For the sewing machine ignorant

[McClef]

My Mother had an old Singer and I used to love playing with the treadle but that was as far as I got!

[mexpiper]

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]

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.

[LadyGriffin]

Ditto on going to a repair shop. The one here local has LOTS on his shelf that people forgot to pick up. Nice bargins, too.
He knows how to run every one, as he has to test them all.
Manuals are on the web for most machines. Heck, just post what machine you find and some X-mark member probably has it and can copy it for you.

When you finally get to trying to sew, here is a trick my sewing teacher used to get us kids to sew in school. ( I am not telling how many years ago that was! )

1. Buy some cheep early childhood coloring books. The really simple pictures
2. Put the needle in the machine. DO NOT THREAD IT
3. Practice stitching the lines in the comic books. YES, use the comic book like it was fabric and follow the lines with the needle. Hey, it works.
4. Give the "stitched" pictures to some kids to color and put on their windows. The stitching holes look cool with light coming through. ( no waste! )

5. Draw some simple drawings on fabric of choice
6. Put thread in machine
7. Repeat step 3.

By now you should have the technique of follow a seam line licked and not be to intimidated by the machine.

Good luck.

P.S. is owning 9 sewing machines to many? My x-husband thougt so.

[ehiker]

Another option to consider, as far as learning how to sew goes...

You live in Springfield, MO, right? Are you a student at Southwest MO State? (Well, this would probably work, even if you aren't...)

Go to the art department and post something on bulletin boards there indicating that you're looking for someone to teach you sewing lessons. Or find out if there is a Fibers professor and ask them for assistance. Or go as far as to take a Fibers art class. If the state school doesn't have any, check the community colleges.

[Dixiecat]

but I dont have the time to hand sew

ummm, what?

Making the finished kilt may take you longer when hand sewing, but the actual time YOU have available to sew will not change whether you are sewing your kilt by hand or by machine. Anyway, figuring in the time you'll have to invest in finding a sewing machine, learning how to use it, you could be 2/3rd the way through hand sewing your kilt before you even start using the machine.

A hand sewing project is also portable. I took my kilt with me on business trips and would sew for an hour before bed, watching the news. It was also nice to sit with the family while I was sewing, a nice change from most of my sewing projects.

If you're so intent on a machine, go to Sears. They not only have a good price range, they also have a fantastic return policy and a 25yr warranty. These machines are made by Janome.