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Choosing a sewing machine
I've been slowly getting into sewing, mainly with the goal of making cosplay, but for now mostly repairing and altering clothing by hand sewing. Since I've stuck with it for some time now I am thinking of getting a sewing machine, since hand sewing larger things is a bit of a pain.
So now I am looking at some sewing machines and I have a few questions: Is buying a cheaper machine a waste of money? I've read some older topics here on Tildes and saw that Singer machines have a terrible reputation, so I probably should avoid those? What kind of features should a machine definitely have? For example I am looking at something like the Janome Juno J15, is this still basically a toy or would it be enough for most things?
I went with the Janome HD-3000 when I bought my sewing machine, but the HD-1000 would probably be just fine. I wanted the option of working with tougher materials, so I went for a machine with a stronger motor that could handle it.
One thing to look for is how many parts are metal and how many are plastic. Plastic isn’t inherently bad, but all injection molded components won’t last as long as metal.
Another thing to be wary of are machines that have a ton of different stitch patterns built in. Extra stitches add a lot of complexity. Generally if two machines are the same price, but one has more stitches, the one with more stitches cut corners somewhere else to reach the same price point.
I also have a Janome HD 3000 (or Janome MyExcel 18W as it's called in my country). It is a great beginner sewing machine that could also happily be the only sewing machine you ever own.
It's unfortunately not as cheap as some sewing machines with equivalent features, but the internal parts are metal rather than plastic, and they are well engineered to work smoothly together. This means you have a lot fewer tension issues (which cause horrible snarls of thread that are hard to unpick and can disfigure the fabric) than you would with many cheaper sewing machines. A cheap sewing machine with plastic internal parts can be so frustrating that it kills your interest in sewing.
I'm just going to ignore all other comments, because this is my time to shine! Also going to tag @Weldawadyathink because I know they will enjoy this topic also.
I've repaired and used quite a few sewing machines, and I've come to the conclusion that, for me, old reliable machines are the bees knees, the cats meow, and all that. There's this sweet spot between foot paddle operated machines and machines that started coming out with more features. You benefit from all metal internals that will never break, and still have the automation (a motor) that makes life easy. My theory is also that these machines are often fitted with a motor that is just a bit too powerful. So these machines, with their beefy motor and metal internals, will just go through anything. This sweet spot is further back than you might think, I think it's somewhere between the 1940s and maybe late 1970s, but I'm not entirely sure. It will probably be different per brand.
In general, what I use 99.99% of the time is: straight stitch and zig-zag stitch. Even for things that seem more difficult, you will be able to make them with just those two. Want a button hole? It is just a fancy way of using zig-zag.
Keeping this in mind, you can use almost any old machine. They all do those two things, and do them well. Don't get FOMO looking at the new machines with computers. I'm willing to bet you will never really benefit from all those features. And those machines are expensive. A more expensive and beefy second hand machine will be the price of a cheap new machine.
Which brand and where to get it depends a lot on where you live. In Europe where I live, there are plenty of sewing shops that sell second hand machines from that era. Those shops are great: they fix and/or tune the machines and you'll benefit from buying from a knowledgeable person. Buying on second hand marketplaces is also a perfectly good way, but you'll have to do some research and take a bit of a leap of faith. Maybe you can find machines on local groups.
For brands, I've had a really nice Elna SU, Calanda 17 (which is actually a Pfaff) and some Bernina machines. I have also had a really crappy Bernina, so it really depends on the model. Of those that were great, the Calanda 17 is my all time favorite. That thing has such a satisfying purr, it runs so smoothly and is super powerful. And for reference, all these machines were bought for less than $150. The Calanda was even just around $50, which wasn't a steal at the time.
I was going to say something similar to this comment, but I'm nowhere near as experienced and wouldn't have been able to give as detailed info, so I'm glad someone could!
