Home
Back To Techniques Page

Modern Art Quilters
Sewing Machines and Other Tools for The Best Quilting Results...

SEWING MACHINES FOR BEGINNERS (and more advanced students!) by Helen Howes NEW SERIES: PART 8 - - How to buy a sewing machine, or; This is going to be a marriage, not a fling...



I did something utterly radical (for me) a few years ago, I bought a New Sewing Machine. Now, most of you will know that I'm a fan of the older machines, and have done much of my work for the last 40-odd years on a straight-stitch-only Singer treadle. And Modern has developed a reputation for old machines - we carry handcranks around with us; they are great talking-points, easy to manage, and need neither a PAT test nor a plug-in place. But, I'm getting older, like all of us, and some bits of me, like my back, are already pretty much shot. I've been contemplating a new machine for a while, but the ones I meet in classes and the ones I repair every day are not what I was looking for..

I went to Duxford quilt show, and fell head-over-heels for a big Juki. Straight stitches only, with reverse. Nice tools. Big throat. Fast. Mostly metal.
MUCH too heavy to carry, so, no strain on the back...
What's not to like? And it was, most importantly, from a local supplier and ready to have a go. So I did. Then I got my credit card out and whooppee! A new toy.

Now, when buying a machine, as when buying fabrics, hands-on is the Main Thing. It may well be cheaper from a distant internet supplier, but what happens when it goes wrong? Have you ever packed a machine for the post? Do you really want to store that huge cardboard box? Sometimes machines do go wrong. And being able to get a service or an urgent repair locally is a good idea, too.
So, someone local enough to drive to is always a good start. And any shop that sells but does not repair may not be such a good idea. Trust your heart. If the man (it's almost always a man) in the shop is rude, dismissive, or patronising, walk away. If he doesn't let you try a machine with your own fabrics, walk away. If he's in any way unpleasant, run away screaming...

So, go to the shops and the big quilt shows, with fabrics and threads that you plan to use in your work.Try things. Take your time. If anyone is unwilling to let you play, walk away. You wouldn't buy a car without a reasonable test-drive, and you may well spend more time in front of your sewing machine than driving. I know I do. Look at The Book - is it easy to read, in English, with proper images? Is there a website full of good information? Can you see an oiling diagram? Or a parts list? Think about what you want to do - for me, there was no desire for 1500 fancy stitches. I wanted big, solid, fast, good feet. Easy needles and bobbins too..

You may well want something quite different. Do you need to carry the thing about with you? A lightweight machine will not be as good as a more substantial one, and a trolley may be a good addition to your kit. If you do a lot of classes and go to groups, you may want to have (at least) two machines. It’s a Really Good Idea to have a permanent set-up place for one at home, too. Dining tables are not ideal, as people have this terrible tendency to want to eat on them.

Do try to have two machines which take the same bobbins and needles and (preferably) feet, as it will save swearing if/when you mix them up...

Second-hand? You get a lot more for your money as soon as you start to look at older machines. They tend to be very solid and easy to maintain - after all, that was expected of the user until quite recently. Check a machine runs quietly, that the wiring is clean, complete (no sticky tape!) and that nothing is obviously missing or broken. Many machines are sold as 'not working' when the needle is in the wrong way round...
Don't buy on Ebay unless you can collect.

And, yes, I do own several machines. My big Berninas are now too heavy for me to carry, so they are up for sale. My going-to-workshop machines are now an Elna Lotus and a Frister Rossmann Cub, both solid but small. I bought a big beautiful treadle 216G Singer (with zigzag!) but we don't get on, so I've gone back to my older one. Don't be afraid to leave an unsatisfactory relationship. It's a marriage, not a fling...

And, just my 2 pence-worth. Don't buy a Featherweight, they are over-priced, finicky, and weigh 12 pounds in the case...

Happy sewing!
HH