Sewing Machine Buying Guide will help you to know what features you need in your machine. Find the model that can handle different types of fabrics and projects to make.
Buying a sewing machine is something you need to put some time into to find what type of projects you will be making and what features you need in your machine.
Nowadays you can find a good number of sewing machine brands that have a good range of different models, most of them are designed and build with every sewers needs in mind, from the beginner who needs a few features on a machine, to the professional sewer who is looking for a professional stitching quality, speed, and all kinds of features to work on different projects.
Sewing Machine Buying Guide
We will go through a few topics you need to think about before you start to look for a certain model, we suggest taking a notebook and a pencil and take notes as you read the following list, at the end of the article, you will get a better idea of what type of sewing machine (brand and model) you need to have in you’re sewing room.
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What Projects Will The Sewing Machine Be For?
When thinking about buying a sewing machine, the first thing you need to think is what do you plan to be working on:
- Mending your garments from time to time? – You won’t spend much time sewing and most of the time you’re sewing machine will be stored.
- Start making garments for yourself and your family, as well as start making some home decor for your home
- Start making quilts – When you love to make quilts, it’s very often that once you become a quilter, you’ll be working with you’re sewing machine very often.
- Thinking about starting your own home based sewing business – If you’re planning to sell products made by you, then you will be using the sewing machine very often.
- Being a textile artist – You will spend most of the day in you’re sewing room and you’ll be working with you’re sewing machine for long hours.
What Type Of Sewing Machines Are On The Market
Nowadays you can find any type of sewing machine on the market, from a single straight stitching machine, to the machines that comes with the updated features that will do sewing, quilting and embroidery in one unit.
Once you went through the above listed reasons that helped you to know what type of sewing machine you need, it’s time to learn more about what type of sewing machines you can find on the market.
Mechanical Sewing Machine – A sewing machine that is designed and built with basic features, with enough stitching patterns and most of them come with the four steps buttonhole, some of them can be used for quilting. Not because they are categorized as a small machines, are not good, but you can find models in this category that will help you to make small and big projects, the learning curve to work with them is small and anyone can learn to sew with them. Brother D=LX3817 Review
Computerized Sewing Machine – These type of sewing machines are designed and built to help you to work on a good range of projects, from easy projects to make for any beginner or young sewer, to the most elaborated or fancy project you want to make. Most of these models come with a good number of stitching patterns.
You won’t have any difficulty to find the computerized sewing machine that will help you to work on any project you want to make, easy to make crafts, any garment for yourself or for your family, home decor, quilts, and even some textile art. Brother CS7000i Review
You can find some computerized models at a very affordable price and some models will fall into the top end and they come with a high price tag.
Heavy Duty Sewing Machine – If you have in your plans to work with thick textiles, such as denim, canvas, suede or vinyl, then you need to get one Heavy Duty Sewing Machine, as they are designed and built to help you to work with these type of materials and they will deliver a good stitching quality. Janome HD 1000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine
Industrial Sewing Machine – When you think about spending long hours on you’re sewing machine, whether you’re working on personal or family projects, or if you decided to start your own home based sewing business, then an industrial sewing machine might be the best option for you.
These machines are designed to deliver a high stitching quality, and they will sew with a high speed stitching that other machines can not, making your projects in less time and with better quality.
Most of these machines come with a bigger motor, and they are built with metal frames, and sometimes a metal cover that will last for many years. Some of them come with the knee lifter that will help you to work with both hands as you sew, making it more convenient and you will be amazed how fast you can sew.
Note: If you’re new to sewing, or you’ve never worked on an industrial sewing machine, give yourself some time to learn how to sew on this machine, as they sew in fast speed, you need to learn how to control the speed. I used to have an industrial sewing machine, and once I learned how to work with it, it made everything easier for me.
Who Is The Sewing Machine For?
Another thing to consider before you decide which model to buy, is to think about who is going to use the machine.
- Young sewers – More and more young people around the world are interested to learn how to sew.
- Beginner sewer – People who have never used a sewing machine and are willing to try one.
- Full time sewer – whether you sew as a business or as a hobby.
- Professional sewer – Sewing is your career and you make a living from sewing.
How Often The Sewing Machine Will Be Used?
You need to know if you want to use the sewing machine from time to time, and you’ll be making easy to make projects, then you will need a basic or mechanic sewing machine with just enough features.
When you have in your plans to make different projects, whether they are garments, home decor, or to start a small home based sewing business, you might spend more time sewing and therefore you need to get a sewing machine that comes with enough features to help you to sew better and in less time.
From my experience, sewing for many years, I’ve own a few different sewing machines, from the portable Singer Featherweight to a Brother Industrial sewing machine, today I own two Brother sewing machines, (mechanic and computerized) I can sew many different projects with them.
I know by experience how a different sewing machine model can help any sewer to get all their projects done with the best quality, for this reason, I will list some sewers categories you might need to take a look at that will help you to get the machine you need in you’re sewing room.
Beginner Sewer – The best way to learn how to sew is with a basic sewing machine with enough features, the learning curve is easy and before you notice you’ll be making a few easy to make projects.
When you’re starting to sew and you still don’t know if you’ll be sewing for a long time, you should not put lots of money on a machine, for this reason, I will recommend you to take a look to the mechanical models from these brands, they are designed and built to deliver a good stitching quality without the need to break the bank.
- Singer – Fin the Singer sewing machine you’re looking for here!
