About two weeks ago, a friend asked me for advice about buying a sewing machine. She started out by looking at the web site of the soon-to-be-local-for-her John Lewis store in Cambridge, UK. Lots of pretty machines, even available in various pastels, and the prices on the low end look very attractive.
What is the question here? She’s getting married soon, and is trying to figure out what kinds of wedding presents she and her fiancé would like / might find useful. So, there are at least two questions here: What kind of a machine does she need? vs. the other question: What kind of machine does she long to own?
Now, I have my prejudices, and they start with the words 'used is usually better,' continue with 'any Singer built before World War II would be great!' and end with, 'whatever you do, don't buy a modern Singer.' I suppose I should add, "Almost any older machine can be tuned up or rebuilt for less than the cost of a comparable new machine."
I confess to having bought a really high-end Husqvarna, a Platinum 770, in the period right after my father died. Buying a new machine had become an obsession for me. In my right mind, I would have searched out a Bernina 930!
Another prejudice: never, ever do what I did and buy a Husqvarna from a dealer located inside a Joann's store. Having read the article(s) I cite below, I now understand why I got such lousy service when my machine had a problem early on.
Not wanting to be a spoilsport and not wanting to propagate undocumented gossip, I decided to do a little research. I can hear my friend choking in frustration. I can hear it in my heart, all the way from St. Petersburg!
First I checked to see what my brain wanted to say about its experiences with various sewing machines.
Machines I have loved or owned:
1) I had a Singer Treadle machine when I lived in England. I loved it. QUIET! Stitched forward and back, had different stitch lengths, easy to repair and maintain. Wish I still had it. I sold it to a friend who shipped it home when she and her husband returned from England. I assume it is still in use in Massachusetts.
2) My Singer 66-16 (built 1940-ish)[1] which I still have and use occasionally. Some things – heavy sewing – it does better than anything else.
3) All of the Husqvarna Viking machines I have owned: Rose, Lily 535, and Platinum 770.
4) My friend’s Bernina 930.[2] She has sewn all of the clothing for her and her family for more than 30 years – and it’s still going strong.
5) Another friend’s Pfaff (don’t know the model number) with the built-in dual feed foot (walking foot, even feet foot). Again, this machine is > 20 years old and going strong.
6) I also have a very old Brother (given to me for Christmas when I was about 10 years old) that I have always cordially hated. I’m willing to bet NOW that all it needs is a good tune-up, but it lives at my mother’s and I don’t need another machine here right now. Maybe if the kids start to sew I’ll bring it home and fix it up.
Machines other people love
1) Many people adore the Singer Featherweight.[3] Made from 1933 to 1964. Hint: they sell for a huge premium.
2) My friends sew on all sorts of machines, mostly older, although all have money to buy new machines. The average number of machines per serious sewer is FOUR! So, in all likelihood, your first machine will not be your last machine or your only machine.
3) So, an older Pfaff with the built in walking foot (aka IDT)... or a modern Janome or a brand-new Brother... or an early (1950's - 1960's) Kenmore with zigzag (I know a woman who sews couture garments on her 40 year old Kenmore!) ...
What does one really need in a sewing machine?
Different types of sewing machines do various jobs.
At the highest level, you have (in order of increasing complexity or specialization)
- Chain stitch machines, often sold as toy machines for children or as speedy menders…
- Straight stitch machines
- Machines that include straight stitch, zigzag and built-in buttonhole stitches
- Machines that include straight stitch, zigzag, built-in buttonhole stitches and decorative stitches
- Blind hem machines
- Overlock machines (sergers, etc.)
- Embroidery machines
My friend needs a machine from group 2, 3 or 4.
Today regular, garden-variety sewing machines usually have more features than a simple straight-stitch machine. These machines may be mechanical or computerized. They usually have some or all of the following features:
Standard features on an adequate machine
- Adjustable stitch length
- Adjustable tension on the thread that goes through the needle
- Ability to reverse direction
Other really useful features
· Flat Bed / Free Arm
· Separate Length / Width Controls
· Adjustable foot pressure
· Buttonholes
- Ability to add an even feed foot / walking foot (if not buying a Pfaff with IDT)
Other features that I really love
· Needle Up / Down
· Auto Lock Seam Stitch
· Needle Threader
· Ability to position the needle precisely where I want it. My machine has 25 positions, at intervals of 0.5 mm apart (total width = ½ inch).
