sewing machine


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Old 12-26-10, 10:20 AM
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sewing machine

My 29 year old daughter's birthday is soon and she would like a sewing machine. She doesn't have much sewing expierence. What's a good basic sewing machine that she won't outgrow soon? Singer I guess but I don't really know.
 
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Old 12-26-10, 11:29 AM
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I wouldn't recommend any new machine, unless it's an industrial or a Pfaff home machine, but they're not cheap. Don't buy a Singer. They're not the same, they'll break in a few months and consider them disposable. Same with any machine you find in a department store. They're basically all junk, and they'll discourage her to sew since she'll have nothing but problems with them.
Would you be interested in an older machine? They're the only good ones and I can recommend a few. They'll last 2 lifetimes and can be repaired. However, they're not cheap, either.
 
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Old 12-26-10, 11:44 AM
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A friend who was an avid seamstress told us she got her machine from a local repair shop. It was relatively old and had been rebuilt/restored by the owner. As was said..it wasn't cheap. Seems like she said it was over $500? It's been a few years....
 
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Old 12-26-10, 11:51 AM
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Thanks for the information. The Pfaffs are more than we intended to spend (@ $300.00). Maybe I'll direct our son in law there.
 
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Old 12-26-10, 02:11 PM
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I've had surprisingly good luck with the sub $100 machine I bought at WalMart. It is limited in power and when sewing thick fabrics I swear I can feel parts inside flexing so I slowly nurse it through thick seam areas, but it's been good enough for simple jobs. When it breaks I don't have hope that it can be repaired, so I consider it disposable. These days I don't know if you have may good options in the $300 area unless you luck upon a really good deal. Maybe your daughter could get some use out of a inexpensive machine and learn if sewing is for her. Then she can decide if sewing is worth investing in a better machine.

I also have a old Union Special that will sew your fingers together if you are not careful. I bought it from one of our local mills for $500. When driving around town I would stop into every textile shop I passed asking about used machines. What I bought is a beast of a machine that weighs over 200 pounds with it's table so it's nothing you can store in the closet and bring out when you need it. It has no bells or whistles and lacks all the fancy stitches of my cheap machine but what it does it does very well. Several of the controls are operated by your feet & legs to you have both hands free to work with your project and it has the power to sew anything without bogging down.
 
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Old 12-27-10, 03:42 PM
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Thanks for your help. I think we are going to get an inexpensive machine like you suggested. Hopfully she'll enjoy it and move up when she is ready. Thanks again.
 
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Old 01-06-11, 10:13 AM
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Have you bought a machine yet? If not, I came across this one today that you might be interested in. I've bought machines from this guy before. Very trustworthy. $300 plus free shipping (he's close to Allentown) and I'd get a home Juki over the other brands.

JUKI
 
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Old 01-06-11, 11:40 AM
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My son in law got her a Kenmore. We got her a case on wheels and a gift card. Thanks for your help.
 
 

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