Mini sewing machine advice needed

[Sweetpea15]

Hi, I'm a beginner at sewing and I bought a mini machine to tide me over until I buy a proper one. Now here's my question: I was always taught years ago in school to secure stitches at the beginning and end with a back stitch. However on my mini sewing machine from hobbycraft I don't think there is a backstitch. There also isn't the option to change stitch sizes. So what do I do? Thanks :)

If you don't have a backstitch option then you can secure with knots - you pull one thread gently to loosen it, pull the other thread through to the same side and tie them together. It's a nice neat finish.

I was going to say exactly the same as flightywoman. However, when you say "mini sewing machine", do you mean something like this?

www.hobbycraft.co.uk/hobbycraft-mini-sewing-machine/569220-1000

The reason I ask is that my first "sewing machine" was like that first one and it turned out to be a nightmare to use - very hard to set the tension, harder still to keep it there, threaded completely differently to standard machines, so everything I learned was irrelevant. When I bought my first "proper" machine (still pretty cheap), I couldn't believe how easy it was compared to the mini one. Admittedly it wasn't the Hobbycraft one, so yours might be fine, but do bear what I said in mind if you find you have trouble with it!

Yes 21st that's the one. Thanks for the advice! :)

I've had a little play on it and it seems okay, I want it just to practice on and to make some bunting