Can anyone recommend a small lightweight sewing machine for a first timer...

[headfairy]

We don't have much room and I can't keep it out permenantly so easily storable would be a plus.

How much are you looking to spend?

I'm not sure really... Would £100 be realistic? Less would be preferable.

I am in the same position,I have been looking and I am tempted by the£49 John Lewis one, you can even choose different colours and it had a lot of good reviews.

I have the John Lewis one in red and it is really only for very lightweight fabric. I haven't gotten on with mine very well but i am a complete novice and i haven't practiced anywhere near as much as i need to.

I got a pretty good one from lidls £59.
More sturdy than the the JL/ikea one, but still very light and easy to move.
I have it as a back-up machine, and got it on the recommendation of my sewing machine man. He told me that they were the same 'inners' as John Lewis, but different casings- not sure if this is true or not, but it is a good little machine. My friend bought at the same time and absolutely loves it!

I'm watching this one with interest as I am very keen on getting a sewing machine and am also a first timer - I was going to go for the Ikea one - any one have any experience of that? (sorry for hijacking your thread a bit) :) I have a similar price limit :)

meant to say that the lidle one was more like a conventional sewing maching not the mini JL/ikea £50sih one.

There are two light weight low priced machines at John Lewis. The £49 one was recommended very much as a very beginners or children's one, the £99 one as a proper sewing machine for grown ups, and a good starter model that would last. The foot can't be changed on the £49 one, that kind of thing. I saw that as a bit of advantage for children tbh which is why that's what dd1 will be having for her birthday. In lilac .

Sounds like i have a children's one then, I wish i could blame my child like sewing attempts on it.

I have a grown up one and would like to find an excuse for my poor efforts too!

I would go for £99 from JL. You have to take into account you buy a cheap unknown brand then you'll be struggling with getting parts and accessories.

Too basic and you'll be limited to types of fabrics you use.

Look out for second hand too - I would rather buy a quality serviced machine against a nasty cheap one. Makes like Brother & Jonome. Bound to be a machine shop or industrial shop that sells home machines.

Thanks for all the info... Weirdly I said to my mum yesterday that I wanted to buy a sewing machine and she blushingly said she'd bought me one for my birthday in 2 weeks! How's that for psychic connection? Knowing my mum she'll have spent far too much on it. I will report back in a couple of weeks with what she bought me