Help Buying a sewing machine

amazon

Veteran Member
I used to sew, making clothes mostly. I would like to start again. Which sewing machine would you recommend? It's been over 10 years. I'd like one that's easy to learn how to use. The one I had was probably from the 70's. Ideally, I'd love a treadle one. Those seem very hard to come by.

Thanks for any advice/input!
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I love old Singers. I have a 15-91 and a 201. And Husqvarna Viking 190. Old machine, but solid and can sew almost as much as my Singer machines, which is saying something.
 

amazon

Veteran Member
Thanks everyone. I never see used ones in GW or on Craigslist. Does anyone have a recommendation for a new machine if it comes to that?
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
The Singer 1304

It's what I buy (or help buy) for teenagers. I just saw there is a newer model. I don't know about that one.


Walmart had these for $89 not long ago.

Please understand that this is NOT a heavy-duty machine that will last for years and years. There is a lot of plastic on this model, but it's really easy to use and it will get you back into sewing!

If you are going to do quilting or leather work, there are better machines for that. But this is great for skirts, tee shirts, pull-on shorts, and such. (It's also good for light-weight curtains, decorative pillows, stuffed animals . . .)

If you get back into sewing and do a lot of complicated stuff with heavy fabrics, you'll want to upgrade. However, consider getting an entry-level serger for the next upgrade. It easily adds professional touches to clothes, and I use it for tote bags.

Anyway, good luck! I think sewing is one of those life skills that should be taught in schools, again.
 
Last edited:

amazon

Veteran Member
I've found a local shop that sells sewing machines and offers free classes if you purchase there. I will take the info ya'll have shared and try there. I'm afraid I've forgotten everything. It's nice to have someone to ask questions with a new machine. : )
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
I've found a local shop that sells sewing machines and offers free classes if you purchase there. I will take the info ya'll have shared and try there. I'm afraid I've forgotten everything. It's nice to have someone to ask questions with a new machine. : )

This sounds like a really good idea and one I'd highly recommend.
 

end game

Veteran Member
I taught myself how to sew on this monster, the Juki TSC441:
1656714438752.png

My mother had a singer 501, last of the all metal gear machines. When she passed it was one of the things I kept. Thing ran flawlessly other than she knocked it out of time once. Took me less than 5 minutes to fix it.

1656714704340.png

Found this laying with the transport case and accessories in a pile of furniture left out on the side of the road after somebody moved:

1656714992693.png

I prefer the simplicity of older machines. Only issue is that some brands are hard to find parts. Singer, not at all. New machines are great, I just don't like electronics. The 501 uses cams that one inserts in place of another to do fancy stitching. I ran a leather manufacturing business for quite awhile, I was the chief mechanic, janitor, and ceo.
 

Kathy in FL

Administrator
_______________
Went to an estate sale today. There was an antique singer sewing machine in a cabinet for $125. It worked, someone tried it out and bought it before I could haggle. They paid too much for it but that's the way things go at estate sales. Sometimes you get a bodacious deal and sometimes someone wants an item so much they are willing to pay top dollar for it.

The most I've seen for a sewing machine before this was a $200 treadle machine that was all original, except for the needles and bobbins, and it worked. And it came with spare belts. Most machines that I see run $25 - $60 depending on condition, case, and accessories.
 

skwentnaflyer

Veteran Member
I taught myself how to sew on this monster, the Juki TSC441:
View attachment 347820

My mother had a singer 501, last of the all metal gear machines. When she passed it was one of the things I kept. Thing ran flawlessly other than she knocked it out of time once. Took me less than 5 minutes to fix it.

View attachment 347821

Found this laying with the transport case and accessories in a pile of furniture left out on the side of the road after somebody moved:

View attachment 347826

I prefer the simplicity of older machines. Only issue is that some brands are hard to find parts. Singer, not at all. New machines are great, I just don't like electronics. The 501 uses cams that one inserts in place of another to do fancy stitching. I ran a leather manufacturing business for quite awhile, I was the chief mechanic, janitor, and ceo.
Any of those could follow me home anytime! We had a streak where we found quite a few older metal machines. FIL was helping run an orphanage in Haiti, so we got them refurbished and he took them over there.
 

Chicory

#KeeptheRepublic
Ahhh sewing machines... it's the one thing I seem to collect. I say they find me. I have always loved the Kenmore machines, all metal, indestructible and no computer nonsense. I could go on and on about sewing machines, but I will exercise some restraint. Please report back on what you end up with.
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I had about a half-dozen older machines too, at one time. I gave them away and/or sold them when I moved.

