Sewing machine for an 11 year old?

[Wallace]

My dd wants a sewing machine for Christmas. I have no idea where to start!

Any help appreciated, thanks

Something like this maybe? www.sewingmachine-sales.co.uk/sewing-machine/singer/singer-2250-sewing-machine.htm

Try Singer, Janome or Elna sewing machines via Ebay or do you have any craft shops where you live ?

Ikea sells sewing machines.

If you can find a sewing machine shop you could look for a secondhand one. Also has she got the other sewing kit - you could make her up a little box with proper scissors, tape measure, etc.

Ooh good idea she would love that!

I think there is a Hobbycraft (is that right?) in the nearest big town. Not sure if there is a sewing machine shop. No ikea for hundreds of miles :(

Thank you btw :)

I got mine from Hobbycraft, I think it was not much more than £100 and it is just fine. make sure you buy some sturdy needles, my dds kept breaking the needles on mine before I realised they needed the 'jeans' type!

A rotary cutter, mat and the specially marked perspex rulers are fantabulous for patchwork.

I got a very good basic one from Lewis for 50 quid

http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/231616748/Product.aspx here

Perfect for stuff like making clothes etc and if it turns out to be a flash in the pan hobby its only a few pounds down the drain.

Stupid notepad

here

DD has one of these colourful little ones from John Lewis (£49) which has been perfect for her to learn on. They have a larger version for £99 too.

It doesn't take up much space and you can do a lot with it, though obviously it doesn't have as many different stitches etc as bigger ones. It's still rather more sophisticated than my grandmother's old hand-turned Singer one that I had at her age...

Ah - x-posted with bamboo!

That JL looks perfect. And cheap enough so I can get her plenty of other bits and pieces and material.

Thanks :)

I second the JL one as a first machine. Perhaps Father Christmas could bring a how-to book on sewing/dressmaking/crafts and some lovely fat quarters for simple patchwork. linky here for lovely online shop for fat quarters and fabric by the metre

Dd1 had the JL one for her birthday. The delivery person said it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She is right, although I was a teeny bit offended given that I had dd2 in my arms at the time! The machine is great-just the right level and very light.

Hobbycraft have one at ?20 straight running stitch only and one at ?40 that does a few different things. - no idea how good they're though.

I have a fancy machine but I'm thinking of getting dd a cheaper one to practice on.

We bought 12 yo DD one last year and she's had great fun with it.

It was a Hyundai one for about ?20-30 -its small, lightweight, does about 8 different types of stitches and has been great. I bought it from Poundstretcher -it was a bit of a spur of the moment, impulse buy but it was a fantastic present.

My Mum bought her a sewing basket with all the bits and bobs in and a book of simple projects.

How old is your dd1, Molehill? ps sure your dd2 is cuter than a sewing machine!

JamNan - I love the fabric! btw what is a fat quarter?

A book is a good idea. Poor dd is a very girly girl and has a very ungirly mum and 3 brothers!

I meant to add that I've also heard people speak highly of the machine that Lidl sell for about ?60 but obviously you have to wait for when it comes up and there's no guarantee that that will happen before Xmas.

I have the kids jl one (in lilac) it is really easy to set up and use, pretty bomb proof, and fits in the cupboard. It has been great for tudor cloaks/nativity shepherd gowns/owl costumes. Well worth every penny.

Dd2 was fourteen months at the time! Dd1 is seven - arguably less cute but niftier with a sewing machine!

I don't know whether to be or about some of this thread.
I got my first sewing machine 7 months ago (basic Janome model).
I barely dared touch it, no previous experience with one.
Took a friend 2 hours to show me how to set it up & do very basic stuff.
10yo DD learnt quickly how to use it after that, but only after I got to know it well. She's only allowed to use it when I'm around to protect my baby (the machine that is, you understand).

I mean good luck, but I can't help but suspect you are either amazingly talented compared to me, less clueless than you pretend, or horribly naive to just buy any old machine & think it will be easy to use quickly.

As for a rotary cutter, omg, I wouldn't let 11yo DD near it. Bloomin' lethal.

DD was 8 when she got her little John Lewis one. I showed her the basics, but she also did a term of after-school sewing club which helped. The JL is really very straightforward. And I think the trick to start with is just to let them mess around with cheap scraps of fabric and not have any expectations about what they will actually produce.

A fat quarter is a piece of fabric measuring 18 x 22 inches and suitable for lots of small craft projects and patchwork. diagram here

Thanks :)

We will have 2 grannies on hand and I am guessing the sewing machine will come with instructions :)