I am thrilled they want to learn and a girl's sewing night sounds super fun.
Question is, they want to buy a machine suitable for beginners, possibly used and don't know where to look.
I inherited my mom's machine and it's a Pfaff. I love it but since I've never been sewing machine shopping, I don't know how to direct them. Which is why I am asking you- my panel of experts.
Any suggestions? What brand should they buy? Where can you get a good used sewing machine?
If you could chime in, I'd be very grateful! :)
40 comments:
Craigs List. I got a great used machine from an estate sale on Craigs list. Older, all metal, well kept and does a mean straight stitch. I don't think the brand matters that much for this type of purchase as long as you can test the stitch in advance.
While older used sewing machines are probably better and more durable, please tell your beginners not to be afraid of trying newer cheaper models. Several years ago I bought a bottom-of-the-line Kenmore at a Sears Outlet. It has performed fine for me. I sew clothing and quilts and crafts and alterations. Before starting quilting I bought a Kenmore quilting set of walking foot, quarter-inch foot, seam gauge, and quilting bar. I treat my machine right, change needles often, and it's doing fine! It comes with a snap-on foot and attachments, but I can unscrew the snap-on part and use all the old screw-on attachments. I have free-motion quilted up to a twin-size already, using my small machine! I did discover that not all bobbins are made equal. Only one of my bobbins works right when doing free-motion stitching. Anyway, I discovered your blog through Karen Gray's blog, and will look forward to reading your archives and seeing how the sewing lessons come along.
Janome makes some great, low cost machines for beginners. I have an expensive machine for home, but got a Janome for around $300 to take "on the road". Love it!
My local sewing machine repair shop always has some good new or used sewing machines that are inexpensive. Perhaps they could check that out.
Joann's fabric that have the sewing machine department sell trade ins and the ones they use for classes when they get new models in. I also suggest craigslist.
I found a great factory refurbished janome on Overstock. I got a heck of deal. When the foot pedal it came with didn't work they got me a new one almost immediately. Sent it right out, no questions asked. I didn't have to fool around with sending the bad pedal back or anything.
A lot of times, quilt shops will sell used machines, I think, so they could check there. I know Bernina makes a "lower" level machine that is called a Bernette and they aren't very expensive.
I totally agree with the looking for used route. That's what I did this year. I was sewing on my mothers 1975 Kenmore for years and it just wasn't up to the task anymore. I got a refurbed bernina 1130 off ebay and it has been fantastic. Craigslist is also a great place to look though, you can save a lot on shipping if you can find a local seller.
Working with good tools will make the sewing experience so much less frustrating. I am a firm believer that the machine should come from a shop where you can get some help. Love a good sewing machine store that offers lessons and repairs and with staff who are excited to see you progress. I love Bernina and know the local (Gastonia, NC) dealer has used machines as well.
I have an fairly inexpensive Janome (DC2010) and I absolutely love it. Haven't had any problems with it. Simple enough for a beginner but has a nice amount of features and sturdy enough for heavy duty sewing.
I started out with a $100 machine from a chain store...fell apart after 4 months and had a hard time getting repairs done under the warranty.
At least, if you buy from a machine dealer, you'll get support when you need it!
I started really quilting last year (took a class at Karen Gray!) on a cheap $100-type model from Sears. Honestly it was fine. I made several quilts on it (just the piecing). This year I wanted something with more stitch options/ability to drop feed dogs, etc and after looking at our local Bernina shop and another LQS that carries machines (Karen Gray doesn't sell machines) I bought from Triad Sew and Vac. It's not a sparkly, fancy shop but they repair and sell vacuums and sewing machines there and know everything! They have everything from the $200 machines way up to the crazy nice computerized embroidery machines. The website says they have a store near you so it might be worth looking into www.triadsewandvac.com
I started out with a $90 dollar Brother from Walmart. When I really started sewing a lot it stopped working. I had it for maybe a year. I heard of a local sew and vac shop that sold used machines and went to check it out, but they didn't have any used ones for sale at the time. I ended up leaving with a brand new Janome DC2010 and I. Love. It! I suggest looking for a local shop that services what they sell. Most of the time they will only carry one or two brands at all price levels and will be able to give you the best costumer service. Good luck. I can't wait to see how it goes since I have had a few friends show interest in lessons as well.
I have heard that Brother has some cheap/decent intro machines. I had a Bernette before my Bernina- I would NOT recommend it. It had horrific tension issues. My mom has one also and she has had the same issues. That is just my two cents. It sounds like there are lots of good ideas though :)
I am new to sewing and take lots of classes. I now have a Janome
DC2010. It is light, easy to take to sewing classes and is easy to learn. MAny of the women bring everything from huge to antique to sew with, but the Janome brand which are light and easy are what they end up buying in addition to their thousands of dollars sewing machines.