I'll add that I've used a fair amount of modern domestic sewing machines and none of them make a good buttonhole reliably. You can go to a store to test the function and they'll give you pieces of fabric without seams in them and it'll work fine. Then you go home and find that as soon as your buttonholes are near a seam that has any sort of bulk, the machine will fail. Not all the time, but even one failed buttonhole is a PIA to pick out and redo.
The completely superior way to achieve high quality buttonholes every time is to get a vintage buttonhole attachment. There are models for machines that can do straight stitch only and others for machines that can also do zigzag. The exact model you need depends on the machine's shank type. Low shank buttonholers are a lot more common.
In conclusion: I would recommend getting a low shank machine.
Yes! I have a vintage 70s Sears Kenmore machine that was handed down to me from my mother, and has lasted me 20 years of relatively maintenance free hobbyist sewing. It sewed through a lighter grade leather project I was making no problem, which would absolutely wreck a modern domestic machine. I just picked up a Morse 4400 for $25 at the thrift store, which was like a dollar a pound because the thing is almost entirely metal. I'm excited to try it out because the thing seems like a beast. There really is a sweet spot of age and those vintage 40s-70s machines are tried and tested, with easily maintainable parts and mechanisms and built to last.
My spouse makes a lot of clothing, costuming, altering, etc. We recently acquired an old chain stitch machine, a Wilcox & Gibbs foot treadle from the 1870s. You can find a Singer 24 fairly cheap from that era as well, and it will serve you well.
Four reasons:
There are downsides, but if you're doing a lot of altering and creation that requires a frequent undo button, she has indicated this is a life changing experience compared to modern sewing machines.
Isn’t the “undo” part here just the type of stitch the machine uses? I am not extremely knowledgable about this, but shouldn’t that be configurable on modern machines?
Yes, that is due to the stitch type. Here is a fantastic video explaining the evolution of sewing machine technology. However I don’t know of any machines that are selectable between chain stitch and lock stitch (the « modern » stitch type). They are an entirely different mechanical process, so making a machine that can do both well is probably quite difficult. Ultimately the trade offs of a lock stitch make it almost always preferable to a chain stitch.
Check around and see who locally might be offering sewing classes. Often that means fabric stores, but sometimes it includes sewing machine/vacuum cleaner repair shops. They will have different machines you can ask to try out and see what you like. Sometimes sewing machine repair shops will also offer used models that they fixed up, which could give you access to higher end machines than you may have previously considered.
I did a bit of research on this a while back, to get one as a gift. I actually ended up getting a Pfaff 2044 Quilt Expression used from eBay - it was significantly cheaper than new, and in great condition. That is to say, my recommendation is to look into used options, either at local shops or online. You will likely be able to get a much nicer machine for the same amount of money.
I'm not at home at the moment so I can't go look which exact model I have, but it is a very slightly more expensive now discontinued Janome machine, it looks similar and I think the only additional feature it has is fully automatic buttonholes (I'm not even 100% sure about that, it's been a couple years since I used that).
I've had zero issues with it and the only complaint I have is that the pedal is not ideally sensitive. I previously used a cca 40 years old Czechoslovak machine which had fewer features but you could easily sew very slowly, stitch by stitch and stop in any needle position you wanted to. That should theoretically be possible with the Janome as well, but the margin is tiny and it's just not reliable enough, so with the edges of most precise parts where every stitch matters you have to move the wheel by hand.
Otherwise I've been happy with it and so are a couple of my friends who also own Janome machines (purchased 10+ years ago).
I have a Brother LS-1217 that is close to 25 years old. Since it's all mechanical, it's been very reliable. One time the tab that switches over the bobbin winder broke, so I put a small brass screw into the gear, and its been running perfect ever since.
Get some sewing machine oil (it comes in a bottle with a long extendable tube) and learn how keep it lubricated. I didn't do this for the first ten years or so, and when I finally did, it was like a brand new machine after.
I have made curtains, costumes, 100s of masks in the pandemic. It is super basic, but it has worked well for me always
The model that is probably most similar is the LX3817.