Sewing Machines

[NonnoMum]

Had a nightmare tonight with cheapo sewing machine (serves me right - £50 from Tesco).
How much would you recommend I spend to get a decent model? I don't need it to do anything to whizzy, just want to make a few home-madey things in straight stictch and zig zag and don't want the tension to be a constant problem or it to be as rubbish as the one I've got....!
Any suggestions for make and model or price range?
Thanks

I've just passed on a 29yo Singer to my little sis because she had the same problem. It was a bit heavy but totally reliable and indestructible.

Maybe look for something like that in the secondhand section of the local sewing machine repair shop.

And I'd try taking the other one back to Tesco if you still have the receipt. They're usually pretty good at exchanging or issuing a credit note.

Good luck

I have just bought a basic John Lewis one for £100 which is quite good

I did have an old New Look which had problems with the tension and I took it to a local sewing shop who serviced it and it was much better.

it's the brand that's important, not the price.
So select a brand and go for their base model.
Singer or Brother are ok, but i recommend husquvarna, bernina, elna or janome.

The sewing machines sold under the John Lewis brand are actually made by Janome

I had £250 John Lewis machine for Christmas and am delighted with it. This was the cheapest one that will sew heavier fabrics - I wanted to be able to make curtains. It is incredibly easy to use and seems very sturdy.

I'm really pleased with my Janome.

I've had automatic search on EBay for a couple of weeks now, and quite a few good machines came up within 10 miles of where I live.

Have just managed to get a second hand, but unused John Lewis machine for under £70. As a previous poster has said, John Lewis machines are built in the Janome factory, just not branded with that name. I was told told this by someone who knows a lot more than I do about all things sewing. I am a complete novice and can't wait to get started.

I have a Janome 4618 and it has been fab. I have made cotton curtains and dressing up bits for dd and ds but nothing too fancy yet as this is my 1st machine.
If you are near a john lewis go in and talk to someone there. They were great with advice when I was looking and not pushy at all. SO I got the advice and then got a great deal on the internet

I have this Janome one from John Lewis and it's excellent. copes well with heavy fabrics and lots of layers (making curtains etc)

HTH

If you go into any big JL store there will be someone who can demonstrate the machines and talk through with you what you need it to do, and find one to match. Very helpful indeed.

Ditto anyone who suggests JL: Janome is good, so is Brother.
JL will steer you in the right direction: it's great that they let you have a go and try it out.

Make sure you go for something with a good weight to it (nothing that vibrates too much when you go fast) and don't be carried away with fancy stitches etc, you don't need them and they add to the cost!

the one that PureAs put a link to is a good machine: not too much excessive junk and good variable pressure foot.

Can I hijack this thread and ask if anyone knows how to fix a Brother machine that will only go in reverse? The lever on the front that does forwards/reverse has gone slack.

(It was ~£100 new a few years ago, I was happy with it (only sporadic light use) until last week when had this problem and local shop says service is £50 and not guaranteed to fix.

nickelbabe
I'm a bit of a novice and I do find it pretty easy to use as well. I liked the lack of silly stitches, and it has good tension control.