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Sewing machine recommendation?

57 replies

Watchkeys · 17/03/2024 19:12

I'd like to start making my own clothes. I'm sure it'll be hilarious for a while, until I get good at it. But I would like to be using the right tool for the job from the start, so I'll know that the mistakes are all my own, to be proud of, and not caused by a shonky machine.

What's a good brand/model, and how much should I expect to pay for a decent one? Is second hand a good idea, or is it wiser to buy new?

OP posts:
DailyCake · 17/03/2024 22:14

I have had my Elna for decades - excellent build quality and easy to use. Sewing your own clothes is an expensive hobby because fabric is expensive. I made a quilted king sized bedspread forty years ago and it cost me £200 then.

FriendsDrinkBook · 17/03/2024 22:16

My first was the brother machine mentioned (ls14) and it's a great first machine. Easy to use , not so many functions that it's scary , but still has enough to get you started. It doesn't have a one step buttonhole option , but it does have a good enough straight stitch and a decent zigzag. These two are really enough to sew good clothes in most fabrics. I made a lined wool coat on mine , so it can take thicker and layered fabrics well. I also found it handled stretch fabric well enough.

I replaced mine after 18 months as the bobbin winder stopped working and I wanted a machine with more functions and stitches. I stuck with brother though. Good brand.

Persephonegoddess · 17/03/2024 22:18

www.sewingmachineworld.co.uk/

These guys are amazing and really helpful, will match you to a machine

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Runninghappy · 17/03/2024 22:22

I also have a janome 7025 as recommended by my sewing teacher. It’s brilliant. I then bought the equivalent overlocker and love that even more!!

Woodenflooring · 17/03/2024 22:29

Janome recommendation here. Easy to use, hardwearing, good clear simple features. I have the Janome 7025 and it's been great. Well priced for the quality. I've been sewing for years and years.

NotMeNoNo · 17/03/2024 23:13

It's a bit like buying a car or something. Most manufacturers produce a range of models from basic/beginner to fully featured/specialist. Some makers favour the top or bottom end of the market. Some have a reputation for better build quality or reliability. Machines with superficially the same spec may be plasticky and rattly or smooth and purring to use. The big 4 or 5 brands can be a safer bet than a suspiciously cheap one you've never heard of in Aldi. They need periodic servicing and you need a brick and mortar shop for that so you may as well help make sure they stay in business by buying from them in the first place.

Like a car it helps to narrow down whether you are looking for basic, mid-range etc and get a shortlist of a few models any of which might do the job.

Iwant2move · 17/03/2024 23:20

Definitely avoid Singer. I have a Brother sewing machine and it is excellent. It was a mid range model and I bought it from a specialist sewing machine shop in Chester.
It’s definitely worth going to see the machines in person and having a demonstration before buying.

FussyPud · 17/03/2024 23:37

My eldest has the Brother FS40S, which was lovely to sew with when I had a go on it. Said child preferred it to the industrial machines at university, which were apparently possessed by demonic forces/the ghosts of feral raccoons.

I have the bog standard Brother LS14, and while it doesn’t have bells and whistles it does the job for the basic dressmaking I turn my hand to.

I’d love to have a play with a Janome, but cannot justify it for the amount and type of sewing I do.

Anyway, have fun with whatever you decide to go for. :)

Crispynoodle · 17/03/2024 23:38

Janome every time

Spin4Gin · 17/03/2024 23:49

I've just bought a brother ls14 as a novice and so far I'm loving it! Only paid £89 for it and I've found it easy to get started with. I've never seen before and it has been very easy for me to start seeing basic things. I've managed a skirt and dress for my toddler. Seems to have everything I will need at least as a beginner which is great

MrsWhattery · 18/03/2024 08:51

I got a Brother Innovis 10a a few years ago (to replace my ancient second-hand Singer) and I love it. It’s not super-fancy, but does everything you need and has lots of little handy features - needle threader, thread cutter, you can switch from using the pedal to using buttons to get more control for tricky jobs, and it’s easy to learn to use.

