Thought I’d treat myself to a new sewing machine (have a Kenmore I bought new 35 years ago.). I do basic sewing, repairs, curtains, hemming pants and sewed children’s clothing in the past. I might pick that up again once I have grandchildren (not too far off.)
I also weave and had a serger to stabilize ends of handwoven cotton yardage (mostly used for table linens though I did weave fabric for children’s clothing). My serger died a couple years ago so I’ve been using a zig zag stitch or sewing two rows of straight stitch to hold cut edge intact so a machine that could do an overlock stitch would be nice.
Hope to spend under $1,000. Looked at Janome today. Are there any experienced sewers out there who could recommend a brand/model or have advice when shopping for a new machine (buying from local dealer/Amazon/Costco). Thanks for reading.
I have a circa 1946 Bernina that I inherited from my grandmother – the thing is a tank, I love it. My mother has a late 1970’s(?) Bernina free-arm machine that is pretty good too. Not sure what is currently on offer, but I would definitely take a look at the Bernina line if I were in the market.
More generally, the heavier the machine is (the more metal it has), the better (generally).
Absolutely buy from a local dealer. You will then be able to call them or stop in with a question. They will probably give you lessons on your new machine. They may do cleaning and servicing in house. You may pay a bit more but you will get much more, if you value that kind of service.
I also have a Bernina that is now about 23 years old and going strong. I love it, it’s very versatile and has been up to every task I have tried. Over the years I have used it mostly for sewing clothes, costumes and home decor such as curtains. It sews easily through even quite thick seams in curtains that have multiple layers with linings and trims.
Good advice all, this dealer sold Bernina but she described,them as “Ferrari’s” with a price to match. I don’t think I could get a Bernina at the January me price.
I have a Bernina. It’s about 18 years old. It’s a nice machine, works beautifully. It doesn’t compare to my Pfaff, which is one year old. Sewing machine technology has advanced along with technology in general.
I’d be surprised to learn that Bernina doesn’t offer a range of prices and models. Maybe they only sell high end, I don’t know. I would encourage looking for a machine somewhere that does have a range, where you can compare.
My first machine was an old Kenmore I used growing up. I later bought a Singer from Costco which was a piece of junk. I invested in a fairly simple Pfaff about 15 years ago. I bought it at a local dealer and I’ve been extremely pleased with it. I haven’t sewn much lately but I’m waiting for grandchildren to sew for.
Join sewing pattern review.com and they have great machine reviews. I think you should really give your old machine some love. new machines are nowhere near as nice. I have an $$ Husqvarna and an old metal riccar I got for my 16th birthday (I am over 50) and the old machine is terrific. You can and should shop around, local dealers might price match but if you know what you want, online pricing is hard to beat. Is your serger repairable?
Don’t buy from costco (they won’t have anything decent).
Just a few weeks ago I bought a Bernina on Craigs List. It is 80s vintage, and more portable than my old Necchi, which was solid, if temperamental and too heavy. There are some volunteer jobs involving sewing that I would like to work with, but needed a more portable machine.
I have a Viking (Husqvarna) that I got from my friend’s mother. I happen to own a version of this machine that is about 6-7 years newer. This machine works pretty well (I’m just about to take it in for a tune up), better than mine actually, but mine has some improvements that I really miss on this one - a thread cutter on the shaft, I do not like the bobbin winder on this one, don’t like the light, don’t like that the backstitch doesn’t lock in (have to hold the button down the whole time). Also can’t chose to have needle end in the fabric.
I think those are all things people complained about and they fixed on the newer model. Make sure you LIKE the machine and how it works before you buy.
I lust after the new fancy machines at Jo-Anns when I’m there, the embroidery ones, the sergers. When I win the lottery, I’m not buying a new car, I’m buying 2-3 sewing machines.
I should give the Berninas a look, and will take the old machine in for a tune-up - maybe that will set it straight but at a minimum it does work so I won’t be trashing it and can pass it along in better shape. It weighs 20 lbs. the machines I looked at were 14 lbs., the dealer said the heavier the better as it means more metal parts.
Will explore another dealer and JoAnn’s this weekend.
Maybe we need a new thread: “forget the mortgage, college funds and trips: what would you really buy if you won the lottery?” it could be a companion to the cheap/frugal threads. If I won the lottery, after I bought a new sewing machine, I’d have shoes custom made by Daniel Day Lewis. I read long ago that he apprenticed to a cobbler in Italy (just for fun, I think, I don’t recall him playing a cobbler in any movie). Then maybe I’d have a cobbler shop set up in a little building out back so when he returned to make more shoes he’d have a dedicated work space. Along the lines of “if you build it they will come.” JK but if we’re dreaming …
I no longer have the serger. It had a major mechanical problem and spent a year, a full year, at a repair place out of state. When they returned it it was no longer a 4 thread but a three thread serger and they’d lost the foot pedal. I was so frustrated I took it to a thrift shop,with a note explaining the problems. They might have trashed it, I couldn’t bring myself to do that but it would take a special person to put that back together again.
My son started making clothes with my Bernina, so I gave it to him–he was using all the fancy stuff–and bought the bottom of the line Viking for $395 from my local dealer about two years ago. It’s just fine. No computer or fancy electronics. I think Viking has sold this model for years. Ten stitch options and that’s it. It does have a no-glasses-needed needle threader and a thread cutter. Sews smoothly on light knits and denim too.
I have Vikings – one a basic model that’s about 12 years old, and Designer 1 (with embroidery module) that I bought ten years ago from the Viking dealer lightly used and at 1/3 of the price. I still miss the 1979 Singer my parents bought for $99 for my HS graduation. Used it for over 30 years before giving it to my niece. It is now somewhere in my middle sister’s house, unless she sold it. I’ve asked for it several times since noone is using it. Would be a good machine for me to take when I go to quilting events. DH bought me a higher end Singer a few years ago with zillions of decorative stitches. The tension has never been right and I seldom used it. Lots of plastic parts.
Vintage machine are more solidly built than most current machines, esp at the lower end of the price range. Beware of plastic internal parts and machines that you can’t open and clean yourself!
If I come across some money at some point, I want to get a machine with a deep throat (measuring from needle to right side of machine) so that I can quilt (assembling the finished pieced top, batting and backing) some things at home. Probably should upgrade my embroidery machine as well, because my machine still uses floppy drives for designs and I suspect the next major incarnation of the embroidery software will no longer support that. I just hate the idea of spending that much $$ (and it is a BIG chunk of $$ to me).
A friend of mine got a Janome for about $1100 that had many stitches and runs like a dream. She does garment and quilt sewing and has been happy with it. I have never had the guts to get a serger.
I have a bernina that is great. Used it to sew for kids (heirloom lace, etc) when girls young. It is slightly computerized and approx. 23 years old. Wanted to have it cleaned and tuned up and local bernina shop wouldn’t do it. Said if they did maintenance and the motherboard (or whatever) failed, they could no longer replace it. Shop where purchased no longer exists but this was the authorized bernina dealer. I finally found an independent guy to do it, but fact still remains that if computer part dies, it’s toast. It was close to $900 new.
I suspect it’s the same for other top brands, but a good thing to ask if you are looking at used computer machine. And I’m guessing that’s one reason old school machines have an appeal @wellspring.
I hope my machine keeps going. About time to break out old skills for possible grandchildren and it is great machine for attaching lace, entredeaux, machine shadow work, etc.