help! what kind of sewing machine should i buy?
After shopping at Brooklyn General, I have a closetful of fabrics (including this fruity pile, above) but no sewing machine. I like the idea of a small, cute one that I can stash in a corner. There’s the Kenmore Mini Ultra, which appeared in the now-defunct Budget Living, and the Sew D’Lite, recommended by Real Simple. I know there are also $3,000 models out there, complete with lasers and other gadgets, but I’d prefer something under $100—or cheaper, truthfully. I’d be, uh, sew thankful to get your suggestions. — Bunny W.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:55 am
I have the kenmore mini ultra, and its a great intro sewing machine. not too happy about sewing super heavy fabrics, but I’ve made a couple shirts, pants, a bag, and even a wool coat with it!
April 11th, 2007 at 6:44 am
this renews my desire to either get my old sewing machine fixed, or get a new one!!!!!
April 11th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Thanks, Diana. It sounds pretty good if you made a whole wool coat with your machine, especially at that price! Amber, I wonder how much it costs to get a machine fixed; I found an old one the the other day, but didn’t want to bother with fixing it up.
April 11th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I have a pfaff varimatic 6085, its almost 10 years old and still runs great. If you are looking for something to last you a while I would suggest it. I learned to sew on this machine and thought it was pretty simple to use. You can sometimes find that the sewing machine stores in the garment district will sell you their floor or demo models at a nice discount. I had great luck at Hecht (304 West 38th) when I was looking for an overlock machine. I have also heard great things about the Babylock Denim Pro as a great machine to start with. Check out sewing.patternreview.com - You will find reviews on every machine that ever existed on that site! Good luck and happy sewing!
April 11th, 2007 at 8:06 am
My mom picked mine out (she’s ridiculously into sewing and has several machines), it’s a Kenmore model #19110. I think I got it on sale for $200. It’s fantastic, sews really nice and is hearty enough to make a quilt on but delicate enough to use for heirloom-type sewing.
I really wanted
This One though.
April 11th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Oops, I mean This One though.
April 11th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I wouldn’t suggest either of those machines. I hear the Kenmore one can be quite fussy and there is nothing worse than trying to get through a project and it start getting on your nerves.
I have a Pfaff, while it is a little pricey I love it. I paid $500 for my machine but it was well worth the investment.
If you are going to buy a machine I’d get a full size one, they aren’t that much bigger than the “compact” machines and with technology the newer ones aren’t as bulky. I store mine right on my desk and it’s never gotten in the way.
When looking for a machine keep in mind you might not be thinking about zippers or button holes now but you may in the near future. Go to places where you can try your machine first before buying, it’s the only way to get a real feel for what you would like.
April 11th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Allyson, thanks for the website link! Ellobie…that’s hilarious, Hello Kitty is on everything. Really cute. And, Stacy, thanks so much for all the info; it sounds like the Pfaffs are great. You’re right about button holes: I hadn’t thought about them, but of course I’d end up needing to make them at some point.
April 11th, 2007 at 9:59 am
While I’m a novice, I’ve been knocked out at the quality of my Hello Kitty Janome sewing machine. I’m not a HK collector, but find the little face benignly sweet and reassuring as I’m working. Small projects thus far, teaching myself to sew since my only prior experience was a wrap skirt in middle school (that I ended up stapling together). Bought the HK machine after reading tons of good reviews about its solidity, price and small footprint, and it’s lived up to the hype. Only drawback is that it comes with plastic bobbins, but they are easily changed out for metal ones.
April 11th, 2007 at 11:25 am
That lovely fabric pic enticed me right out to Brooklyn General, and I found the sweetest lemons-and-limes for my Spring/Summer tablecloth. I’ll hem it up on my low-tech Brother LS12-17, which I use for everything even though I probably shouldn’t. Thanks for the inspiration!
April 11th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Another fan of the Hello Kitty sewing machine here. I echo everything Shelby said above!
April 11th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Shelby and chez shoes, thanks for the HK info! Who would have known? And Ivy–isn’t Brooklyn General the best as far as fabrics? They don’t have a huge selection, but their prints are so great that I was tempted to buy stuff I had no use for, just because it looked so pretty.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Try the Huskystar E10 for only $150. Reliable brand and it cute, to boot.
http://www.huskystar.net/us/49.htm
April 11th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
i have a brother machine, it’s really light, idiot-proof, and cheap. trifecta! i’m a total beginner and i’ve lent it to my mom (a far more experienced seamstress), and we’re both smitten with it. good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-XL2610-Stitch-Function-Machine/dp/B000A5CKHG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_7/102-6204162-8159345?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1176341504&sr=8-7
April 12th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Isaspacey and snq, oo, those are so cute! (Unfortunately I tend to be swayed by looks instead of reliability when it comes to gadgets). I especially like the Brother machine. Also, my mom has that brand and likes it (hers is twenty years old!), so I am thinking of getting that one.
Oh, and, also: I guess no one has used the Sew D’Lite (link is in the post)? Seems a bit dinky, but it is rather inexpensive…
April 12th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Singer, singer & Singer.
(Don’t forget Kenmore is a Sears House brand.)