I would not buy a low end Singer - having done it myself. Because if your friends ever want to start quilting then this will only frustrate them. The dogs are spaced too far apart for picking up the fabric for 1/4" seams as well as too far back to sew right from the edge. It just isn't versatile enough to do different types of sewing. So I would avoid at all costs and think a better, older machine second hand would serve them much better.
For beginners, I would use an inexpensive machine or borrow one. After deciding they love sewing, I would upgrade to a nicer machine. I recommend Craigslist also, and I must say that I'm really partial to older Berninas. Mine is a workhorse!
(You are so nice to use your time to help your friends out!)
I started with a low end Brother when I first started quilting and then took the plunge last year and bought a Bernina 440QE. While the Brother was OK the Bernina is smooth as a baby's bottom when it comes to sewing and extremely reliable. The man in our local sewing machine shop <( who has no allegiance to any particular brand) said of all the machines he looks at, Bernina are, in his opinion 'the rolls Royce of sewing machines' and the most reliable,
Just last year I bought my own first machine. I got a Brother and haven't really had any problems. I got mine off of Amazon because they often go on "sale" for quite a bit off the normal price (I think I saved around fifty dollars). If they don't want to get a used machine, this could be a good place to look.
I LOVE my Janome!!! I had a singer before that and it was ok (it was one of the higher end models) but the Janome is so much better. They have some really reasonable machines and the quality is fantastic!
Walmart has this Brother machine that comes with a walking foot and a wide table for quilting...along with a bunch of other impressive perks. Since a walking foot costs around $80 alone, the $199 price for this sewing machine is a great deal I think. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-80-Stitch-Sewing-Machine/14237606
I have an inexpensive Kenmore too, and it honestly works great! I've had it for about 10 years with no problems, and I've quilted up to twin size quilts on it.
up until this fall I sewed on a Singer I bought at walmart for about $100 in 1995! Never serviced or oiled it once. When I would bring it to class at the fancy bernina store, they would act like I was so deprived! Truth is, it was more than fine. I only got a bernina when I started to do free-motion quilting and couldn't drop the feed dogs on the singer.
Craigslist is a great place to find machines, especially in their garage sale section. Most machines are as good as you treat them. Teach your friends the value of new needles and cleaning the lint out of the bobbin case!
I only glanced through the comments you've already received and figure most of what I have to say may have already been said. You've got some great comments as to where to buy used sewing machines. All I can say is - I started out on a $20 used Singer sewing machine. All that need is a machine that sews a straight seam. They don't need all the fancy dancy embroidery stitches. At this point, they don't even know if they're going to pursue this new hobby, so I say they should get a machine that has been well-maintained, and that they can test out before buying. Before they start sewing, they should have it checked out by the local sewing machine shop so they can start out with a machine that works properly. There's nothing that can discourage you more than to try something new with an item that isn't quite working up to par. Talk about frustrations! As one of your earlier commenters said also, "teach your friends the value of new needles and cleaning the lint out of the bobbin case." I'm still new to quilting, and those two things were not taught to me. Also teach them to replace their rotary cutter blades (that will make life easier), and also to pre-wind several bobbins so their mojo isn't interrupted when they have to cease sewing to wind more bobbins. Good luck! I envy you. I wish I had friends that lived nearby that sew.
I'm still sewing on a Walmart Brother LX-3125, that I bought as an emergency purchase when my antique Singer died the weekend I needed to finish sewing 4 costumes. It's not fancy. I do regret that it doesn't let me free motion quilt. It does just fine straight lining it with a walking foot (easy to find cheap online) but I am saving up for a Bernina. My aunt, who does upholstery for interior designers swears by hers (and she has several).
I have to agree with the Janome people. If you buy a new inexpensive machine you have a warranty and Janome has some good basic machines. I started on a Kenmore and it's still running after 30 years, but I don't think they're made as well now.
I would also check with your local dealer, if they have trade in's they may offer a limited warranty.
I agree with Vanessa. That is the machine I started out with about three years ago and I still love it!!!
Craig's List and garage sales are a good place to look, but personally I'd check out the dealers. They should have something, new or used, that will work for a beginner. Typically they'll give a lesson on how to use the machine when you buy it and if something goes wrong you know who to take it to when it needs to be fixed! There are some recommendations here: http://www.stitchlab.biz/sewing_machine_recs.html and you can look at reviews here: http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingMachine/. I think you have to be a member to see the reviews, but membership is free, you just have to sign up.
Personally, I had a Brother, and it was OK, but I"m not sure I would have been happy trying to quilt with it. I was really glad when my mom passed her Janome down to me (she has two other Janome's for quilting and one for embroidery now!) One of the reason's I like Janome versus some of the other brands is that the feet are relatively inexpensive (my walking foot cost about $40).
I think the best way to get the best machine for you money is to buy an older used Bernina off of ebay. My mom picked up a Bernina 801 for about $250. I totally love it.
