sewing machine users?

wendym

I have been sewing all my life, and I absolutely love my Brother Star 40E, which I'm sure won't be listed any more.

The features I would definitely go for (money permitting) are:

hard cover
self-threading
automatic tension
automatic buttonholing

I have embroidery stitches I have never used, and probably will never use.

And the sewing by itself phenomenon, which is surprisingly unsettling, was a pedal fault on my previous machine.

Rikki

Olliebeak wrote: »

My first machine was a really ancient Jones hand-operated one - had that for three years to get used to sewing.

Second one was a new (bought for my 21st birthday) Jones very basic electric one - had that for about five years until it was stolen.

Next one was my mothers, a german manufacturer, bought new in 1964 which I had from 76 to about 82. On that one I did lots of sewing commissions for friends, family and neighbours. As a result a member of family offered to swap her sewing machine for mine as a means of paying me for the work I'd done on a set of bridesmaid's dresses.

I STILL have that last machine (the swapsies one). It's a Singer 401G - one of the first embroidery machines that Singer ever manufactured and was made in 1956. I've been using it regularly, still sewing for friends, family etc, for over 25 years now.

There is no machine on earth that could tempt me away from this one - it does all I want and MORE besides. There's functions that I've never even used on it. There are so many combinations of embroidery stitches that I've never been able to calculate them all. It also blind hems. Have to admit though that because it was made in 1956 - it's iron and is really heavy to lift onto the table to do any sewing - Mr Ollie has his uses some times!!!

Your parents must have thought like mine.
I had a basic Jones electric sewing machine for my 21st birthday too. It just did a straight stitch and zigzag.

Olliebeak

Hi Rikki - How I wish it had been that advanced!!!

Mine only did forward and backward stitching - I still had to handstitch buttonholes if I wanted them! It did come with a very pretty blue cover with white flowers on the sides.

Got into the habit of putting press-studs on things and covering them on top with a button to give the illusion of a button/buttonhole!!!

When it was stolen I heard later that the lad who took it got £5.00 for it in the local pub - I would have given him £20 to have got it back again.

wigglebeena

God bless you all, if I don't get the Euromillions payout I hope one of you does. I think I might get the Elna 2310: will have to meditate on it hard.

sairy2005

I am a bit out of touch now but when I was selling sewing machines Bernina were the best but also the most expensive. Most machines are make in Japan and Taiwon now (none are made in England)
I have an Elna (from John Lewis) which I have had for about 15 years and I am very happy with it. It was however about £2000 when I bought it.
If you get a basic machine from a good retailer he will give you lessons on how to use the different functions free. This is what I used to do. You can always pop in and ask questions as well

mocolo

mines a riccar but i got it ages ago for my 20th ! I am looking around for a new one and have been advised to avoid the new berninas as they are not as good as the old ones.

as to bitd to look for- i am wanting a needle up/down function, walking foot for quilting and one stage buttonhole

mocolo

sairy2005

I understand the cheaper Berninas are not made in Switzerland any more (not sure any of them are - have a look on their website) I also have a very old Bernina in a cabinet which cost £25 from a car boot but would not recommend this to every one unless they know a bit about machines.
If I were buying another one now I would go for a basic Janome which did all the basic stitches plus a one step button hole, with a zipper foot and an overlocking stitch for finishing edges. If you buy from a reputable dealer you cant really go wrong.

sairy2005

By the way I do love sewing machines. At one time I had 6. The problem with the OP machine is almost certainly the pedal shorting out and making contact when it shouldn't. You can probably solve it by buying a new pedal. I personally would want my money back as the seller must have known this happened which is probably why they sold it.

fizzyfeet_2

Can you just buy a walking foot? Or is it a special function that the machine needs to have?

Have been looking at a pattern I want to make, and it advises a walking foot, I don't even know what that is!!

Rikki

fizzyfeet wrote: »

Can you just buy a walking foot? Or is it a special function that the machine needs to have?

Have been looking at a pattern I want to make, and it advises a walking foot, I don't even know what that is!!

Walking Foot + Quilter Low Shank
The Walking Foot, sometimes referred to as the even feed foot, is designed with a set of feed dogs (teeth) which allow the fabric to feed without shifting or slipping and eliminates the problem of the underlayer of fabric coming up short

The Walking Foot is a must for the quilter and can be used with either straight or decorative stitches. The quilter guide will help maintain perfect parallel lines with stitching

Now I know too. :cool: