Ever Wondered How to Pick The Right Sewing Machine?

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Have you ever wondered how to pick the right sewing machine? If so, you’ve come to the right place.  I’ve created a YouTube video along with the blog  to help you find the best sewing machine for you specific needs.

To select the correct sewing machine, you first need to…

…understand how you’d like to use your machine because sewing machines are designed for performing different tasks. It’s not easy to figure out how to pick the right sewing machine. But, I hope knowing about the four different types of sewing enthusiasts will help. You have:

  • General Sewing Enthusiasts
  • Garment Makers
  • Quilters
  • Bag Makers

I’ll continue by explaining the differing requirements in a sewing machine for different types users.



General Sewing Enthusiasts

Those who are interested in making a little bit of everything fall into the category of general sewing enthusiasts. A general sewing machine is a great spring board because you can try different sewing tasks and upgrade to a more specialized machine once you discover what kind of sewing you like best.

For the general sewing enthusiasts, a basic sewing machine with straight stitch and zigzag will do just fine.

How to Pick The Right Sewing Machine

Garment Makers

I fall into the category of garment maker and understand our desires in a sewing machine are very specific. Like the general sewing enthusiasts, we want a basic straight stitch and zigzag for performing basic sewing tasks. But, we also want :

  • A good built in buttonhole
  • Stretch stitches
  • and a free arm for sewing around armholes and such

I’m a lover of vintage sewing machines. So, I will include a link to the vintage sewing machine guide at the end of this article and merely post a few modern sewing machine that would be great for both general sewing enthusiasts and garment makers alike.

Brother Strong & Tough ST371HD

Pfaff Passport 2.o

Pfaff Select 4.2

Viking Emerald 118

Janome Sewist 725S 

Juki Exceed F600

4 How to Pick The Right Sewing Machine

Quilters

Before speaking about how to pick a sewing machine for a quilter, I have to speak about what a quilter does. Quilters use small scraps of fabric to make quilt blocks. Typically, they sew all these quilt blocks together with a scant 1/4 seam allowance. Once all the blocks are made, they sew them together. Then, it’s time to add batting, backing, and a border to the entire piece.

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By the time this quilt is complete, it is very large. For this reason, it is important to have a sewing machine with a very large throat space so all the quilt can fit underneath. And since the quilter is sewing thru a lot of thick layers, they need a sewing machine with a motor that can handle the stress. Most importantly, they need a machine with a beautiful straight stitch. Here are a few popular machines amongst quilters:

Juki TL 2010Q

Grace Little Rebel 

Elna Elnita EF72

 

3 How to Pick The Right Sewing Machine

Bag Makers

To make a bag, wallet, or belt, you must sew very thick layers of material. For this reason it is important to skip the general sewing machine. If you are a already a seasoned sewing enthusiast with a lot space, it would be a good idea to just purchase an industrial walking foot sewing machine. For the beginner or the person without a lot of space, a portable walking foot sewing machine is the next best thing.

Controversially, there are some who decide to go with a non-walking foot straight stitch quilting machines. I’ve seen some bag makers make beautiful bags with straight stitch machines more so geared towards quilters. But, those machines could never replace a walking foot sewing machine. The best quilting machine to choose would be one with a secondary thread path. I’ve listed a few machines to consider below

Consew 206RB-5 (industrial walking foot)

Sailrite (portable walking foot)

Janome HD9 (quilting & bag making machine)

These are the different types of sewing enthusiasts.

Now, all you have to do is decide what category most fits you and pick the right sewing machine for your needs. If you have any questions or comments. Please drop them down in the comments below.

Other helpful articles:

The Best Vintage Sewing Machines to Buy Now

A Sewing Machine Buying Guide for Beginners

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