A friend of mine is looking to get a sewing machine for her 9 year old daughter. I think she’s overwhelmed with all the information that’s out there. I would scour the internet, but frankly, I have a cold and I don’t feel like spending hours researching it.
Can anyone here recommend one? I have no idea if her kid as any experience with one. All I know is that she’s not looking to spend a lot of money on it. Would one of the $150ish Singers be worthwhile?
More info
She has no experience
She’ll be making clothes with it
Also, according to the mom, she does tend to stick with things for a while, so this probably isn’t just a passing phase. So I get the feeling she’s either looking for something at a modest price that will last or something cheap but that she’ll at least get a few years out of.
I would recommend going to a dealer or fabric store with a good selection and trying them out. What one person loves in a machine (“this is so fast, I’m done with a seam in no time!”) may not work for another (“woah! I can’t keep the fabric straight when it goes so fast!”) They will be happy to let her try as many as she wants, explain the differences between the machines and probably have information about classes as well.
I have a cheapie Brother (less than $100) which I just adore. I also have a Singer from the 30’s, which is awesome as well. I had a Singer from the '90s, but I hated it and kept having to take it back for adjustments that wouldn’t hold. Neither Brother nor new Singers are well respected brands among serious sewers anymore, but if they work well for her, that’s what important.
The “good” brands now include Elna, Viking, Pfaff, Husky, BabyLock, and Bernina, but again, they may not be what an individual sewer prefers.
I don’t sew at all other than quick cheap fake seams for modifying clothes for Hallowe’en costumes, but I inherited a 1941 Singer Featherweight221 when I was about 12 years old and I still have it and love it. I love the mechanics of it, none of it is cheap plastic, and although I take very little care of it, it always runs when I need it (like I said, about once a year!)
I think they tend to be somewhat outside of your friend’s price range, but if she can get her hands on one of those, she won’t be disappointed. The person at the shop where I had it serviced a few years ago (oil and new belt) tried to buy it off me, claiming that nothing she sold new would be as reliable as this one.
I kind of wish I sewed more often, but I’m not very creative and very lazy. Still, I think I’ll have this machine til I die, and I expect it to just keep on running!
If you’re ever tired of that 221, please let me know. 
Current Singers are worth more as boat anchors than as usable sewing machines. Euro-Pro is another brand to avoid.
If you can finagle a Touch-n-Sew on Craigslist, those are usually pretty good and can usually be fixed up if they haven’t been abused and no major parts like the bobbin case are missing. Try to find one for free, as invariably, you will need to have it serviced to clean out the clotted and dried out oil since the machine has probably not been used in 25 years. This will cost about $75-100, depending on if the machine needs any parts other than the bobbin winder tire and some bobbins and needles. If the machine looks like it’s been dropped, or the inside works are rusted, run away. Dried oil will look like a really bad nicotine buildup, but rust looks like, well, rust.
If the heavens smile on you and someone offers up a Baby Lock, Bernina or Pfaff in your price range, snatch it up.
If the budget will withstand it, Husqvarna Viking has some solid entry-level offerings. Off the top of my head, their Emerald and Huskystar lines are good beginner’s machines.
Even if I never use it again, it’s so pretty! I love just having it out on the table to look at! I’d love to one day get an old Singer table to put it on, just for looks!
Mine still has most of the gold on it and the black paint is mostly still very shiny. I think it’s about a 7 or maybe 8 on thislist. I have the carrying case with original key, all the various sewing feet thingys that I don’t know how to use, the original manual, and the belt I replaced is probably original too for all I know! I have two bottles of oil/lubricant that are downright ancient, and although I don’t use them I figure there might be a collector’s value to them someday.
I have a Kenmore Mini-Ultra. It’s a 3/4 size machine with basic functions (4 or 5 stitch lengths, 2 zigzags and buttonhole (buttonhole foot included). It’s been pretty good for me, for relatively basic work (simple skirts and dresses).
Seems to run $120-$130 on Amazon.
A good solid used machine is a good choice, but if you’re buying new I would recommend one of the Janome Jem machines (ours is a Jem Gold). They are very simple and have no computer stuff–all mechanical and pretty sturdy. I bought one for my daughters when the oldest was just 9 and I expect it to last through high school. It has all the necessary stuff.
A cheap Brother, Kenmore or other brand will do quite nicely. All you need is a reliable straight stitch and zig zag. I’ve been using this type all my life and it saved me a bundle on alterations and making odd things. The best thing I found was a garage sale machine that was offered free, but which I paid for anyway. This machine has an automatic double stitch switch that makes bullet proof lines.
A featherweight is a good choice.
BTW, my mom (who’s a professional quilter and sometimes forgets that I =/= her) tried to give me her featherweight a few years ago, so I could make quilts. I was like “What? Since when do I make quilts?”
Anyway, since she and all of her friends have featherweights (unless she managed to foist it off on my sister so she could make quilts), I don’t think they’re that hard to find.
I wouldn’t go with a singer–I got a cheap one and haven’t been thrilled with it. But the Brothers sewing machines seem to get good reviews at the entry level.