- Brother – Brother Corporation design and built sewing machine with every sewer needs in mind, most of their machine are affordable and they will last for many years.
- Janome – Janome is a sewing machine brand well known around the world as high quality machine that will last for many years.
Home Base Sewing Business –
When you love to sew and you get some orders from your family members and your group of friends, you soon will be spending more time in the sewing room, whether you are making easy or more elaborate projects, you need a sewing machine that comes with more features and higher stitching speeds.
These models come with a higher price tag, but they are designed and built to help you to sew for longer hours and they will always deliver high stitching quality
- Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist Sewing Machine – This is a computerized model and it’s one of the most popular model for this brand.
- Brother DZ3000 – It comes with 240 built-in stitches.
- Janome JW8100 – This is a machine that comes with enough features that will help you to work on different projects
- Baby Lock Ellisimo – When looking to work on a few different projects, you want to bring to your sewing room a model with all the features you need.
- Juki HZL-DX7 – A computerized sewing machine with all the features you will need to make different projects.
- Bernina 570 QE – A top end sewing machine that comes with all the features you need for your projects, but it comes with a high price tag.
Best Sewing Machine For A Quilter
As a quilter you will need a sewing machine that helps you to work on the piecing of small and big quilt tops for all your quilts, and in case you decide to work on the free motion quilting on your quilts, you will need a machine that is designed and built with quilters in mind.
Best Sewing Machine For A Textile Artist
Textiles Artist’s work can be from a wide range, from small and easy to make pieces, to large size and very elaborate.
When thinking of a sewing machine to help you to work on your textile art, you need to think about what features you need in the sewing machine, and you need in your workshop: straight stitching, embroidery stitching, thin and delicate fabrics or thick textiles.
Textiles Artists can make with their work on any type of sewing machine, it will depend on what features you need in your machine.
What Is Your Budget To Buy A Sewing Machine?
Another important thing you need to think about is your budget, knowing in advance how much money you can spend on a sewing machine will help you find the model you need to have in you’re sewing room, and it can be updated later.
- Sewing machine under $200 (affiliate) – Computerized sewing machine that comes with enough features to make different projects, easy to set up and start sewing.
- Sewing machine under $500 (affiliate) – A fully computerized sewing machine, easy to set up and packed with features for all your projects
- Top Features Sewing Machine (Affiliate) – Modern sewing machine with professional sewing features
Do You Need Additional Attachments With Your Sewing Machine?
When thinking about buying you’re sewing machine, another thing that will help you to decide from one sewing machine from others, will be if you need any additional attachments to work on your projects.
There are some sewing machine brands and models that can work fine with a different brand models and there are some machines that their attachments are designed only by its own brand, and most of the time they come with a higher price.
Sewing Machine Buying Guide, Closing Thoughts
We hope you can find the help you need on this article to know which sewing machine brand and model you need to bring to you’re sewing room to work on your projects.
We know buying a sewing machine can come with a good price tag, or it can be putting a smaller investment on it, whether you decide one or the other, buying a sewing machine is an investment that will help you to keep making what you love!
Thanks for sharing our Sewing Maching Buying Guide post, in your Social Media!
your topic was very informative and interesting to read but sadly if it’s any more than stitching a patch on a pair of pants or replacing a button by hand.
My experiences have grown exponentially since I read your post thank you for your expenses so you have accomplished what you’re out to do I definitely have a better understanding of sewing machines.
Thank you
Bill Wright
Hi Bill, I agree with you, if you don’t have much to sew or to mend, then hand sewing is good as buying a sewing machine for using it once or twice every year, it won’t worth it.
This will be so helpful as I make another attempt at learning to sew. The last sewing machine I purchased had a mechanical issue, but as a novice with the machine, I didn’t know if the problem was that I was doing something wrong or if the machine was acting up! This should help me to make a solid decision based on the projects that I’m hoping to complete. Thank you so much for this helpful sewing machine buying guide!
Hi Alex. Thank you for another great post. Im not beginner in sewing, and I had already few different sewing machines, but still learned few new things from your article. I couldn’t agree more that most important choice to make when buying a machine is expertise level (do we need simple model we can use for learning or more advanced type) and decision if we want to go witch mechanical or computerized one (Im big fan of electronic types, but I strongly believe that everyone should start from mechanical).
Hi Cogito, I also agree with you when starting to learn to sew, the sewer needs to get a machine that is good for its expertise level and from there as the sewer get more skiller and know better what type of projects will be making, then it can update to a model with more features.
Thank you, Alex, for a much-needed guide to buying a sewing machine.
I have been contemplating buying a machine for house projects but have not really got to it. Your guide comes at a good time and I have learned so much from it. I was actually surprised there are so many types of machines, especially computerized sewing machines. That caught me by surprise I have to say, I can understand why they would be pricey.
The industrial machines are tempting for me as I see the family using them for a long time. You never know we might turn using it into a business as we grow in skill.
Thank you, once more. I have shared your post on my Facebook page as I know many of my friends would be interested.
Ntlhane
This is a very useful post. I have been considering getting a new sewing machine, I am a little crafty when the mood strikes and would like to try my hand at some sewing projects. I had a small machine for a while, but I got rid of it because it struggled with most fabric types, so was pretty useless. I grew up with a singer machine that worked great for our needs (I remember my mom sewing my halloween costume on it as a kid) so I would probably go with that brand as a good starter to see how well I like the projects before looking into something more expensive.