Looking to upgrade from my great-great-grandmother's old sewing machine. It's a Singer (not sure of the model) pre-1945 (my grandfather remembers his mother sewing with it when he was 8). It is still in good working condition but the tension changes every 10 seconds and is a pain to use. If anyone can tell me what the best brand & model of sewing machine for personal use (cloths, costumes, etc.) is, you get 10 points!
2006-07-01 12:02:18 · 3 answers · asked by lamusketeer 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
I think the best machine is the best machine that you can afford. It's going to be a personal choice - my best brand may not necessarily fit your needs or desires - I could recommend a Fiat when all you want is a Ford Focus....
I personally own a Kenmore because it is what I could afford at the time. It is a real workhorse, and has rarely let me down. I also own a Babylock, much nicer machine, but doesn't seem to be capable of going through really thick layers. I have a Brother combo embroidery machine, that can sew through multiple layers of windproof polarfleece that no other machine in my house could get through, but is rarely used as a sewing machine. When it is, it is a great little machine.
A few questions to ask yourself when you are looking:
*Do you want a mechanical or a computerized machine?
*Do you feel comfortable with purchasing out of retail store like walmart or sears, or do you want the personalized service and maintenance of a sewing machine store?
*With the multitude of features, are you going to go with what you really want or just what you need?
If possible, test drive before you plunk down your cash. Bring samples of different types of fabrics and check out how the machine handles them.
I recommend you look at pattern review after you narrow your choices down. Also, about.com has input from readers on their machines.
2006-07-05 22:29:01 · answer #1 · answered by TyeDyePrincess 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here are some websites that advise you on what features you might want:
http://sewandserge.com/choose.asp
http://www.quiltbus.com/sew.htm
Amazon.com is a good site to see people's opinions and first-hand experience with different models/brands of sewing machines.
2006-07-01 12:09:49 · answer #2 · answered by Ginger/Virginia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Checkout Janome. Singer is also good.
2006-07-03 02:10:01 · answer #3 · answered by SunnyBkk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