Have you been wondering what is the best sewing machine to buy? I know that I have! I am excited to introduce Ruthanne, who is sharing her sewing machine buying guide and tips on how to buy the best sewing machine for your needs and budget.
This time about twelve years ago, I walked into my nearest SEARS department store, randomly picked out one of the most expensive sewing machine they carried, brought it home and promptly felt overwhelmed. To this day, out of the 18 different stitches my sewing machine can do, I’ve only ever used three of them. Only three.
As much as I love my machine, and I do love my machine, it’s much more than I ever should have purchased.
How to Find The Best Sewing Machine for You
My desire is to share with you some simple tips on buying a sewing machine that will save you both money and frustration. I’m not to going to focus on brands of sewing machines, rather on general principles. I think if you get a good machine and take care of it, it will take care of you ~ regardless of its brand. Of course, I may be alone in that. {wink}
Let’s get started.
1. What’s your budget?
I realize budgets are never fun to talk about. Or is that just me?
Fun or not, having a set amount and/or limit in mind before venturing into the market for a new sewing machine will save you time and . . . . wait for it . . . money! Knowing your limit will narrow down the playing field. You won’t waste time looking at machines that far exceed your budget. You also won’t be disappointed once you get your heart set on one only to learn you can’t afford it.
2. What is your skill level?
Are you just starting out? Do you sew off and on, but nothing serious? Are you an avid seamstress {If you are, then you should probably be writing this and not me! ::wink::}? Be sure to factor in your skill level when shopping for a sewing machine.
Don’t do what I did. I bought a beast. A beast I can still barely handle over a decade later.
It’s okay to start out basic and work your way up. Upgrading your machine after you’ve mastered all it can do is wise.
3. Plan For The Future
This might sound contradictory to my previous statement, but there are times when it’s appropriate to buy a machine that will grow with you. Are you a fast learner? Do you have big plans? Maybe one day you would like to open up your own handmade business. That’s fantastic! Investing in a more substantial machine, both financially and with more features, is an investment in your future. It will payoff.
I wouldn’t recommend doing this if your main objective is to sew things mainly for your home and family. A basic machine with fewer bells and whistles will get the job done. You’ll be able to buy more fabric to create more projects with all the money you saved by not investing in the bells and whistles. Trust me when I tell you, fabric shopping is half the fun of sewing.
4. Check Out Other Venues
If you’re open to purchasing a slightly used machine, you can look beyond your local SEARS or JoAnn Fabrics. Check on Craigslist, ebay or in your local paper for used machines. I’ve found all kinds of goodies through these outlets. You’ll want to use caution and get as much information as possible before making the purchase. Make sure the owner still has the original owner’s manual. You will definitely need it!
If using Craigslist, make sure you bring another person with you when meeting up for the exchange.
5. Learn From A Loaner
Does your grandmother have a machine she no longer uses? How about your mom? Before taking the leap into the market, consider borrowing a sewing machine for a season while you are learning the ropes. It’s an excellent way to figure out what you’re comfortable with. It will also tell you what features you would like to have and the ones you can live without.
What about you? What tips have worked for you when buying a sewing machine?
If you have any questions about how to pick the best sewing machine for you, free to leave your question in the comments or on the Tip Junkie Facebook page.
Free Sewing Patterns:
- 21 Darling Pincushion Patterns To Sew
- 20 Repurposed Kids Clothes Patterns {sew}
- 20 Patterns To Make A Doll {sew, paper, crochet,}
You can find Ruthanne at Eclectic Whatnot. You might be interested in know that Ruthanne home schools her many children, has been known to eat chocolate chips straight out of the bag, listens to classical music, loves the arts and is having a love affair with her sewing machine.
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Comments
If you buy a machine from a store that offers classes with the purchase of the machine, take them. There may be a small supply fee but it is worth it to get hands on training with your machine.
Ruthanne
Thanks for sharing that tip!
Great tips! I have to admit, when the machine I had used for years died I just bought a basic one at Walmart without a lot of research. . .
Agree with Bonnijean…the #1 tip of buying a machine is buying it where you can take classes. You can take advantage of all those bells & whistles by learning how to use them. Your best investment is not necessarily the machine but the knowledge of how to use it.
Ruthanne
Excellent point, Kelly!
I would LOVE to purchase a Embroidery Machine but I don’t have $5000 .
Ruthanne
Yowza! Five grand, huh?
Embroidery Machine
I have one. It cost $1,300. A Janome 350e. Purchased from a dealer. You don’t have to spend $5,000.
Check out Babylock machines……they are only available through an authorized dealer…but they are VERY affordable.I got a brand new Sofia 2 for $600 last year and love it so much I am planning to upgrade to something a little bigger at the end of the summer..the Ellure Plus is about $1500.
Love all the photos of sewing machines -it really added some fun to the article and some great tips!
Anyone have a favorite brand? this is all good, but I don’t know what direction (brand) to start looking for.
Ruthanne
Rachel,
I have a Kenmore. My mother also uses a Kenmore. It’s a great brand!
type of machine
I have a Babylock, and viking. I love the babylock over the viking. I purchase the babylock sewing/embroidery machine from craigslist.
See my response to Jamie
I agree…you do not need to spend $5k!! There are some very nice machines out there . If a dealer tries to oversell you a souped up priced up model…go somewhere else. Many of the dealers go out of their way to carry affordable solid performing machines.
Love the first sewing machine pic and the one of the machine decorated with buttons, rick rack, etc. Is the first one decorated or is it actually bought with that pattern? It’s lovely – a piece of art.
Great info. My cheapo machine from Sears makes me so much happier than the bells and whistles one my grandmother gave me once. Never could figure it out. Your photos make me want to go decorate my machine now.
Those are some of the more awesome sewing machines I have ever seen. Thanks for the advice on buying a machine. I have a less expensive plain old singer, but I do love it. Someday I will need to get a new one. I will have to keep this in mind.
I learned on my mom’s and had the cheapest Singer available that lasted about 10 years before it started rattling apart. When the time came, I found a really good deal on a nice, computerized replacement [with about 60 stitches that I actually use to my old machine's 5] on Amazon of all places.
The old machine had been pulled out once every six months or so. The new one I use all the time.
In case you are planning to underbuy....look for the right place to buy....
After 40+ years of using a Singer Stylist (used cams for decorative stitches…loved it! Never had a problem.)
Last October, finally bought a new computerized model with an embroidery hoop accessory …It was no small chore to find one that suited me, since most of these embroidery machines are not compatible with a MAC computer unless you load another operating system (which can void out your warranty if something goes wrong.) The one I bought allows a download from the net…onto a flashdrive…!! The machine has a USB port which reads the files from the stick if they are downloaded in PES format.
Anyway…I bought a fairly nice but mid-range machine…I LOVE IT…and am looking now to upgrade to something that handles a larger hoop and will still allow me to use my MAC to download onto a stick. The dealer I bought from gives FULL price credit on trade up before 1st year is up. I highly recommend going this route if you are tempted to overbuy…you don’t lose anything…and you can test drive for a year!
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