And used ones can be had at church sales, etc for $20. Old machines were built to last.
April 12th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
I’ve done a lot of research about this recently, and from what I’ve found and from my experience, for a starter machine it is best to get a fairly simple one. The best new machines for under $200 seem to be the Huskystar and Janome (I have a Janome Sew Mini that I love for small jobs and it is wonderfully portable!). Other brand cheap machines generally don’t tend to do very well, from what I’ve heard.
Or if you want something more rugged, buy an old Singer. The ones that were made up into the 1970’s are still great machines that can be had for cheap. The 403 & 501 models are great. The 750 is a bit more fussy, but has lots of features. My personal baby is a 348 that I got for $10 and it will sew through anything.
If you can find one, get an old Pfaff (My mother has an old 1222 SE that I bought used for $400, it is a great old tank that has a walking foot for quilting).
April 12th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Hot_toddygal, I was wondering when someone was going to mention Singer! Those seem good. But, Rinny, I think the Janome Sew Mini might be just the thing for me. I am only doing small stuff right now, and don’t want to spend all my cash on a sewing machine right at this moment. This summer, maybe I’ll look around at stoop sales for an old Singer or Pfaff (oh dear, I’m going to end up with multiple machines.)
April 13th, 2007 at 1:40 am
Bunny, that is exactly why I bought the Sew Mini: The price was right, and it looked far less intimidating as a starter machine than my mother’s Pfaff. Every time I used her machine it would get out of whack, so I thought I’d better get one of my own. I now have 5, including the Sew Mini, and for all of them put together I’ve spent less than $200 (too many good thrift shop finds).
The nice thing about old Singer machines is that they’ll go forever if you get them serviced now and then. The metal bodied models often don’t even look aged, though you might need to get a new cord and pedal.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:14 am
I have had a Bernette and an old Kenmore but replaced them with a simple model Pfaff for about $300. It was more than I wanted to spend at first, but it has been worth it so far. I bought a new Singer before the Pfaff, but brought it back to the store straight away after feeling how cheap and plasticy it was. I have heard good things about the older models, but the new ones are kind of icky. The Pfaff, however, is very simple (without all the bazillion stitch patterns that most new machines seem to have) but has such a smooth motion and is quiet enough to sew at any hour of the night. Score!
April 13th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I would not recommend a mini sewing machine unless space is super tight. You can just do so much more with a full size and hopefully once you get started sewing you’ll want to do more and more. I have a Kenmore which I got for about $150 and it’s great. I have the soft carrying case for it and it tucks into a small space in my closet when not in use. Kenmore’s have excellent warranties. My mom uses an old Singer which just doesn’t seem to die, despite occassional required tune-ups. The only draw back is that it weighs about 40 pounds. Not great if you don’t have a dedcated work space for your machine. I hear the HuskyStars are pretty good, too. If you do decide to get a Kenmore, go to Sears in person because sometimes they have machines that were returned new in the box, but because the box has been opened they greatly discount them.
April 16th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
my mom has a kenmore she’s had since she was married almost 30 years ago. My sister had a brother and liked it pretty well, so I bought the same one off of ebay, thought I was getting a great deal, but it keeps breaking. The service charges are almost as much as a new mini machine would be and as much as I paid for it, So I’m seriously thinking about donating it to the repair shop (or selling it for parts) and buying a simpler machine. I need to learn how to sew, so I don’t need that many options yet, but I feel helpless without one at all.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Rinny, that’s hilarious that you now have five sewing machines. With all these great suggestions (thanks for the note about the Pfaff, Villain E.), I may end up in the same situation! Szig–thank you so much for that great tip about going to Sears in person. And jessih9, I know exactly what you mean; I definitely am wary of ending up with a machine that breaks all the time. However, with all of this great help from everyone, I think I will end up with something good. : )
April 21st, 2007 at 8:08 am
I grew up in Germany, as did my mom and grandmother, who both taught me to sew. (You also learn to sew in elementary school there). I learned to sew on my mom’s $1000+ Pfaff (the Select line, I believe).
I just bought myself a machine a couple weeks ago. Though I couldn’t afford one quite like that, I got a Hobby line Pfaff (on sale at the dealer’s for $299 down from $399) that I absolutely love, and that feels very much like my mom’s, but has a slightly more industrial look. It’s strong and quiet and Pfaff’s come with great warranties and service plans. If you take good care of them, they really do last forever. Gotta say, I’d never go with any other brand.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
I have been doing some investigating and I thing the Green Hello Kitty machine and the Kenmore mini-ultra are the same machine… check out their ohotos side by side…..
June 20th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I bought a used pfaff 1475 fifteen years ago for $1700. Before you faint, I’ve had the machine for 15 years and aside from a checkup every 3 or 4 years just to make sure it gets serviced properly, I’ve never had to had the thing fixed. I’ve made clothes, quilts (I machine quilt in addition to machine piece) and home decorating projects on the thing and it just keeps on sewing and sewing and sewing……
Sometimes you get what you pay for.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:32 am
[...] Peggy! Thanks for writing. We covered this very subject back in April with this post. At the time, the machine that garnered the most recommendations was the Kenmore Mini Ultra Light. [...]