· The ability (this is available only on computerized machines) to flip a stitch left to right or up – down.
Quilter's machines have extra depth between the body of the machine (where the motor is) and the needle. This enables quilters to quilt a greater amount of cloth before needing to move the entire set-up. It also means that the machine is big and big may be a problem: hard to store, hard to carry, hard to find a place to work on it.
Research
OK, so finally I got down to serious research, and fairly quickly I encountered a sewer with a husband who suffers from TMI syndrome[i]. My friend and I know all about this: I have one, too!
"The men in my life suffer from TMI syndrome. Ask them a simple question and the gears in their heads begin clicking away and before you know it, they’ve expounded for 20 minutes on the form and substance of white bread. You wanted to know if they would like a sandwich.
This little “tic” of theirs drives me a wee bit batty at times. While I like a good yarn and enjoy telling stories, when I ask a question, I sorta want an answer. Today. God help me if I need to purchase anything more expensive than say, a new sweater. Which, incidentally, is when the penchant for verbosity dries up completely. I say, “So, which one of these sweaters should I get?” I hear, “Um… what? Sweaters? Why are you looking at sweaters?” However, if the object of my affection has any moving parts to it, this much I know: be prepared to be inundated with facts and information. Most of which, I could care less about.
And sometimes, they put this stuff in writing. They won’t shut up. And it’s not enough to point at the thing I want and jump up and down and shout, “That one! I want that one!” Because, even that move will set them off hunting for “more information.” Should you ever wonder when enough is enough… the answer is, NEVER.
I’m not complaining, mind you. Not really. The end result is I tend to get the best there is to offer in my particular price range. No one can claim that the gifts aren’t “well thought out”! But, really… there are moments when the information gathering and expounding is just overkill, and I find myself wondering what it would be like to be deaf. And blind.
In case you were looking to buy a sewing machine and are not blessed with boys in your life who suffer from TMI syndrome … my husband has oh, so, graciously typed up his “findings” for you to peruse.”
The take-away message on sewing machines is this:
"And herein lies the truth for purchasing a sewing machine: In general, if you are looking at spending $1,000 or more, the likelihood of getting a decent machine regardless of brand goes up significantly compared to if you spend less. But buyer beware. If you are looking at Baby Lock vs. Brother – look closely – Brother might be the way to go. If you are looking at Elna vs. Janome – get the Janome. But BE SURE you are comparing machines of similar features. Low end Janomes are no better than Singers or Whites. The Viking Huskystar or Pfaff Smart is no better than a Baby Lock or Janome of equal caliber. See how messy this gets? Likewise, the kind of machine you get will vary depending on the feature set you are pining for. A quilter will really appreciate the IDT in a Pfaff. A hardcore sewer will appreciate the quiet and strength of a Viking motor. If you are squeezed on budget but need a machine with cutting edge technical gadgetry like being able to embroider – a Baby Lock or Upper-end Brother offers a lot of bang for the buck."
For reference: Stitches on my HV Platinum 770
Utility:
I use 1 / 2, 8, 11, 12, 20, 21, 24, 26, and 29 – 33 fairly often.
Decorative:
I love these, but use them infrequently.
[1] "My Singer 66-16 was purchased by Bertha van Schoick of Lower Squankum, NJ on June 5, 1943 at a Singer store located at 647 Mattison Ave., Asbury Park, New Jersey—I wonder if that is a misspelling of Madison Ave.—and the salesman was George J. Wood, Jr. I have the original warranty!
Bertha lived 3 houses down the road from us and when she died, her daughter, who lived across the street from us, sold the machine to me, as she already had a very good, more modern Singer. I was sewing on a cheap imitation—and sewing lots.
I have used it to make coats and suits and dresses and slacks and blouses and blankets and party dresses and swim suits and stuffed animals and doll clothes and pocketbooks and other things.
I was 14 years old when I bought this sewing machine and I have loved this machine for more than 35 years. I don't use it much now, but I cannot imagine giving up my old Singer. My husband doesn't understand this, although by now he knows it's true."
[i][i] TMI = Too Much Information!
