Sewing machine recommendations

[stormy11]

Can anyone recommend a sewing machine for me please? I want to make a patchwork quilt but also other things too e.g baby clothes, curtains etc. I would like something that can handle sewing multiple layers, and use different techniques like appliqué. I had a cheap John Lewis (£50) machine 10 years ago which I didn't really get a long with - not sure if it was me but the thread kept breaking and due to the price I just put up with it. I will also be making clothing and curtains so maybe a good all rounder will be best?

Anyone?

I’ve been doing a bit of research on this and had Janome machines recommended. Seemingly there’s one of theirs that John Lewis does that’s very good but depends on your budget. I’m pretty sure it’s the top seller if you search John Lewis but I forget price. They don’t ship where I live though so I’m looking through other Janome machines for inspiration!

Just checked and it’s the 7025 model. €267 (not sure in sterling) so not cheap but got good reviews.

@stormy11 I bought one of these www.johnlewis.com/janome-excel-decor-5024-sewing-machine/p231340607 secondhand on Gumtree for £80. Bought it about 18 months ago and I had it serviced, then recently did a patchwork workshop and had to buy a walking foot to evenly feed the patchwork layers through without getting caught on the needle. Walking foot cost me half what I paid for the whole machine! But hopefully will be worth it. Janome are a good brand.

Janome is a good brand, but also make sure you use good thread - cheap stuff breaks all the time

Gutermann is the brand I use

DD has a Pfaff she's been using for about 6 years and it's been brilliant, really nicely made. These are the ones they sell in the US:

www.pfaff.com/en-us/machines#

I forgot to add that she's just used it to make us all masks.

Thank you very much. I have heard of Janome and Pfaff. It could have been me using a cheap thread (I was a student at the time).

Hi OP. I have the 7025 from Janome. It was made exclusively for JL by Janome and is the Janome 525s model used on the Great British Sewing Bee. I have been very happy with it for simple beginner projects. However, if I could buy a machine again I would go for a Janome but a computerised one - they have some great features such as a speed regulator (so you don't have to worry about regulating the speed of a foot control, a needle up/down finishing button and a button to back stitch), all for not much more money than my slightly more basic machine.

If you’re thinking of doing any quilting then you will need something with a wide throat so you can fit large quilts under it.

Ideally you should go to a supplier and use the machines to see what suits you.

I have Pfaff and it's a work horse.
It cost me €380 but has paid for itself.
Also I second using good thread
I buy Gutterman.
Cheap thread is a nightmare

I've also got a Janome from JL (there must be a fair few of us!) and I'd agree with Joyce that those features she mentions are really handy to have - needle up/down, backstitch, needle threader, easy selection of different stitch patterns etc. I've got another machine (erm, possibly one or two ) which doesn't have those features and I really notice the lack of them.

It might be worth looking at a refurbished one from the 1970s - a Bernina or similar. So so much better made than the present-day versions. And quite probably cheaper too.

Those old berninas are highly desirable and priced accordingly

Yeah! I have a much loved late 70’s Bernina 1130 and I use it every day. In fact out of all my machines it’s the most used. I even use it more than my all singing all dancing Brother In-novis

Yes to the secondhand Bernina - mine is an 830 I think, from the late 1970s - a predecessor of @ElGuardianenoche 's one. It does a variety of stitches, zig zag etc, and sews beautifully. It's excellent on silk and finer fabrics. This was my mother's machine. For curtains and heavier fabrics I tend to use my grandmother's Singer 201K from the 1950s.

Secondhand Berninas of that era typically can be £3-500 on ebay as they're known for their excellence. Suggest try keeping an eye on Facebook Marketplace as they're often a bit cheaper there.

One thing I will say is totally familiarise yourself with how the machine works - videos on You Tube. Thread breaking is either poor quality thread or it could be threaded incorrectly or bobbin wrong way round.

Thank you for all your advice. I’m going to have a look into all of them.

@Cillmantain which Pfaff machine do you have? I did see the computerised smart one which looked quite good. I think it was the 260c

OP the main thing I'd recommend in a machine whatever brand, is to get a top loading bobbin (ie it drops in vertically) rather than a front laoding bobbin.

The thing to realise with sewing is you need to absolutely know some techniques about machine, fabric & pattern fitting.

Techiques include:
How to thread a machine.
How to operate your machine.
Needle down before sewing.
Using correct needle, adjusting tension.
How to wind a bobbin.
These techniques are largely unchanging no matter what you are sewing.

Fabric - how to choose the right fabric for each garment/project to get the effect you need.
Chosing the thread too - as others have said cheap thread is not a great idea.
Knowing about nap etc & cutting fabric correctly.

You can see how less successful garments on Sewing Bee are so often down to the incorrect fabric being chosen for the garment - last night had some great examples of this.

How to fit clothing - knowing most womens patterns are for a certain height body and B cup boobs (thought here are many curvy indie patterns out there these days that cater for larger bust & curves such as Cashmerette). I'm 5'8'' for example and usually have to add length into patterns or they just won't fit. Even as a fairly experienced sewist have had loads of really discouraging fit issues expecially after my body changed after children - so I had a lot to learn about fitting garments for my body especially if using "big 4" patterns.

There are some really great facebook sewing groups you can learn alot from. And many wonderful idie pattern companies.

Fit aside, mostly it's like riding a bicycle - nail the basic techniques and it will get you a long way.

sorry I got confused with another thread

I have had a fair few, at the moment I mainly use the Brother FS40, and although really easy to use if you aren't a pro, has loads of handy functions. To be honest though a lot of the time for ease I find myself reaching for my cheap Hobbycraft one if it is something really basic I want to do. It's basic but it does the job, and is really, really easy to use, and hopefully will reduce the wear and tear on the brother. I had a 3 quarter size Janome and didn't get on with it, but that could well be because it wasn't full size, I know a lot of people like them. Really it depends so much on what you will find useful, there are quite a lot of in depth reviews about, and depends how much you want to spend. Second hand isn't a terrible shout, a lot of people get them and never use them and then sell, or they use it a lot and tend to look after them.

Also agree about the thread, although it's tempting to buy a cheap kit, unless you are planning on using loads and loads of it it's worth paying a little bit more for better quality.

I have a brand new Bernina, recommended by our local stockist and repair shop

He recommended a good refurbished one, but has none in stock, so I splashed out.

The following day I found a 1964 model in a local charity shop, so now I have 2.

I'd your local repair shop is open have a chat with them, see what they recommend. I'd definitely have another refurbished one, if I ever need one.

I have a Toyota Jeans seeing machine that I have been using for past 10 years. It came with a handy extension table that was great for quilting as it took the weight off the fabric.

I got a singer 6 months before and it broke. Chatting to last in a sewing shop and she said she doesn't even stock then now as they are no good.

Pay as much as your budget will allow. A good sewing machine is an investment piece.

I have a Pfaff Select 4.0
It has IDT which is where there is no slipping of fabric ever.
Its sees perfect every time whether silk or denim
I love it.