Sewing Machines

[isabelladangelo]

Actually the Singer Heavy Duty is what I use.   Here's the review I wrote back on Jan 2012 up on Amazon:

My Euro Pro gave it's last stitch this past summer. I researched and saw that the heavy duty Singer was ranked pretty highly so I ended up buy it in July 2011. It's now Jan 2012 and I can't even begin to tell you how many items I've sewn on it; it's been a lot! The decorative stitches are "eh" but I don't really use those anyway. I really just use the zig zag and straight stitch for most of my outfits and costumes. Any embroidery is typically by hand. One cool feature this machine has that my old one didn't is that the needle placement can be left, center, or right. My old machine only allowed for right or center. This is useful for hems and such.

I'm disappointed in the width of the base of the machine - it's impossible to do cuffs once the sleeve seam is sewn. You can just add the cuff and then sew up the sleeve seam but I tend to add a lot of cuffs by hand now. Not a big deal given I'm typically making historical outfits.

It can go at a pretty decent clip and I've sewn threw six layers of denim on it without an issue. The key is to always use the correct needle type. A typical 12 or 14 needle won't work - you need an 18 at least! I've also sewn straight through duct ties on a pair of stays (corset is the modern term) and the machine was a bit jumpy but so would I going through 1/8" of plastic and two layers of canvas!

I've also sewn organza and other very lightweight fabrics on it. No problem! It's all about switching the needle and the machine will deal with it.

The buttonhole is the only thing I've had issues. I have no idea if I'm doing it wrong or what but I can't get it to work. Now, I rarely need the buttonhole since I have to do eyelets by hand but it would be nice if I could get it to work.

Overall, the machine works well. So far, I've sewn dresses, gowns, capes, cloaks, curtains, corsets, skirts, bodices, tunics, and about a few dozen other things on it in the six months I've had the machine. I used the machine last night for pocket hoops and will use it for the non visible seams of my current gown I'm working on.

The only thing I would change in this review now is that I figured out what I was doing wrong for buttonholes.  You have to push the lever all the way down and back.  I didn't realize there was a lever until I saw it one day.  By that time, I had found the very lost directions to the machine again and actually read them this time.  ;-)  The buttonholes have been great and I made some recently on something I made for Mom.   

Just yesterday, I sewed up the black leather witch dress on the machine and it went through it fine with a gauge 18 needle.  It didn't hiccup once!   So I would highly recommend the machine.   If it can put up with me, it can pretty much put up with anyone.  (The bobbin issue a lot of people complain about - it is because they are using the wrong bobbins.  Use only the ones that come with the machine or are specific for the machine.   My BF has the same machine and had that issue; it was just she used the bobbins from her old machine.  Easy fix!)

[Kate XXXXXX]

While I do love my old black Singers and other elderly machines, I also love some of the new gizmos in the new machines.  I have played with the big new Husqvarna embroidery machine, and the Bernina, and they are fantastic  And that's an awful lot of fans!  I also adore my electronic wiz-kid, the Lily 550.  I still think of her as new, but I bought her in 1999!  She's full of high quality plastic and electronic wizardry, and gets hammered, but still sews like the pro she is.  I also use my Bernina 1005 as much: 'Nina is all mechanical and mostly metal and will sew through a tin can if you let her.  The two are about the same age, and were both top of the line when new. 

Truth is, there really is no problem with MODERN plastic components in good quality machines.  The ones you need look out for are the cheap basic entry level jobs that cost under $100  and the light weight efforts that promise more than they can deliver.  SOME modern light weight machines are really good for what they are, and that includes the Singer 117 Featherweight II I bought several years back for my mum.  It was an excellent light weight small space occasional use Granny's Sewing Machine: enough bells and whistles to keep her amused and light enough for her to lift.  Like the Brother 10A I tested once, it was a good buy for what it would do, but I wouldn't expect it to hammer through miles of curtaining or heavy garb projects.  OK for your chemise and shirts, but not for a heavy velvet or wool gowns.  I understand the Janome Gem is a similar small machine, but I don't know from personal experience.  I love my old Elna Lotus machines from the 60's and early 70's so much I have three!  And I dearly want to try their new Lotus and see how it measures up...

The thing about plastic is that like metal sewing machine components, they need to be good quality to work well, and you get what you pay for.  I'd always recommend someone making garb or curtains buy a machine that is heavy enough not to be dragged off the table by the fabric hanging off it.  This is why however much I adore my smaller machines, I don't use the Lotuses, my Frister and Rossman Cub 4's, or my Singer Featherweight for large costume projects or curtains.  You also want something with a large harp area that will accomodate all the big thick things you are going to shove through it!  And for long sttraight seams you'll eventually want something FAST to stave off the boredom!   

[Dinobabe]

I have the Singer sew/embroidery machine, but it's the industrial model with the steel frame (weighs a TON!).  I got it a few years ago and really like it.  I've never sewed on it (just embroidery) because I also have a Brother sewing machine.  Easier not to have to take apart the embroidery attachment!  I've had the Brother about 6 years now.  My mom got it for me because she wanted her old Singer back.   She did a lot of research before she bought it.  She wanted to get me a Singer but found such bad reviews.  It appeared that Brother had taken the lead on inexpensive machines at that point (I always remember Singer being the go to brand before that).  I sew thru all kinds of thick materials without a problem.  It's been a really good inexpensive work horse.