me back $300-$500, it’s not like I can do it anyway. Like I said, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t swing that.
I should note that it isn’t that I don’t know how to sew- I do. I just have never had a need for a machine (in my 10 years since I’ve had no access to a machine, I haven’t needed it once). So, I don’t know if it’s a good investment for me to drop a bunch of money on something a: I can’t really afford and b: wont really use frequently enough to justify the expense.
Like I said, I suppose I didn’t realize how costly sewing can be.
Ok, Diosa - I own a Shark EuroPro 7133. It retails on Amazon for $149. You may be able to find it cheaper! It has consistently good reviews and I personally love it - it’s still fairly simple.
No digital readers, nothing fancy, but it has lots of different stitches and comes with buttonhole makers and several other attachments.
The only problem I have had with it is you MUST use decent thread. You can’t use 99 cent stuff, it tears or rips or pulls out of the needle every three seconds. I don’t buy the most expensive thread either, but $2 to $2.50 a spool does me.
Let me know if you get this one! Otherwise other Shark/Euro-Pros are great, too.
I love my Juki HZL-35z. It has a few stretch and overlock stitches so in theory I can do my own knits sewing, but haven’t been brave enough yet, but I have sewn a fair bit of wovens, done a few dresses, dog coats, bags, and lots of baby stuff for friends. It can sew through a fairly thick layer and is easy to disassemble and clean. Class 15 bobbins are cheap and easy to find and it’s all mechanical so theirs no expensive motherboard to fry out and have to be replaced. The manual is great and I learned to sew using it and the machine.
I would see if there’s a local Juki dealer to you, as they often have a free class and a year of maintenance, but those are not a necessity, just nice.
Diosa, I bought a Kenore 15358 at Sears a few months ago, and it’s been a perfectly good, serviceable machine. The website I linked to has it listed at $120 USD. I’ve made one dress and skirt using it and started another dress. Before I bought it, I shopped around a bit, including two trips to Joann Fabrics to look for sewing machines. Consumer Reports gave this one a good rating, and I agree with them.
