Best budget sewing machine for a newbie?

rainbowfairydust

originally posted this on the OS board but then spotted that mse also has a crafty board

I will also ask my question here too:beer:

Hi all
I am looking at buying a sewing machine but have no experience, and have a small budget ( i could spend up to £100 at a push) - really hoping to spend a little less though.

I am wanting a machine that can cope with altering jeans , and also other trousers. I am fed up of shelling out extra ££'s getting my clothes altered when i could do this myself.

Thanks

s_b

you get what you pay for
why not consider a used p/x from your local sewing shop,we paid £180 for ours and still working out things it can do,we bought an overlocker too
good strong needles are the way forward

Yorkshirelass_2

I've been dithering for ages - wanting to replace a machine from my mum that should be in a museum! It's built like a tank - which unfortunately makes new ones seem very plastic; hence the dithering!


I have no idea what they are like, but John Lewis have a mini own brand one reduced to £35 at the moment, or the full size one in lemon at £69.


Amazon have also had the odd machine on the daily deals.


Hope this helps:)

charlies-aunt

I bought the John Lewis one last year - mine is an eye watering bright blue which is (I guess) why it was reduced to £65 from £99


I had an ancient hand cranked Jones before so the JL one seemed flimsy in comparison but once I go past that- its been brilliant! Easy to thread up, instructions are clear (even for a duffer like me) and straightforward to sew with.


I have only done plain sewing so I have only used the straight stitch and zigzag options so far. As a starter machine, its been a good buy for me