They are also having a giveaway for new sewers/quilters at Stash Manicure and will be giving away tools and machines.
I got my machine through Sears. The Kenmore brand machines are Janomes if you really look at them. I LOVE my machine. It is a Kenmore Computerized Sewing Machine 19110 You can get it for $190 - $250 and it has 110 stitch functions. Now it has everything you need, and why buy a cheapy machine that you are going to have trouble with in months, when you can get a machine with a great warranty, that you KNOW you will be happy with, and can get great service on it IF you by chance have issues. I am VERY happy with my machine.
I've had really good luck on ebay- I bought my first 'good' machine (a used Janome MC4000 for about $300) about 10 years ago and just this year replaced it with a Bernina 440QE. The dealer I bought it from bought my Janome from me (though with shipping back to him, it might have been a good idea to trade it in locally.) Good luck with your lesson! I'm hoping to convert a friend to becoming a modern quilter in a few weeks myself!
I love my Bernina and it is 22 years young.
There is a dealer in OH and they carry some trade in machines and also sell some trade show machine.
a gently used good machine will be great.
Really consider what you need -how often will you use some of the fancy stuff ?
Good luck and buy some pretty fabric to go with whatever machine you buy
My first machine was a Brother, which lasted about 8 years before giving up the ghost this past weekend. I'd say the majority of the sewing was done in the last 4 years, though. If you're looking for a sub-$200 machine, then a Brother is a good starter machine. You can find them on Amazon, which makes shopping easy!
Must chime in and say stay away from the lower end Singers (the newer ones not nec the old ones). They are a nightmare for anyone that has showed up for a quilting class with one that I've been in. I used a 20+ year old cheap Brother and its still going strong. I've picked up old ones at Thrift stores and gifted them to young girls just learning with all good results so far. But an older Singer would do just as well. Just stay away from the new lower end ones!!
Just through a quick glance through the comments I see no one has mentioned Elnas - what a shame! I have the Elna Quilter's Dream and it really lives up to it's name. I got it used from a local vacuum and sewing machine store...at the time I didn't even want a sewing machine (gasp!) but my folks had given me money for one for Christmas after I had begged my mom to make me some curtains. Little did I know how that purchase would change my life...I took one step into a quilt shop and was instantly hooked!
If you have a Bernina dealer by you, I would check with them to see if they have any pre owned machines. I got a 210 preowned at a great deal.
I just made my first solo quilt top this past week and it's my first quilting experience with a low-end Singer that I was given in the 80's as a gift from my husband. I was frustrated that I couldn't get a quarter-inch foot for it (not one with the ledge style guide anyway) and I did struggle with the quarter inch seams even though I tried to be ever so careful. It leaves me wondering if it's me or the machine. Now that I have something to compare, I'm eager to test run several machines. This post and the comments have been most helpful in giving me a starting place. I am surprised, though that nobody has mentioned Pfaff. I know a woman who quilts a lot and she LOVES her Pfaff and I've read other sewing machine discussion where people talk about their Pfaff love. Maybe it's not mentioned here because, perhaps, it's intended for a more experienced or dedicated quilter? Just guessing on that. Of course I don't know. I'm new to this for goodness sake.
I actually had several friends buy good Brother machines on Amazon for like $230 down from $450. Good deals!
My first machine was a $69.99 special from Wal-Mart--a Brother LS2125i. I had no idea that I was going to get so into sewing, and I needed something basic for sewing curtains and whatnot. Flash forward a couple of years and I am using the thing like crazy! Quilts, clothes, you name it. But I couldn't adjust the stitch length (there were only 5 settings for lengths of straight stitches), I had a horrible time using the zig-zag stitch for applique, and the bobbin thread would tangle horribly--and I had no support whatsoever. I bought a Viking #1+ with embroidery unit on eBay and I LOVE it! I agree wholeheartedly that it's really important for people new to sewing to buy a machine that they can take lessons with locally, but that does NOT mean they have to go to a dealer to buy a brand new machine! I bought mine on eBay (it's probably 10 years old) but since we have a Viking dealer I could still take lessons, get service, and buy parts. Craigslist is a good option too, especially because you can look at it in person before you buy, unlike eBay. And if your dealer sells used machines, that's great too--I don't think any of mine do.
I would recommend getting a pretty entry-level machine, but not as much as mine was--you want them to at least be able to adjust the stitch length!! Hope this helps :)
I hope it's not too late to chime in! My thought is getting a good quality, entry level machine will let you do everything you need! I originally got an entry level singer, and I could tell it wasn't the right machine for me right away. I went back to the store and traded it in for a Husquvarna (mine is the Emerald 116, and was about $300), and it was the best decision I ever made! My little machine is a workhorse, and I piece and quilt everything on it. It has never given me any trouble, and I've known some other happy husquvarna owners, too. I would recommend checking their brand out!
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