I’ve been sewing for 40+ years now and still have hilarious/annoying cock-ups, but it’s great to be able to adjust and customise things, make things to fit me properly, do my own curtains etc.

GinnyWizz · 18/03/2024 09:04

OP, I'm no expert but I've made a lot of things on my Lidl machine. Maybe others here will be horrified by that! After 15 years it's died. I'm going to go to a local sewing charity and try out their machines and polish up my basic skills before commiting to a new machine, which I really want. I've previously made all curtains, cushions etc but in recent years have found fabric costs prohibitive, even with all the sewing kit. I hate expensive mistakes!

LoveSandbanks · 18/03/2024 09:05

Persephonegoddess · 17/03/2024 22:18

www.sewingmachineworld.co.uk/

These guys are amazing and really helpful, will match you to a machine

I ALWAYS use these guys, have done for years. Send my
machines to them to service too.

Watchkeys · 18/03/2024 12:27

I’ve been sewing for 40+ years now and still have hilarious/annoying cock-ups

Glad to hear this, @MrsWhattery Perfection has never been an ideal of mine, and I'm sure I'll be in the same club soon!

OP posts:
Watchkeys · 18/03/2024 12:29

I'm interested in this 'you won't save any money' thing... can anybody elaborate? Is it that material itself is very expensive, or there's a lot of wastage, or you need a lot of extra stuff that you wouldn't expect to have to factor in, or... what? I'm looking at material online and it looks like it should make clothes cheaper (aside from the billions of man-hours I'll have to put in)

OP posts:
MrsWidgerysLodger · 18/03/2024 12:37

The basic Brother one is actually a great little starter machine. Hi d range of stitches etc. Only downside was not having a 1 step buttonhole but that's not a big deal if you practice buttonholes on scraps of fabric first.

FriendsDrinkBook · 18/03/2024 12:52

@Watchkeys it gets expensive quickly because an independent pattern is £20 , the fabric to make it can cost anything from £10+ and then there's the notions - thread , elastic , buttons etc. You might want an overlocker eventually too , you need 4 cones of thread for that. There's also fabric subscription boxes at about £40pm and those new scissors that you need 'now'. You'll see as you get into it op. It's lots of fun though , I certainly have regrets!

MrsWhattery · 18/03/2024 12:53

Re "it won't save money" - well it depends. I definitely have saved a ton of money making curtains, cushion covers, bags, PJs etc - but it depends what fabric you. use and what you would pay for ready-made.

Often I see something I love but it's expensive so I make my own version, so for example I lusted after an orla kiely sling bag, cost £150-ish, I made my own very convincing one using John Lewis oilcloth, cost about £15. But of course you can get a cheap bag for £15 so if you're trying to undercut the cheapest prices, then no it won't save money.

I did my own very large curtains for my front room, and I did spend c. £100 in fabric, because I wanted it tp be quality, but it would have cost more to have them made to measure, OTOH I could have spent less in Ikea.

Fabric can be expensive, but there are lots of cheaper options, remnants, old fabric for sale on ebay, and what I often do, buy a dress or skirt or bedding on ebay because I like the fabric, and then customise it ot cut it up to make something else.

It just gives you a lot more options and freedom. I like it because I'm tall with very long arms and long waist and I can make a dress or top to fit and flatter instead of trying on 50 dresses that won't sit right - etc.

MegMarchHare · 18/03/2024 13:09

Others have explained the main things about it not saving money, but I'd add:

You quickly start to appreciate the immense skill and technology that goes into the clothes you buy (plus, the effect of globalisation on the price!). Some people will become skilled amateur dressmakers, but I've accepted that my time and talents are not going to take me there. Therefore, attempting to make something complicated is just going to be a waste of materials for me. What I do instead is buy a lot of secondhand clothes and customise them. That gives me a lot of satisfaction and means I'm not responsible for producing a robust and fully-functioning garment from scratch. I even sometimes pay to have things altered - which obviously involves no sewing whatsoever on my part, but my sewing experience makes me much better at spotting potential. I also make the odd accessory, home decor piece, World Book Day costume... Basically, where I can add value by making something unique (especially if it doesn't have to have a perfect finish or be technically complicated). Whereas, say if I needed a pair of black trousers for the office, there is no value I personally can add - I'm best off buying an affordable pair from the shops.

