For the sewing machine ignorant

**berserkbishop** · 30th September 07, 10:56 PM

I see all of these wonderful DIY projects and think to myself "I could handle some of that" but I dont have the time to hand sew. I really know nothing about sewing machines at all, but I do know that I want to find something used, affordable, and rugged. I know, its a lot to ask. I am hesitant to buy a machine off ebay because of my ignorance in the subject. I need something that will sew through two layers of soft leather, but will mainly be used on jackets, denim, and things like that. Im thinking of hitting up local flea markets but even there I dont know what I am looking for, one machine is as good as another to the untrained eye. Any input from you talented DIYers would be appreciated.

**Coemgen** · 1st October 07, 12:07 AM

As a Poor, Starving Liberal Arts Student, I would appreciate similar advice.

**auld argonian** · 1st October 07, 05:08 AM

I'm sure that you'll get some good recommendations from the more experienced sewing members. I just wanted to toss in a comment on my observations on sewing machines. Hopefully this is more-or-less "on topic"; I think it is.

The biggest problem that almost everyone I know has had with sewing machines is that they get put "out of adjustment" and the machine owner has to find a sewing machine expert to re-adjust them. I assume that the problem is that the machine user has fiddled with the various tensions and what-not and can't get them back to the factory specs. Getting a repair person to set the thing back up seems to get to be expensive and a long wait...there aren't so many sewing machine repair people around anymore...when the repair guy shows up at one of the local fabric stores he gets treated like a visiting head of state.

Thus, I would suggest that just finding a good, reliable machine may be just half the battle and that being able to get that puppy tweaked up by a repairman might add significantly to the cost. I'd be interested to hear from some of those with wider experience on this.

Best

AA

**James MacMillan** · 1st October 07, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by auld argonian

I'm sure that you'll get some good recommendations from the more experienced sewing members. I just wanted to toss in a comment on my observations on sewing machines. Hopefully this is more-or-less "on topic"; I think it is.

The biggest problem that almost everyone I know has had with sewing machines is that they get put "out of adjustment" and the machine owner has to find a sewing machine expert to re-adjust them. I assume that the problem is that the machine user has fiddled with the various tensions and what-not and can't get them back to the factory specs. Getting a repair person to set the thing back up seems to get to be expensive and a long wait...there aren't so many sewing machine repair people around anymore...when the repair guy shows up at one of the local fabric stores he gets treated like a visiting head of state.

Thus, I would suggest that just finding a good, reliable machine may be just half the battle and that being able to get that puppy tweaked up by a repairman might add significantly to the cost. I'd be interested to hear from some of those with wider experience on this.

Best

AA

All the above is true, and one of the best places to find a good machine is in the repair shops themselves. Go to your local yellow pages or BBB and search out Sewing Machine Repair.

They often have machines that have been brought in for repair, and then abandoned.

They are often willing to sell them for just the cost of the repair bill.

**mexpiper** · 2nd October 07, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by James MacMillan

All the above is true, and one of the best places to find a good machine is in the repair shops themselves. Go to your local yellow pages or BBB and search out Sewing Machine Repair.

They often have machines that have been brought in for repair, and then abandoned.

They are often willing to sell them for just the cost of the repair bill.

I agree talk to the repair shop, tell them what you want to do with it. Almost all of them will tell you the truth. Do you have a family member who sews? Ask them to go with you to the repair shop. Also some of the older machines are easier to clean and oil, and repair (if parts are available). Just think of them as cars... newer models need and electrical/computer degree to repair and the cost associated with it!!

**Pleater** · 3rd October 07, 02:49 AM

If you do have the chance to try before buying, take along some samples of the fabrics/materials you want to use.

If the demonstrator can't get the machine to do a good job on a some scrap it is more than likely you will not get a good result on the real thing.

**Pleater** · 1st October 07, 07:21 AM

There isn't really much that can go wrong with one of the older machines - the non electronic ones.

It can, if used for many hours a week be worn out - all the bearings etc just worn so they are loose, but you can usually tell by the sound it makes - everything clatters.

They can also have the teeth stripped off the cogs by misuse, but that becomes obvoius when they are tried out.

There is not a lot to adjust - not anything I would have thought a repairman might be needed to put right. That might be because I grew up with a sewing machine in the house, and learned to use it at an early age.

The main thing is to get the manual with the machine. That way you know that for stitch X the stitch length is set between A and C and the width is
D to G and the top thread tension H to J, so you don't try to use settings the machine can't cope with.

Actually the really main thing is to get the manual and then read it. The manufacturors do usually try to tell you how to use the machine, though you need to be able to spot the ones where a native German has translated into English from Japanese. You can usually tell if the word 'backside' appears more than once on any page. Those teaching English for translation seem to think it is funny.

Modern machines have been part of a pricing war for some time, and forcing the price down produced cheap badly made machines. It can pay to look for an older machine which is fairly heavy. There were a few lightweights made which were good quality but they so often end up on the floor that they are rarely undamaged. Even when they have a table clamp, people do not seem to use them and then look surprised when half way through sewing a hem on a curtain the whole sheebang slides sideways with the weight of the material.

Over here in the UK you can often get second hand machines in shops where new ones are sold, as they know there is a market for them,They sometimes see the same machine several times as it is traded in for a new machine as the owner gets more ambitious.

The best thing would be to see the machine actually used to sew some of the materials you want to use with it, so you can see the results and hear the machine working. The next best thing would be to find one where someone has tried it out and the pieces of cloth are still there under the foot of the machine. I have yet to hear of anyone working out how to do some sewing on a working machine and getting it onto a non working machine with both upper and lower threads in place.

**auld argonian** · 1st October 07, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by James MacMillan

All the above is true, and one of the best places to find a good machine is in the repair shops themselves. Go to your local yellow pages or BBB and search out Sewing Machine Repair.

They often have machines that have been brought in for repair, and then abandoned.

They are often willing to sell them for just the cost of the repair bill.

Now that's a great thought...a great way to find something serviceable. Thanks, MacMillan.

Quoth Pleater: "There is not a lot to adjust - not anything I would have thought a repairman might be needed to put right. That might be because I grew up with a sewing machine in the house, and learned to use it at an early age. "

I'm thinking of many of the machines sold during the fifties and sixties and aimed at the home market rather than the professional or industrial market. I'm thinking about my mom and her friends who picked up what are probably very adequate machines and then used them very sparingly. Singer pretty much ruled that market here in the 50's 60's...I know that there are varying opinions about the quality of the Singer stuff, though. What seems to have happened is that these well meaning homemakers didn't really understand the machines completely and changed an adjustment here and one there and pretty soon the tensions were way off and needed the care of a repairperson to sort of set them back to "zero". Lots of these show up at garage sales and rummage sales and they're barely used because the owner gave up in frustration. I'm sure that someone with the right knowledge could easily set one of these up and use it but some of us would need to have such a competent person show us where the adjustments were off and how to put them right. When I've been at the fabric store, I'm always surprised at the number of people coming in with these machines and seeking the services of the repair people to set it right.

Best

AA

**O'Neille** · 1st October 07, 10:18 AM

I remember some great information from the past. I'd suggest using the search function.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ghlight=singer

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ghlight=singer

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ghlight=singer

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ghlight=singer

You get the idea. Search on "Singer"

O'Neille

**Alan H** · 1st October 07, 10:46 AM

Pleater has it right. If you get a basic, non-electronic older machine, they're pretty bombproof. Thje challenge is learning how to use it, but with some help, that can be accomplished in two afternoons.