Sewing machine for complete novice

[HonestyBox]

Helloo, sorry if this has been posted a million times before but I'd really appreciate your advice. I'm thinking of getting a sewing machine to begin learning to sew my own clothes, general craft projects (not too bothered about it doing embroidery) and perhaps for curtains/cushion covers etc.

I don't want to spend more than 200 pounds and would be happier around 150 but also don't want to buy a piece of rubbish that will limit me too much.

What would you think of these four models for my needs:

top of the budget

my great aunt had one from this make

is this a good general purpose machine?

cheap and cheerful?

Can anyone give me an opinion or recommend me anything not on my list? I'd be interested in moving towards getting a good finish for the clothes (though perhaps this is more down to skill?). I'm also interested in taking a level 1 city and guilds course so I'd need something that could get me through that (even if it is a bit of a pipe dream at the moment).

I recently got my first sewing machine and got this. www.sewingmachines.co.uk/brotherxl5700_info.htm

I've done a few small projects on it and it's great. However, as a novice I am not sure how it rates against other machines.

I second the brother xl5700 and I bought mine from the company in perhapstomorrow's link!

I'm a novice and have found this machine easy to use and does everything you need for simple projects - I've made a bag, some curtains and am currently making some roman blinds

ooh thanks for replying, I will look into that one.

Any other opinions from non-novices (not that I'm ungrateful for the help so far ?

brother, janome, singer all good makes.

the john lewis £50 one that you've linked to is a mini one and half the size of a real machiene, it will be portable but ime more difficult to use.

i would recommend buying one from john lewis, they are very good with their after sales customer service and the ladies on the sewing department are always on hand to give advice and help with their machienes. you can also try them out first in most of the john lewis stores.

hth

that brother one is excelent value for money and a very good make

oh and as your a novice i wouldnt recommend going for an all singing all dancing computerised machiene that embroyders at the touch of a button and all you have to do to sew a stright line is press go.

as nice as they are, they are very complicated and confusing, especially if your new to all this!

I have a Jenome bought from John Lewis.

Best advice I can give you is GO to John Lewis and talk to the sales people there. They really know their stuff, and if you tell them about your requirements/skills they will recommend a really good one. They'll let you try them out too.

I would recommend a full sized Janome one, from John Lewis, but make sure you really try it out. I really needed a machine that would sew through layers of denim (am a short arse, as is DP) and mine is perfect. With JL you are safe in the knowledge that if it breaks you'll get a replacement if it goes wrong.

John Lewis own brand is the same as Jenome. I think the first one you linked to is the one I have (which I love and is dead easy to use)

jareth i didnt know jenome was the same as john lewis. thats worth knowing. thanks

srsly, just go to JL and spend an hour with the lovely women who will show you all the machines and how to use them! No sales tactics, no pushiness.

I love JL.
Can you tell?
They dont smell.
I think they're swell.

fnar

sorry that doenst make much sence, and sounded very patronising when it wasnt ment to be.
i'm actually looking to replace my machiene and atm its a toss up between a jenome and a john lewis one, i was unsure on the quality of the jl one. so you've actually really helped!

didn't you like my --shit- poem??

[pouts]

arseing arse.

oh, and youdidn't sound patronising in the slightest :)