Can any one recommend a good sewing machine

I have a brother PQ1500S for piecing and regular sewing. For embrodery I have a viking desinger 1. These are good machines. Do not buy a cheap machine

We all would have our personal favourites, I've been pretty happy with my Janome, it is close to 9 years old & I also have a Brother still working ok at 20 years old. I did go for good ones when I bought them.

My Janome is a normal sewing machine that also does machine embroidery.

One recommondation I will make is to buy ur machine from a dealer who offers sewing lessons, usually a few free ones with the purchase of the machine. If u buy from a department store there will be no lessons included. Learning to use ur machine will be a great asset & u will get the most from it. Many dealers who offer lessons do not like giving lessons on machines bought elsewhere, they get trained on the ones they sell.

One of the best places to look is at sewing & craft fairs, many machine companies set up stalls & it is great when they r all under one roof. They also offer great bargains at these shows.

Bernina is a great brand. Buy a good basic machine new or find an older model & get a used one. I am still using my model 930, which I purchased around 1986 or so, even though I have newer machines. It is an excellent machine.

Visit the sewing machine stores. Find one that specializes in sewing machines & sewing instruction rather than one that thinks vacuum cleaners r a logical thing to sell with sewing machines.

Make sure that they r willing to demonstrate the machine & LET YOU TRY IT OUT YOURSELF. Talk to the salespeople about ur sewing experience & what you'd like to do. Make sure they offer classes to learn how to use ur new machine. These classes should be free if u purchase a new machine & there will be a charge for them if u buy a used machine.

Visit several stores if u can. Pay attention to what the shop offers in the way of service. Do they have repair & maintenance service in the shop?

Get the best basic machine u can afford. You do not need to get a fancy machine with a lot of extras, but a few decorative stitches will be fun.

Have loads of fun! And do not give up when things r difficult. Sewing is a wonderful activity.

I have basic machines & than I have a fancier machine. I always go back to the machine my parents bought me when I was 9 years old. It is a Dressmaker & sews only a straight stitch & a zigzag stitch. This machine sews like a work horse & I have taught all of my children (6 of them) to sew on it & several neighbor children as well as two different Girl Scout troops. It is a workhorse.

I called my mother & asked her about the machine when I went to purchase one for my oldest daughter. Apparently, my Mom & Dad bought it at one of those School Machine Sales & at that time it was almost a hundred dollars. It is all metal. The only thing not metal on the machine is the rubber belt which I have replaced twice of the last 40 odd years.

When I bought my first daughters' first machine, I checked out several different machines in the stores & talked to everyone I ran into. I fianlly bought her a gently used machine from the Singer repair man & it is not even a Singer. She has been using the same machine for years.

The key to a ''good'' machine is that u take care of it. This is no different than ur car. You have to change the oil & have basic maintenance done. Your sewing machine will be no different. Once a year u need to take it in & have it services. This keeps dust, sirt & fuzzies from building up & they do a very thorough job. They will also check belts for wear as well.

If u r uncomfortable, contact ur local High School Home Ec teacher or ur local Home Extension Office & they can refer u to somewhere locally to purchase a machine that is reputable.

Always try beofre u buy. If u cannot make it work, thread the machine or a bobbin for the machine, u will not be happy when ur get it home.

I have a friend that only hems her kids pants on hers & she uses it twice a year. I help her thread a lot of bobbins before school starts in some basic colors.navy, black, white, tan, light blue & denim. Sometimes we do a purple, pink & a red. Think how much more fun it would be for her if she would just learn to use her machine herself instead of having to wait for help.

Also, sign up for a local class to learn how to sew & check out Simplicity.com

If you're a beginner, I'd recommend a simpler machine (you can get them for about $100.- new, if u shop well & watch sales & such) that does the basics. You will need straight stitch & zigzag stitch, forward & reverse. I've had the fancier machines, but never really used the 'toys' on them -- after the novelty wore off, of course -- so I went back to a simple machine. I paid $89.- at WalMart for a Brother machine a bit over 4 years ago, & have had no complaints about it. I clean & oil it regularly, make most of my own clothes, & use it a fair bit. It is enough for what I need.

I would recommend starting with a simpler machine. After 2 or 3 or 4 years, if ur interest in sewing remains high, start saving up for a fancier machine if u want one. If ur interest wanes after a year or two, you're not out too many bucks.

Go to the various shops selling machines & try them out. All the good shops will allow anyone to use the machines there in the shop before purchasing one.

They will show u the different things the machines do, & how easy some of them r to thread both the top thread & bobbin threads.

then u can have an idea of what it is u really want.

I have had my Bernina 830 for 35 years! Parts for it r no longer made so I may have to go shopping if anything happens to it.

There is no ''bad'' sewing machine except for the miniature battery-operated ones.

A $90.00 Brother will work fine unless u sew every day - then u will need to go with a Pfaff or Bernina for $600.00 or so. It will pay off because it wo not need repairs or wear out.

Whatever u buy, Do have it cleaned once a year so it wo not mess up & cause u a lot of headaches.

I own one Brother, One 1960 is era Dressmaster, & a Pfaff. The dressmaster is mostly for looks. I use the Brother when the Pfaff is being cleaned.
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