Learning how to sew
can be difficult, especially if you choose the wrong machine. Before
choosing a sewing machine, you should identify which areas you want
to focus on the most, and that will help you determine how to choose
the best sewing machine for beginners. For instance, if you would
like to focus more on sewing clothing or accessories you might want
to get a standard computerized machine that can handle at least 20-50
stitch settings for garment construction and has a removable sewing
arm to allow you to easily sew seams and sleeves.
Typically, if you
choose the wrong sewing machine, or even a cheaper model, you will
have trouble with:
The speed
The tangling,
unwinding or breaking of the bobbin thread
The lack of
decorative or functional stitch options
The machine parts
breaking
These are typically
the barriers that make beginner sewers get so frustrated that they
quit trying to learn the art altogether. So here are some tips for
you to choose the best sewing machine for beginners.
Choosing Your
Machine Based on Your Interests
Now lets compare and
contrast the typical machine with other types. If you would only like
to patch up your garments when you find holes, create buttonholes or
adjust the hem of a garment, you may want to consider buying a mini
sewing machine. It will probably not be computerized, but will have
about 10 built-in stitches and will allow forward and reverse sewing,
automatic threading and will allow you to sew on multiple layers of
light materials or one layer of denim. You can use these kind of
machines for small projects around the house, crafts or like I
mentioned earlier clothing repair.
If you plan to go a
little beyond general sewing and want to get into intricate design
and fashioning your own clothing, then you will probably want a more
versatile sewing machine that you can use for sewing and quilting
projects. To save yourself some heartache you'd probably want to
start out with one that offers at least 25 stitches, sewing speed
control, an automatic and jam resistant bobbin, a stitch length and
width setting and an easy start and stop or back stitch button. In
addition, look for one that come with several added accessories so
that you will not have to purchase these extra parts yourself.
Also there is a
third type of sewing machine that I would consider starting out as a
beginner, and that would be the heavy-duty sewing machines. If you
know that sewing will be a skill that you wish to continually develop
then I would suggest that you consider a sewing machine with metal
parts. Usually modern sewing machines are made to be lightweight and
are made out of plastic parts. But a heavy-duty models may be of
interest to you if you plan to sew heavy or thick materials on it.
Metal machines will last longer under the stress of sewing thicker
materials frequently.
Community Advice
So after you have
chosen which type of machine you would like to buy, now you need to
narrow down your options since there are so many sewing machines for
beginners to choose from. If you know what your needs are you can go
to some of the larger manufacturer websites like SINGER or Brother
and browse through their products. However, to really zone in on the
machine that will be right for you, you are going to need to search
for the consumer reviews for the product and the machine's ratings.
Other buyers will let you know what the downfalls of a particular
machine might be.