My thinking: I have limited time to sew, and when I do so, I want to sew, not mess with fixing machines. I haven't run into older, pristine ones. They've been beaten up pretty badly. Your experience will differ, but for teenagers (and those returning to sewing), I don't recommend the older machines (older than mid-70s). The Singer I recommended is fairly basic and very easy to use. I wish I had learned on it! I would've made a lot more progress sooner. It's also not that pricey.

For what it's worth . . . and I don't buy that we are going to soon be hit with an EMP and be without power for a long time. I'd get the newer machine, learn to use it, and then mess with the older machines if it becomes necessary.

I know some will disagree. That's okay. :geek:

One more thing: it's great if you can take classes, but if you can't and that's putting you off from starting, look for kid's sewing DVD's and books. You can start with simple projects and learn by doing. Stuffed animals and such can be given to grand kids, etc.

I started sewing with making pin cushions, bean bags, learning to hem pants and skirts. None of that stuff is rocket science! Nor does it cost a lot of money to get started.

Example: run time 5 minutes

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPxr8Poibw4
 
Last edited:

Wildwood

Veteran Member
I use to love to sew. I decided a few years back I wanted to get into it again and bought a starter Janome, loaned it to someone and it's now useless. Years ago, I bought a kenmore. I loaned it to my mother when hers broke down and she wore it out. She bought a new one and told my father she borrowed it from my sister so he wouldn't fuss...guess who got her sewing machine when she passed and took it with a free conscience...it wasn't me. I've been thinking about trying one more time and you can be assured, it will not leave my house.

I can't decide if I want something really basic to see if I ever use it or something that can do more than run a straight seam. I'm toying with the idea of switching from the consumable products I currently manufacture to something completely different that would be a little more artistic for my "side hussle". As you can imagine with any consumable item, my cost of goods sold has gone through the roof because of shipping.

It was my Mother's side hussle that wore out my Kenmore lol. I can't complain too much because I designed her side hussle and she and my aunt made a nice little profit on it and had a ton of fun for a few years until her health forced her to stop.
 

O2BNOK

Veteran Member
I used to sew, making clothes mostly. I would like to start again. Which sewing machine would you recommend? It's been over 10 years. I'd like one that's easy to learn how to use. The one I had was probably from the 70's. Ideally, I'd love a treadle one. Those seem very hard to come by.

Thanks for any advice/input!

I have several machines, a few more than I use, truth be told.

My absolute favorite for just sewing a straight line is my 1952 Singer 201-2. That old gal would sew through a telephone pole if you could get one under the pressure foot and you cannot ask for a prettier stitch. If I wanted to I could free-motion quilt under her needle, and I have in order to prove it, but I have a better machine (or more) for that task. Cast iron construction, seems heavier every time I have to lift her. Maintenance is a breeze. Hardcore machine.

For taking to classes and whatnot I prefer the Singer Featherweight (1948 and 1952). Again beautiful stitches, simple to work on.

I also have some newer digital machines. I've done a ton of quilting on a Brother 9185, now several years old. (Brother's needle threader is accurate and elegant and I wonder if anyone does it better.) I still free-motion quilt with her despite her smallish throat. This machine came with lots of quilting accessories. She's paid for herself many times over doing customer quilts.

My most recent sewing machine purchase was an Eversewn Sparrow 30. It's digital but has metal innards. So far I've been happy with it.

I have others that are less loved, maybe because I don't know them well enough. But the machine You want is really going to depend on what you want to do with it.

I wish you luck in your hunt. I won't say "don't get carried away", because, well, you know.
 
Last edited:

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I hear you, Wildwood. I had a Singer 4411 (I think) at one point. It was described as "heavy duty." I got it at a garage sale for $30 - $40, something like that. I was turning salvage wool blankets into curtains and needed a machine with a stronger motor.

I started that project and then a friend and her husband both lost their jobs. They wanted to use up all of the leather they had stored from when their dad make leather wallets, belts, and purses and see if they could sell the finished products for enough to pay off their bills and move.

I loaned them the machine. It died on the last wallet, which got finished by hand. They made several hundred from selling the goods. I think a cousin helped them move. They said they would find me another used sewing machine, but that never happened. No clue where they are today! I hadn't thought of that story for a long time . . .

But, yeah, it helps to match the machine to what you're expecting to do. I just get teens a beginner machine. Sometimes they continue learning and upgrade, sometimes not. However, that's not a loss because sewing is a life skill! It doesn't matter whether one returns to it at age 30, 40, 50+.
 
Top