OT - Buying a Sewing Machine
Seleneyue
Posts: 0
Dear Denizens of the Daziverse,
I plan on buying a sewing machine this weekend to work on cosplay costumes as well as general stuff with. I've worked with scary fast commercial machines in fashion construction class, but not much experience with the lower-end machines, and wanted to hear your thoughts/recommendations.
-I live in Midwestern United States
-I'd like it to be able to sew some thicker materials, nothing flimsy
-I'd like to be able to zipper and buttonholes
-I'd like to keep it under $200
Thanks in advance!
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I bought a Singer Quantum 9960 on Amazon last year and love it. Lots of extras and comes with a hard cover and a large work area attachment. A new one is $329.00, but there are three in Amazon Warehouse for $219.00 with free 2 day shipping. They can be found on the "more buying choices" link. I've found they give no hassle returns even on Warehouse items. My favorite feature is the automatic thread cutter!
I've had some very good luck with the Singer Stylist 7258, which, according to a quick google search, comes in under $200.
I do sew mostly cottons, but I've had no problem with denim, fleece, and similar heavy materials.
My favorite feature is that it has a pedal-less option, which means that I can step away while it's winding a bobbin, and button-holes are practically "automatic" as well.
You mostly can't go wrong with any Singer product. My family and friends who sew have been using them for decades (sometimes the same machine for that long). They're robust in design, often easier to bobbin up and rethread, and less likely to break on you. I have a Brother and my Mom has a Singer (mainly because the Brother was my cheap "starter" machine) and I never use the Brother if I can borrow Mom's. :D
I've got a Pfaff similar to this one, and I love it. It is lightweight, very easy to use, and I've sewn through 3 layers of denim on it.
http://www.pfaffusa.com/31803.html
I think they run about $400 new though which is a bit more than you wanted. The one I have I paid $250 for and it was used from a person in my quilting guild. There was nothing wrong with it, she had just won a contest and the prize was a really nice Husqvarna (dare to dream, lol) so this was a spare machine she didn't need anymore.
My mother-in-law lent me her Bernina to do the quilting on a quilt for her, and she ended up letting me keep it as she had upgraded too.
The moral of the story is that it might pay to see what you can find used. If you are near any fabric stores or quilting stores ask around to see if someone has a spare machine they might part with and give you a deal on. You could possibly end up with a much better machine for the money than what you could get for the same price new. Sewing machine repair shops usually have second hand machines too. Make sure you test drive it thoroughly before you buy. Bring a sample similar to what you would typically sew on it to see how well it functions.
Otherwise, the advice about the Singer line is solid too.
Let us know what you decide on.
cheers!
go to Good Will - we through them a way - no body wants them ( $10 to 40 )!
Thanks guys! I'll hit up Good Will first to see if they have anything, then check craigslist for cheap machines.
I'll probably end up with a Singer thanks to your enthusiastic recommendations; will post again when I've bought one/narrowed it down.
What's the difference between the Singer Curvy vs Sew Mate Vs Fashion Mate etc machines? It's a bit confounding.
The Quantum looked amazing but I couldn't find any in the Warehouse at that price. Going to check out Joann's Fabrics later today and check out what they have there.
I think it has to do with the different lines and capabilities, and possibly machine shape.
Amazon is known for their price fluctuations such that camelcamelcamel.com tracks prices of new and used items on Amazon. Looks like the price changed today from $220.03 to $287.73 and settled at $286.04 where it stands now. You'd think they are treating merchandise like stock... LOL
Amazon is known for their price fluctuations such that camelcamelcamel.com tracks prices of new and used items on Amazon. Looks like the price changed today from $220.03 to $287.73 and settled at $286.04 where it stands now. You'd think they are treating merchandise like stock... LOL
LOL... so looks like it's worth waiting around for a while for the price to drop XD
LOL... so looks like it's worth waiting around for a while for the price to drop XD
Brand new Singer Quantum 9960 is the Deal for the Day at Amazon for 5/7/2013 and are $80 off of their normal price of $329.99 for a Gold Box price of $249.99. The return ones in Amazon warehouse shot up to $295!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox
Edit: The Lighting Deals for today appear to be sewing / arts and crafts related. You may want to check hints of the upcoming items.
Edit: 1:19 pm PT, they sold out... a new singer replaced the Gold Box that's has a steeper discount..
LOL... so looks like it's worth waiting around for a while for the price to drop XD
Brand new Singer Quantum 9960 is the Deal for the Day at Amazon for 5/7/2013 and are $80 off of their normal price of $329.99 for a Gold Box price of $249.99. The return ones in Amazon warehouse shot up to $295!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox
Edit: The Lighting Deals for today appear to be sewing / arts and crafts related. You may want to check hints of the upcoming items.
Edit: 1:19 pm PT, they sold out... a new singer replaced the Gold Box that's has a steeper discount..
Oooh too bad I missed it >_<<br /> I did finally grab a used Quantum from the warehouse though, for $237
It's built like a tank.. You'll love it.. !