Any sewing machine recommendations?

angeltreats

Argh, I wrote a reply and my browser crashed!

Anyway I would go for the £30 New Home, definitely, especially if it's been reconditioned and you're able to see it running. Get the guy to show you how to thread it and try and make a few notes if you can, but I'd bet you can find a manual somewhere online for free, and even if not, if you post a photo on here we can figure out anything you're not sure of. It sounds like a bargain.

kitschy

I would go for the £30 too. To be honest, I wouldn't worry about the lack of manual - I've only ever looked at mine for the button holing bit, and they all work in a very similar way. Once you know the model, you could ask on here if anyone has one and could copy the book for you, or google it as there are lots of instruction manuals online.

I also used to have a really good course I bought online for curtain making. I'll have a look to see if my ex-husband was good enough to put it on my laptop and if he did I'll send you it if you like.

divorcingjack

Hi again,

After looking around for ever and not finding anything, I'm now overwhelmed with reconditioned machines! Another local dealer phoned me and said he also has some old janomes for me to look at, and then my mum reminded me that she has her mum's ancient singer! Unfortunately, they live in N.ireland, so it would probably cost more in postage..

So, lots of shopping around to be done! I feel much more confident about buying an older one, and only spending £30 wold be amazing.

kitschy - that would be amazing! Thanks so much for the offer. No doubt I will be back here next week asking for help on threading and buying needles. I am also now addicted to the shabby chic thread, which is looking alarmingly time consuming..

On my way out to look at antiques! This could be the start of something expensive.

Cheers all (and thanks for moving me zippychick)

dj

divorcingjack

Hi again OS sewing gurus...

I went to one of my local dealers today to see the much-vaunted £30 machine. It is a New Home 546, and can do straight stitch, zigzag stitch, buttonholes, stretch stitch and reverse. He had it running and it sounded very smooth indeed.

I took some pics in the hope that someone would either have a manual, or be familiar with this model and I could pepper them annoyingly with questions. Alternatively - anyone think of any reasons I should massively avoid this one?

flickr linky (I hope)

thanks again for any feedback!

Cheers

dj

angeltreats

For £30 I would snap that up, it looks like a lovely robust machine and unless you're going to sew an awful lot of narrow things I don't think the lack of a free arm will bother you - I've certainly managed to hem trousers on a flat bed machine like that one.

It's not for your machine but there's a manual for a similar New Home machine here, from what I can tell the threading is more or less the same and the controls will probably be almost the same, just in different places. They do have the manual for yours (well, the 549, I think the manual covers 546-549) but you have to pay to download it.

Hang on, this one looks even more similar to yours. The stitch selector and stitch width knobs are swapped round but other than that I can't see much difference between the two.

angeltreats

By the way I see they have a manual for my Bernina, this is it just to let you see how basic my favourite machine is! It does straight and zig zag with adjustable lengths and widths, and reverse, and that's it.

shelley_crow

Has anyone ever used a Janome 373? If so, what is it like?x

divorcingjack

I've just told my partner how much I love MSE! You guys are amazing!!!

Thanks so much angletreats - you have launched me on my sewing journey, and I'm going to go and pick that machine up tomorrow. As regards sewing legs - all my trousers are wide leg anyway...:p

I'm so excited!!! :j Your Bernina looks brilliant, I think the simpler the better for me.

The guy is going to give me a lesson before I leave the shop, but now I've got the manual, that's even better :T

Will post back with progress on a cushion cover..

thanks again to everyone who helped me,

dj

MONEYMAKINGMUM

Hi, I got a Toyota 500 sewing machine from freecycle (ages ago, only getting around to using it now!)
I was changing the bobbin and it's a faff to put back in. It's sideways, edge on not flat like my old one was, and has a round metal ring bit that fits over bobbin and case.

Does anyone know how I can get the bobbin back in place without it slipping off before I have time to turn the plastic flaps to hold it in place?
I searched for manuals and forums and you tube etc, there is no info on it anywhere.

It has a wooden base so it's tricky to see or get to.
Toyota model 500 Aisin Seiki co. ltd
The receipt is dated 1975.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

craftysarah

Hi Moneymakingmum, I've got a Toyota although it's a slighty newer model but the bobbin sounds familiar. Has it got a catch across the metal ring that encloses the bobbin in its case? If so then you can pull this catch open and it locks everything in place whilst u slot it back. HTH