recommend a sewing machine please

LoLo

Hi, can anyone recommend a sewing machine please. It will be the first sewing machine I have used and hopefully I am wanting to be able to alter my own clothes and make new ones etc. Anyone help please?

Limara

LoLo wrote: »

Hi, can anyone recommend a sewing machine please. It will be the first sewing machine I have used and hopefully I am wanting to be able to alter my own clothes and make new ones etc. Anyone help please?

Janome 2522 le also known as my style 22, its not the cheapest of the lower end market of machines but its a great work horse, its really easy to use and very reliable its the main machine that schools and colleges use aroound here.
It can handle different thickness very easily I have seen a demo of it stitching through a leather belt then the belt being folded in half and stitched through again.
it hasnt got an abundane of stitches ( think its 22) its does have a very good auto buttonhole and the machines that have hundreds of stitches you are never likley to use them all.

rosekitten

Elna,Bernina or Janome

Bit biased as I am an Elna owner
but everyone who has ever used mine
has instantly fallen in love with it and
have said oh I wish mine was as nice
and easy to use as this.My nieces
can all use it with ease and its in
constant use for sewing & repairs.

one thing I do like about my machine
and lots have commented on it has a
drop in bobbin,so much easier than the
type that fit in side ways on

If it were me buying I would find a
John Lewis store and get them to
demonstrate some for you and let you
try them out,they are really nice and
helpful and even if you dont buy one
there,it will give you a good idea of
what you would really like.
Dont be blinded by loads of gadgets
go for a good quality basic model as its
your first machine if you decide later that
you want a machine that does more you
can always sell on what you have for
something more advanced,a good quality
secondhand machine will always sell easily


Avoid supermarket one off bargains
they may be cheap but often end up
sat in a cupboard unused as they are
often a right faff to set up and the
results are not too good
Rather than spend £80+ on a cheap brand
new bargain, I would rather buy a good quality
secondhand one any day of the week


.

JCD_Capulet

Singer. The only sewing machine I ever want to own. They'll last you a lifetime if looked after.

nuttywoman

I like Toyota, i bought a new one 3yrs ago and my 1st one is still going strong at 22yrs.
Bought the last one from www.coopers.co.uk

WartimeScrapingofMarmite

I've got a Toyota too, I've had it 7 years and it's never let me down. I would also agree with JCD and say a Singer would be a good investment, I know people who have had theirs for over 30 years.

Margaret54

I was going to ask the same question, as I too would ery much like to buy one and use it for curtins clothes etc. I would love to go to classes for dressmaking so I am looking out for any going in our area. You never know they might come soon with people having to tighten their belts.

rosekitten

When I got my machine I knew as soon
as I had tried it it was perfect for me
but it was a whopping £700. I found a
local sewing machine centre and asked
them to get in touch if they ever got any
part exchange.I struck lucky and paid £165
it still looked and ran like a brand new
machine the shop gave it a good service
and checked everything was fine and it
came with a 6 month garuntee.
the lady who brought it in exchanged it for a
machine that was a lot more advanced as she
had been using it for applique and felt she needed
a more advanced machine.

I have never bought a cushion or curtains since,
I use it for patchwork,quilts, the kids fancy dress
costumes even made a new cover for my settee.
Umpteen repair jobs carried out as well.

I should also point out I am no sewing genius
but the machine is so simple and easy
to use that you feel confident to try out things.

I just plug in the foot peddle,plug into the mains,
thread the cotton (done in a trice as its really easy
and quick),drop in a spool let the needle take up the
thread and I am ready to sew,I never have to look
at the tension as its always spot on.All this takes about
a minute and really you dont want to be spending
ages just setting it up.If its this easy on any machine
you try out then you are probably onto a winner.

Get it right at the outset and you will be investing
in a worth while item,the most important thing
is to try before buying anything.

.

LoLo

Which machine did you go for Rosekitten?

rosekitten

LoLo wrote: »

Which machine did you go for Rosekitten?

I got an Elna TX electronic
but would have been just as
happy with the other two models
in the range the Stella and the Classic
as they are all nearly the same in style
and capability.Worth looking out for as
these turn up as cheap as £25 these days
secondhand.

I got mine about 23 years ago
I only ever put oil in it about
once a year if that.It did once
get servced.We had a flood one
time and it got drenched sat in a cupboard
I just let it dry out and got it serviced,
it was fine.

Then three years later, I had it stored in
my mums ,sat in a cupboard for nearly
three weeks with boiling water from the
hot water tank dripping steadily over it..
You should have seen it,it was a real mess
this was much worse than the previous one.
I really thought that it was finished off for
good this time round.So I wiped off all the water
but it was well and truly soaked right through
and parts of the enamel on it had bubbled up
and it had to be sanded down in parts,then I
put it in my mums airing cupboard as its always
hot in there,left it for a month,oiled it up and it
was working fine and has done ever since.

I never store it in a cupboard any more,it
would seem like tempting fate for me.