Please help me make an important sewing machine decision

[ToryLovell]

So, encouraged by a couple of people on the "Show me your sewing machine" thread, I am thinking that maybe new life can be breathed into my old Singer machine.

I thought it was beyond economical repair and under a deadline to finish a dress for DD so bought a cheapie from Argos - it is good but not brilliant....but has a couple of features that my very basic Singer does not - such as blind hemming, zipper insertion etc.

So, assuming I can return the Argos machine, I could spend that money on getting the Singer fixed.

But then could I buy accessories that would help me do blind hemming or zips etc? I've seen them for sale but will they work on an old machine?

Or should I just cut my losses on both and spend a bit more on a good new machine? We're skint atm but this is a cost saving excercise to save shelling out a fortune on costumes for DD.

TIA

Your old Singer - IMO although well made, it will be clunky, heavy and not that brilliant compared to today's models (just the same as cars, phones, computers etc - the technology has improved!) so I would sell it and use the money to buy a better one.

If you are at all any good on a sewing machine and you need to make costumes then I would buy the best you can afford. I had an old Singer too, now have a mid range Janome, it is excellent.

The accessories element, I presume you mean zip foots? The blind hem is a stitch so you can't buy an accessory for that (only a foot that helps guide it) but you can get zipper foots. Whether they suit your old machine I don't know. For me, it's the little details like automatic needle threader (no peering at the needle eye for ages!), the increase in stitches, and just the "feel" of it - you can tell the difference and sewing is a LOT easier on a new machine.

Automatic needle threader? I didn't realise such a thing existed! I really want one now but don't think I'll be able to afford a machine that can do it.

Thanks for the advice Serenity - being told to get a new machine is just the advice I wanted to hear .

As you can tell by the questions, I don't know much about how modern machines work

I think it really depends on how you want to use your machine as to whats best for you :) I could give my opinion based on what I prefer, but I've worked with it for years & I'm more used to industrial machines, so I can't stand the lightweight modern things, as they just bounce around if you try & get up any speed, so I will likely just contradict everything Serenity has written & just confuse you more

I use domestic machines now due to space & not doing as much as I used to & love my heavy ancient old Jones work horse - hate the lightweight modern thing I bought, used once & stuck in the attic for when DD is older.

As said above, most things are just down to attachments & if you take your machine make & model into any good shop that does both new & reconditioned, they should be able to get feet to fit your machine, lots of stuff is universal anyway.

& theres nothing wrong with a cheapy needle threader, to solve needle threading problems

blind hemming can be done with a zigzag stitch and a blind hemming foot.

they're quite cheap to buy - about £3 or £4.
(online i bet)

what it does is roll the fabric under and stitch right on the edge of the fold.

zipper feet are also vvvvvvvvvvv useful.
I use mine all the time.
it's got no grip on one side of the needle, so you've got loads of room to sew next to the teeth.

try to get an invisible zip foot too - they grip the teeth and you can sew right under them.

just google "singer foot" and you'll get sellers.
:)

Nickel- the zig zag shows on the other side though? whereas the blind hem stitch only shows the faintest dot on the right side of the fabric where the fabric has been picked up.
I didn't think the blind hem foot overrode the actual zig zag stitch. It may fold the fabric but the stitch would still go through all layers (hence, not blind).

You don't need a new machine.

I find the old machines better, because they are heavier.
they feel less like they're going to fly across the table or fall apart.

the zigzag shows on the under side that noone sees - on the inside of the garment.

the (industrial) blind hem machine uses clear thread, and if you look on the underside, you can still see the stitch (it uses a narrow zigzag iirc)

Ah Nickel - my Janome is still pretty heavy and requires a good "Oof" to get it onto the table
But the mechanism is far less clunky. Like driving a car without power steering (showing my age!) sooo heavy, compared to today's cars lightweight steering.

it's only the point of the zigzag that goes through the top (outside) layer.
you only see a little dot on the outside
(it does take practice though to get the stitch in the right place! )

xposts

my mum got a Jones that was about 10 years newer than the one she gave me.
andthat was because she bought a new machine that he had to sell again because it was too lightweight for her!

i used a new domestic at college for fancy stitches for bras, and although i loved the stitches, i was worried about the bounciness of the machine as i sewed!

I wouldn't change my Singer Serenade 30 for the world! I bought it in 1986 and just love it; love the weight of it. I did buy a cheap Brother when my Singer went wrong and I was on a deadline and it's not a bad machine, but I don't use it now that my Singer is Ok again. I'm saving it for emergencies my Dd when she's a bit older.

I have a magnetic width guide too & find that was a great investment - (the factories I dealt with always used them in production) - it basically means you can just stick it on to the throat plate at the width you want to stitch at (great for hems etc) & just put your foot down as fast as you like :)

automatic needle threaders are trickier to use than just threading the needle imo

I concur nigel

Hmm I'm all confused now as to what to do, so will put off the decision while I have a play with my new pinking shears and gorgeous vintage fabric that I bought at a lovely little haberdashers that I never knew existed - thanks everyone for your suggestions

first things first.

have your machine serviced.
then use it for a while.

unless you desperately need the money. it's always worth having a spare machine, and you could always sell it on later. (or part-ex for an overlocker)