Working out sew is a lot like learning to drive. You don't need a fancy sports car to learn the skill-sets. In fact , learning on an older, reliable car is sometimes better. Nonetheless on the other hand, you do need a car on which the starter, motor, driving, and brakes work correctly and reliably. There's nothing more disheartening than trying to learn a new skill when the machinery doesn't work well.
So where does that leave the beginner sewing enthusiast?
You need a appliance that will do an excellent straight stitch and zig zag sew. Those two stitches will do almost everything you will need. It also needs to have your reverse. Just like a car, you sometimes need to drive forward and frequently backwards.
I bought a car once without test driving it primary. Big mistake. Now I insist on test driving the actual car Permit me to00 buy, not just another of the same make and model but the actual one I most likely will end up taking home. The same thing goes for sewing machines. Test drive before you buy.
The greatest value for a beginner sewing machine is a used machine. There are many situations in life where we want something new, but this isn't one of them. A reliable curtains machine dealer that takes trade-ins will usually have an array of more aged machines that have all been serviced and are ready to go. These equipment have years of use left in them and are a great investment.
You don't need know yet whether sewing is something you are going to enjoy or simply whether it's just a passing fad. Investing $100 into a good, utilised sewing machine is much wiser than buying a new $149 unfavorable machine.
When you walk into the sewing machine store, browse the used products and get a staff person to help you if you can. Tell him/her what you are interested in and what your budget is. Don't let him/her sell you something out of your price structure.
Machines that are known to be "good" are ones with brand names for instance Singer, Elna, Janome, Husqvarna Viking, White, Brother, and Pfaff. I've had personal experience with White, Singer, Brother, and also Elna. They will all feel a little different, just like cars.
Shouldn't even consider the Walmart machine, the Kenmore (some are SO but you are taking your chances), or any other new, cheap product. A good, spanking new sewing machine will cost $500-$1000 these days. When it is new and under $500, I wouldn't even look a second time unless it's one of the brands I listed above.
You don't need a computer generated machine or an embroidery machine but you do want a stainless steel one. The antique treadle machines usually work great but you prefer to concentrate on learning to sew, not on working the treadle. Just be sure it has a regular household plug in.
Don't let claims like "1 Part Buttonholer" fool you. I've had a 1 step button pin maker on a couple of machines and, I actually prefer to make buttonholes "manually". These automatic buttonholers are not as great as they tone. If they get stuck or mess up, what a terrible job it is actually trying to rip out those stitches! All you really need to make a superb button hole is a straight stitch, a zig zag knit, forward and reverse, and a stitch length and width adjustment.
When check driving the machine, take some fabric with you. If you know you're going to make jeans, take a 6" x 6" or so scrap of jeans (even cut a piece from an old pair of jeans). The sewing machines store will have small pieces of light cotton fabric for you to analyze on. Those are fine but if you have a certain type of assignment in mind, make sure you take some representitive fabric.
Try the machine and see the best way it feels. Is the foot pedal sensitive enough? Is it too information? Does it depress smoothly or is it jerky or sticky?
Will you smoothly sew a curve or is the machine foot gross?
Does the machine sound like it is straining to run? Most of these machines will be fairly noisy but you'll get a pretty good idea if the motor can be running smoothly as you sew.
Check the bobbin out. (That's the exact tiny "spool" sitting below the needle. ) Metal spools final longer and are readily available. Price out the bobbins for the machine you are thinking about. Some bobbins are expensive or difficult to find. You will want to have lots of bobbins on hand.
Ask what kind of shank the machine has. You will need to know the following if you buy any additional presser feet for the machine. There are 3 styles: Low Shank (most popular), High Shank (adapters are available), or slant shank (least common). Low Shank presser foot are the easiest to find and often the least expensive. Write this shank form down if you buy the machine.
Also ask what feet are in addition to the machine. At the very least you will need a universal or zig zag bottom and a zipper foot. If the machine does not come with both of these legs, buy them. An extra few dollars to have both of these machine feet merits it.
Set the machine for a wide zig zag stitch along with sew forward a few stitches then reverse over those stitches. Does the machine zig zag in reverse? Some will only sew instantly in reverse. You don't want this. Know more www.bestratedsewingmachinesx.com
Take the fabric scrap out of the system after you have sewn on it quite a lot. Run your fingers over the stitching on top and bottom. Does it feel like they are raised above the garment on one side? They should feel like they are laying very flat in the fabric without puckers. If anything feels amiss, the tension may need some tweaking. Have staff at the store do this for you. While you walk out with your machine, it should be sewing the very best it can.