I also put a value on my time, and much as I enjoy a bit of creativity, my time is limited and can be more effectively spent elsewhere (including other hobbies).

GetWhatYouWant · 18/03/2024 13:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 18/03/2024 13:35

I've always had Janomes, it's just what I started with and am used to so when I upgraded I went with the same brand. They have been very sturdy, I still have my first one which was very simple. I gave my second one to my friend, it was at least 15 years old when I gave it to her during lockdown but still working well.

Can you get to a show, like the Knitting and Stitching show or similar? If there are a lot of brands there then you can have a go on all of them and they often have a special show price. Alternatively a proper sewing machine shop is a gem to have, even if it's online. They will know what you need if you tell them what type of sewing you plan to do and many of them take trade-ins when people buy a new machine so they might be able to hook you up with a good second-hand one if you're willing to wait a bit.

Think about features that you will need and features that are nice to have. For instance I have to have a needle up/down feature because I want the needle to be in the down position every time I stop sewing so that I can pivot my fabric without it slipping. I'm a quilter so I need the needle position to be able to be moved sideways so that I can get an accurate scant quarter inch seam. A nice to have feature is the knee lift, I don't really need it, I don't even use it all that often but when I do use it it's very handy. There will be different things that you need for the type of sewing that you do.

The problem that I have observed with the cheap Lidl/Ikea/Argos machines is that they often have quite bad tension problems. It can be really hard to get the stitches right.

Always use good thread. Buy proper, high quality, branded thread from a sewing supplier. Swerve the cheap stuff in the supermarket. It really, really makes a difference to machine performance.

MindHowYouGoes · 18/03/2024 13:39

You don’t need to spend megabucks on patterns. Have a look at waves and wild, patterns for pirates, Ellie and Mac, made for mermaids. You download the pattern and either print it out and stick it together or send it to a company for printing and they’ll send you back an A0 print. I’ve never spent more than about a fiver on a pattern

MegMarchHare · 18/03/2024 13:41

Ah... But if you're like me, you end up spending a fiver here and there on patterns you never use 😅

I guess if you're focused and disciplined, you won't waste the money that I did!

GetWhatYouWant · 18/03/2024 13:42

I bought a Brother A50 a couple of years ago as a replacement for a 30 year old Janome. I'm very happy with it, it sews very well, although not sure if it will last 30 years as much of it is plastic compared to everything being metal in the old one.

Regarding saving money making clothes, it does depend. But you will have your own choice of fabric, you can completely customise the fit, which is worth a lot.

But if you decide to make your own curtains, blinds and cushions you will save a fortune, compared to made to measure. I haven't bought curtains or blinds for 35 years, I make them all. It means I can buy high quality fabric and still save loads compared to made to measure in an inferior fabric. Of course if you want cheap unlined ready mades from Dunelm etc you won't save money but you absolutely do with made to measure.

NotMeNoNo · 18/03/2024 13:57

Regarding saving money - you'll never undercut mass produced super cheap clothes from Shein, Primark etc.

If you like quality clothes or to have more choice in cut, colour, fit or fabric, then you'll win. For example it's cheaper to make a lovely dress than buy it from Toast. It's definitely cheaper than getting a seamstress to make things to measure.

For example I recently made a top for a night out. Pattern $5, (I mean pounds, keyboard wrong) - fabric from a market maybe $5 but it was leftovers, fastener $1, already had thread, time 2 afternoons. I'd never have found a royal blue satin top to fit me exactly in the time.

Also as a PP said having a sewing machine opens up the world of repairs/ alterations/upcycling that can save you a fortune.

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