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How many of you sewers really know your sewing machines?

January 10th, 2013 Leave a comment Go to comments

Do you use all the attachments or just the basic ones,?
Do you use your machine a lot or just in rare occasions ?
Is it really worth spending a lot of money on a machine when at the end you only use it so rarely?
What is your opinion ?

I sew virtually all of my family’s clothes on a Juki 5 thread serger and a 12+ year old midline Viking electronic sewing machine with 30 stitches. I rarely use the decorative stitches (just not our style), but do use the utility stitches. I don’t use any attachments (if you’re talking about stuff like a Griest buttonholer) because the machine has a good keyhole and straight buttonhole included that can be made any size. I do use a lot of specialty presser feet, including joining, blindhem, edge stitching, narrow hemmers, zipper feet and cording feet. I do not do machine embroidery except for a bit of freehand work — I don’t like the flat look of machine embroidery.

If you’re interested in exploring what a machine can do with (mostly) utility stitches, there are three books you should consider from your library:

Carol Ahles: Fine Machine Sewing

Nancy Bednar: Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques.

Singer Instructions for Art Embroidery and Lacework (an amazing book that’s been reprinted several times, showing decorative techniques done with a straight stitch only treadle sewing machine. Remarkable stuff.)

If you’re considering buying a new machine, buy one with the basic stitches and a few decorative stitches — don’t buy a machine by number of stitches per dollar spent… you’ll probably regret it. And please distinguish between stitches and "stitch functions".

If I were to lose both of my main machines tomorrow, I’d probably replace the serger with another good 5 thread machine, perhaps a tier up in the Juki line from what I’ve got, and I’d probably buy a straight stitch only industrial needlefeed machine, and stick a Greist buttonholer on a garage sale straightstitcher for buttonholes.

  1. Greco
    January 10th, 2013 at 13:20 | #1

    If you’re going to make clothes with a lot of fancy stitches get an expensive one. Otherwise an inexpensive one will pretty much last forever. Something that does about a half dozen different stitches works for me and even then I don’t use all of them. As long as you keep it clean and oil it regularly you probably won’t have any problems. I use mine now mostly for mending and alterations on occasion but did make quilts. The more expensive machines can practically make a quilt all by themselves. It just depends on what you want to do.
    References :

  2. kay
    January 10th, 2013 at 13:52 | #2

    I sew virtually all of my family’s clothes on a Juki 5 thread serger and a 12+ year old midline Viking electronic sewing machine with 30 stitches. I rarely use the decorative stitches (just not our style), but do use the utility stitches. I don’t use any attachments (if you’re talking about stuff like a Griest buttonholer) because the machine has a good keyhole and straight buttonhole included that can be made any size. I do use a lot of specialty presser feet, including joining, blindhem, edge stitching, narrow hemmers, zipper feet and cording feet. I do not do machine embroidery except for a bit of freehand work — I don’t like the flat look of machine embroidery.

    If you’re interested in exploring what a machine can do with (mostly) utility stitches, there are three books you should consider from your library:

    Carol Ahles: Fine Machine Sewing

    Nancy Bednar: Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques.

    Singer Instructions for Art Embroidery and Lacework (an amazing book that’s been reprinted several times, showing decorative techniques done with a straight stitch only treadle sewing machine. Remarkable stuff.)

    If you’re considering buying a new machine, buy one with the basic stitches and a few decorative stitches — don’t buy a machine by number of stitches per dollar spent… you’ll probably regret it. And please distinguish between stitches and "stitch functions".

    If I were to lose both of my main machines tomorrow, I’d probably replace the serger with another good 5 thread machine, perhaps a tier up in the Juki line from what I’ve got, and I’d probably buy a straight stitch only industrial needlefeed machine, and stick a Greist buttonholer on a garage sale straightstitcher for buttonholes.
    References :
    50 years of sewing

  3. Donya
    January 10th, 2013 at 14:01 | #3

    I have been sewing since grade 7 in the 50’s and when the zig-zag feature came out, I thought it was a wonderful . I learned on a Singer treadle machine so the electric machines at school were amazing. I have a Bernina that has many different feet that are used for a variety of stitches but it doesn’t have a one-step buttonholer which would be a must if I were buying a new machine. I use the blind hem and overcast features regularly and some embroidery stitches but not often. My machine sews all types of fabric from very light to upholstery and never needs adjusting.
    You need to try out different brands of machines for yourself and take samples of fabric with you and make a note of each brands sewing samples and choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
    I would start with Sears Kenmore and move on from there.
    References :

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