High quality user friendly sewing machine?

S

Sid Post

Joined
Oct 14, 1998
Messages
4,725
I have tried a couple of garage sale "bargain" :rolleyes: sewing machines with were a total waste of my time. My needs are pretty basic but, these machines lead to total frustration and wasted time.

I am currently looking for beginner sewing classes and I want to investigate buying a really good sewing machine.

I want to repair tears and rips in blue jeans. I want to hem the cuffs and collors on well worn shirts (work shirts that need a good collar for the Arizona sunshine outside in the yard). Altering pants legs lengths and similar tasks are desired.

As I learn basic skills, I would like to make throw pillows, duvet covers, and similar household items. The ability to sew cordura and ballistic nylon to make calculator cases, GPS cases for my bicycle and to repair camping and hiking gear is desirable.

I don't see myself making a quilt - ever.

I need a machine that will help me sew with quality and durability in mind. I want one I can grow with, if or when my needs or the needs of a significant other require something beyond the basics.

I am leaning towards the Viking Platinum 730 or 770 models as a place to start the discussion. The 770 seems to offer more "growth" beyond my basic needs at this time. The 730 seems to offer everything I need today.

If someone, or their spouse ;), has words of wisdom to help me choose a good sewing machine I would appreciate their wisdom. The one thing that Viking seems to have as a brand over the others is support from dealers and service centers. Their reputation for quality, engineering, and durability are pluses as well. My experiences with Singer are bad but, maybe I am missing a gem in a modern Singer sewing machine.

Also, I will be leaving for the SHOT SHOW soon so, I will be offline for several days. I will read and respond to all the replies when I am on-line. ;)
 
I don't sew, but my wife does and I did a lot of research when buying her a machine for Christmas 3 years ago. Here's my $0.02:

"I am currently looking for beginner sewing classes and I want to investigate buying a really good sewing machine."

I'd say take the class, then you'll know what to look for. Find a really nice sewing machine store and they should have lessons there.

Sewing machines can run up to $8k, the last time I looked. I'm not quite sure what you had in mind for "really good".

I bought my wife a Janome 423s as a basic, dependable sewing machine. She likes it and it seems to do the job. The all metal body gives it a nice sturdy feel.

A friend who has been sewing for about 45 years and is a fanatic swears by the old Singers from the 40's and 50's (and won't touch a modern Singer with a 10 foot pole). They only do one kind of stich, but they're bulletproof and will last forever. A decent one starts at around $300-400 the last time I looked.

My wife's machine can do 23 different kinds of stiches. She only uses one. And she sews quite a bit. You might think hard about what kind of features you really need. You might not need anything computerized or anything with lots of different automatic stiches.

Good luck.
 
Don't buy a Singer ,they are junk !! I bought a Janome 'New Home' model which is a Mechanical machine - no computer or other electronics !!! Janome is a very old Japanese company. This is a basic mechanical machine that will serve you well . The electronic stuff is more complex than you need, more expensive .If you have doubts about what you can sew witha machine, take a sample of cloth with however many layers you'll sew and ask them to demonstrate. I sew 14 oz cordura , similar cotton canvas etc. Very heavy webbing , heavy leather [1/8"] requires a commercial machine.
 
Great thread. My wife is in the market for a decent sewing machine that wont break the bank. My youngest son is built like me, unfortunately, and needs to have his pants hemmed. :( We need a machine that will sew through denim to hem his jeans. The cheap machine she has now won't fo it.
 
Dennis,

I don't know what your budget is but, look at the Scandinavia 200 for about $500.

The Platinum models I mentioned are worth checking out if you want a machine that offers more features. The 730 is about $800 locally where I shopped.
 
I don't know much about sewing, but from what I've read, the Sailrite sewing machines are really nice.

http://www.sailrite.com/whichmachine.htm

Sailrite takes basic commercial machines and tweaks them a bit, then sells them under their own name. If I were buying, I'd consider the LSZ-1 Deluxe kit. It will do a straight and a zig-zag stitch, and has PLENTY of power to sew your ballistic nylon webbing and such.

Of course, you could probably get a very good machine for LESS than $1000. :)
 
my mom is still using a Singer, mid 60's to 70's in manufacture date. All metal parts, and easy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top