Sewing Machine

[Blue Pixie]

Well, I'm going to take a sewing class, but I need to get a sewing machine that I could take to and from class. I would like to have something that will last and won't hurt me for money. Anyone have any ideas?

[Ysobelle]

Get an old, sturdy machine from a thrift store. So many good machines are only out there cos someone upgraded, or lost interest, or broke up with their bitch girlfriend and it was either the Salvation Army or throw that skank's crap out onto the sidewa-- er...you get the idea.

[Black Delia]

Some are set up the way my mother's was, with a special table, but also with a cabinet lid with a handle on top of them (her's was a Singer) to make them 'portable' and protect them while being.. ported.

I'd be thrashing out new garb this year if mine wasn't in storage six hours from my house.. One suggestion.. if you buy one thats pre-owned, try to get your hands on an owner's manual. My first machine ran okay for a couple of weeks, then just seemed to go haywire.

Seems the previous owner had misplaced part of the inner works and then bought cheap plastic replacements, of the wrong kind, that ended up wearing out very quickly. When I had it reconditioned, they found the problem and substituted the proper parts and it ran famously after that.

[Margaret]

Defiantly check the thrift stores and such - that would be my first recommendation. My hubby picked one up for me as a suprise for $50.

My new machine is a $100 model from Sears. It's a Kenmore and does not do anything fancy, but it works well for my needs and the garb sewing I do.

[Black Delia]

Defiantly check the thrift stores and such - that would be my first recommendation. My hubby picked one up for me as a suprise for $50.

My new machine is a $100 model from Sears. It's a Kenmore and does not do anything fancy, but it works well for my needs and the garb sewing I do.

Can't resist the "neener neener" on this one Mags ... I got mine for $10.00 at Deseret Industries and the recondition was about $30.00 including parts and labor.

[WenchLadyKate]

my first machine was a Kenmore. I think I spent like 80 bucks on it. I got a singer as a gift a few years later and personally, I miss my Kenmore.

[Blue Pixie]

http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewing/Brother-CE4000-Heavy-duty-Sewing-Machine-Refurbished/3485980/product.html

was thinking of that if I could not find one.

[Black Delia]

Mom still has her singer somewhere in the basement. She doesn't use a machine much any more at all. As I remember, she was a little sceptical about the thing for a while till she really dug in and learned the difference in the controls from the one she'd had before, but when she did, she said she wouldn't have anything else.

Guess thats why there's so many brands and differences in machines. I never could get used to hers, or any other machine, really. None of the controls are where I would have put them and I would have made the thing a different 'shape' to accomodate what I was sewing at the time a little better.

On the bright side, its gotten me used to using a quilting thimble (there isn't a metal thimble made that is 'the right size' for my fingers) and made me more adept at figuring out how to hand stitch things, neatly and securely, that most people just throw on a machine.

[LadyLaura]

Still sewing on my Mom's old 1965 Singer. She bought it to sew maternity clothes when she was expecting ME! That thing's going to outlast us all! *rotfl*Took it in for cleaning and tune up, I think it was like $75, and it's run great since!

[Black Delia]

Still sewing on my Mom's old 1965 Singer. She bought it to sew maternity clothes when she was expecting ME! That thing's going to outlast us all! *rotfl*Took it in for cleaning and tune up, I think it was like $75, and it's run great since!

Thats about how old my mother's is.. but *blush* I remember going with her when she picked it out.. but she sewed my "most-favoritest-of-all-time" dress on that machine (it was a princess bodice dress that came down to my calves in dark blue and dark pink bud roses all over, with white pin-hole lace on the collar, cuffs and hem).

[LadyLaura]

My Mom went through a make-your-own drapes thing with hers. I figure if it survived that, it will survive my garb-making attempts! lol

[BronxGirl]

I got my Brother from Overstock. It's this one but it was new and cost $99. I love it.

http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewing/Brother-XL-2600I-Sewing-Machine-Refurbished/1584143/product.html

[Saucy Sue]

I got a Kenmore Mini-Ultra on Ebay for $25 for my daughter. I take it up to school all the time to sew costumes with and it is great for traveling. It doesn't weigh much yet still has a full size motor in it. I just finished sewing bodices for 17th century costumes out of backdrop canvas on it without any problems. (other than a couple of broken needles from hitting pins!)

[Saucy Sue]

I got a Kenmore Mini-Ultra on Ebay for $25 for my daughter. I take it up to school all the time to sew costumes with and it is great for traveling. It doesn't weigh much yet still has a full size motor in it. I just finished sewing bodices for 17th century costumes out of backdrop canvas on it without any problems. (other than a couple of broken needles from hitting pins!)
I also got my BabyLock serger ($50) and my Janome ($40) on Ebay.