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Any sewing machine recommendations?

Nov 30, 2011 8:57 PM

I'm looking to get a sewing machine, so I need some recommendations. My mother has a Singer that's still going strong, but I've heard that the production quality just isn't the same anymore - does anyone have recent(ish) experience with the newer machines out there?

I'll be using it mainly for light material but occasionally some denim as well. I'm not an expert seamstress or anything, so it doesn't have to be super-fancy; really, I just want a reliable machine that will work for the beginning/intermediate user.

Thanks for any suggestions you all can come up with!

cityonthesea cityonthesea

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Here's a question I'd asked, a while back, which has many good and helpful suggestions.

http://deals.woot.com/questions/details/0cd8583b-0bd6-4a3d-828e-9be9e83ed9e0/what-sewing-machines-do-people-like-no-singers-please

shrdlu shrdlu
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@shrdlu: Thanks. You (and some of the others) seem a bit more experienced in sewing than I am, though! I suppose most of the ones you considered (Pfaff, Elna, Bernina) have more features than I would require? Still, it does seem as if the "beginner" machines don't work well with heavier fabrics, so should I just suck it up and get a slightly-more-high-end one? I would rather spend a little more now than run into problems later, but of course I was also hoping not to spend an amorphous "too much" (beyond my needs, I suppose).

cityonthesea cityonthesea
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@cityonthesea: You can always go looking for used machines. Truthfully, if you can find an ancient New Home or Singer (from the thirties or forties), those machines are just rock solid. I used my New Home (circa 1934) from 1968 through 1988, and it would still work just fine, if I wanted to use it. I replaced it in 1988, and then moved to the machine I have now (which I mentioned in that other thread), but my older machine would sew through anything.

Buy from a reputable shop. There are always Vac and Sew kinds of places, if you look for them.

shrdlu shrdlu
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@shrdlu: Thank you for all the help! I will try that.

cityonthesea cityonthesea

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