Sewing machine

[nimawae]

Ok. All of you sewing types on my f-list...I need help. I really, really want a sewing machine because it takes so bloody long to do anything by hand. However, it seems like all of the good sewing machines are around $800 or more. I know I won't be able to afford that for quite a while. So I'm wondering, is it better to just plan on spending that

Comments

[noveldevice]

I got a perfectly good sewing machine for about $120. It was a floor model at a sewing machine shop off Metcalf around 435. I've had it for...seven or eight years. You don't need to pay $800 for a sewing machine. If all you want it for is seams and the occasional buttonhole pretty much anything will work. Look for the student sales--they often do "student model" sewing machines at reduced prices. You can also shop thrift stores and garage sales for sewing machines. Like toasters, always plug the machine in and test it before you agree to pay so much as a penny for it, if you go that route.

[nimawae]

That's exactly what I want to find...something decent for one or two hundred dollars. I want something that works well, but I don't need some of the insanely fancy stuff that put on them now. Thanks for the ideas...I was hoping that used worked as well as anything else.

[byronsart]

Jera and I got a Singer student model almost 15 years ago for around $200 at a sewing machine store sale. Has worked like a trooper for the entire time without any trouble. A good place to get a used one with a garuntee would be the Missouri Sewing Machine Company on Truman road. They take trade-ins and they are a full service shop so everything is in good working order before they will sell it.

[nimawae]

Thank you! I know I've heard of that company before but I had forgotten all about them. I might even try to get there this week.

Haven't heard from you all in a while. How's everything?

[duendegrrl]

I would call around to local sewing machine places (there's a place up on Barry Road I can hunt down if you'd like - they treated us great) and see if they sell used models. A machine that was worth a lot of money a few years ago might be seriously reduced in price and you could get it for a steal.

But, it really depends on what you want to be able to do. More expensive machines have more automated options, they're stronger (i.e. they can hem denim and sew through more layers of fabric, etc), and they usually have some gadgets and gizmos that can be fun but might not be useful or necessary to you at all. The machine I have was around $200 about 8 years ago. It won't sew through two layers of denim, but how often do I hem jeans? :)

[noveldevice]

My machine finally bogged down when I was making a gambeson for my partner. The part it couldn't handle was the reinforced kidney area: three layers of heavy cotton canvas and three layers of cotton quilt batting. I just couldn't force it through. It was fine with two layers of canvas and one layer of quilt batting, though, and I don't generally find myself needing to sew anything heavier than that on a regular basis.

[nimawae]

Wow...that's one heck of a machine. What do you have?

[nimawae]

Thanks! I tend to make things that use a lot of layers so it needs to be relatively heavy duty...but nothing insane. And more of the automated options are completely unnecessary for what I want (although it would be fun to play around with). I can do fancy stuff by hand if I need to. I think I will attempt to get a good used machine. Thanks for the advice.

[novemberhour]

I had my mom's old (read: really old) one for ages, and it worked fine. So depending on what you want to use it for, you could shop around for an older one.

[nimawae]

I used my mom's old one too and I worked with denim quite a lot. It got really bogged down periodically but it still generally worked. I think I may have to scour some shops now.