Sewing machine recommendation?

[jalapenobusiness]

I want to start sewing. I've never done it before. Which sewing machine would you recommend? For a complete beginner on a budget (but not too cheap / crap).

Thank you!!

[Atbeckandcall]

I've heard the John Lewis ones are fantastic. I hope so, I've asked for one for my birthday!

[Hairylegs47]

Ooo, I love sewing.
At the moment I have a Brother Innovis 10A.
It's really easy to use, looks very smart, and is £60 cheaper than the normal 10 as it's the anniversary addition, but does the exactly the same. Amazon appear to have the best price right now for it.
I use mine for normal everyday sewing and quilting. I don't need a fancy quilting machine as it does everything I need it to. I've had it 2 years now with no problems. My singer machine was bought 6 months before and it's been repaired twice, but keeps on failing. It has more fancy stitches than the Brother, but what's the point if fancy stitches when the machine keeps failing?
Good luck!

[ChipSkater]

I've also got a Brother Innovis 10a. I ordered it from Sewing Machine Direct for £229 last Wednesday morning and it arrived by 9.15am on Thursday. It came with a few pairs of scissors and lots of thread as extras. It's really easy to use. Having not sewn since I was at school 30 years ago, I have already made 2 bags using free patterns from Pinterest, some bunting and a cushion!

[RavenRose]

I'll third the Innovis 10a. It's a good machine, easy to use and although it doesn't have a bunch of fancy stitches it has all you need to start.

Also pretty well built and copes with a range of fabrics.

[NeedaDiscoNap]

I have a John Lewis one and it's brilliant. They're compatible with Elna accessories too which means if you need a specialist foot or something it's easy to get a hold of. They cost about £99 but they did have the blue ones on offer for £69 recently.

[AltogetherAndrews]

Ikea are selling one for £40, which I was thinking of getting, but don't know if it is any good?

[NeedaDiscoNap]

The IKEA one isn't brilliant to be honest. If you can afford a bit more then I'd try to spend around £100 if you can.

[Hairylegs47]

I second Needa
The Ikea ones aren't very good. I bought one last year for when I'm back in the UK, but I had to take it apart and oil it before using it and it skips ditches sometimes. It's very 'clunky'.
£100 will get you a nice starter model. But, £240 gets a much better spec and a much better sew. I wished I had just jumped right in buying the better machine rather than the basic one I bought at first.

[Squills]

Hi, I would buy a secondhand Bernina. The 830 is fantastic - it will last a lifetime and is considered by some as the Rolls Royce of sewing machines. It has lots of stitches and is so reliable being a mechanical one rather than a computerised.

I bought one recently on Ebay for under £300 which included lots of extras and a sewing cabinet!

[Somersby]

I bought a brother LS 14 machine 100 euro - I too am a beginner. It's easy enough to use - my only issue now is finding the tine to actually use it and finding "easy peasy" projects. My first post.

[JoffreyBaratheon]

If you don't want to do anything too fancy, a reconditioned old Singer is a good option... I do have an electric sewing machine (even that's vintage - a 1970 Brother). But over and over, find myself using the 100 year old machines instead! They are more reliable. And fine if you don't want to zig-zag or anything. (Post about 1940 they start getting all kinds of attachments). They are heavy yes, but look stunning and will never go wrong.

I sew with an informal group of friends, male and female, and those who have modern, plastic even computerised machines all end up using the vintage machines instead. They're workhorses. I have a treadle and several handcranked. Bought a very pretty Jones machine from 1913, last year for £25. It had been fully reconditioned by the seller, too.