Sewing machine for beginners: what are, how to choose

The issue of purchasing a sewing machine can arise in every family. Going to purchase a device, one wonders: what sewing machine to choose for beginners? Someone can’t pick out an outfit for a figure, someone is a zealous hostess or just wanted to do this as a hobby. Or maybe frequent trips to the studio prompted such a decision to save the budget?

If the motives for the purchase are clear to every housewife, then it’s not so easy to decide on a wide variety of cars on offer. But still possible. Below we will understand what kind of cars there are, how to choose a suitable one for a beginner, and we will give some good models.

What are sewing machines

There are many not only models, but also types of sewing machines. We will not consider production, we will focus on modern household:

1. Electromechanical. These are the most common and easy to use cars. The indisputable advantages of this type are low price, reliability, durability, low cost of repair in case of breakdown. This type is perfect for beginners and those who want to have an assistant in the house for minor repairs and periodic use. On it you can sew curtains and a dress, sew a hole and so on. The price category of these devices is usually from 3 to 10 thousand rubles.
2. On computer control. This device has more programs and its own software. The skills of the model directly depend on the memory and the number of programs. At first glance, this “sewing computer” is an excellent multifunctional thing. But if you look closely, in everyday life it is not really needed. You will try most of the many lines only after the purchase, but will not use it. Overlock, straight lines and zigzags, buttonhole stitching will be useful. One of the advantages is speed and accuracy. This unit is suitable for seamstresses who do this professionally, sew to order. But of the minuses - the price of the machine itself and the possible repair. The cost of such machines is 2-3 times higher than the previous ones.
3. Sewing embroidery and embroidery. This is a machine that can cope not only with ordinary stitching, but also with embroidery of various patterns. But unfortunately, everything is not as rosy as we would like. There are very few programmed embroideries, and in order to get more and to get the opportunity to create your own patterns, you will have to buy other software, which is quite expensive. Also, do not think that having bought such a device, you will immediately begin to create magical patterns. Embroidery on a typewriter is an art that needs to be learned. It is not so easy to transfer your desires to the computer. Such a machine is suitable for those who decided to do embroidery and spend time learning, but they are not going to forget about sewing (stitching / hemming).
4. Overlocks. It can come in handy for regular sewing classes. The machine processes the edge of the product, while cutting off the excess allowance. This significantly saves time with large volumes of work. But if you will rarely sew, then on a regular typewriter you can use the overlock function. The difference is in the accuracy of the seam and the lack of automatic trimming. The price is usually from 6 thousand rubles and above.
5. Sewing. They are ploskoshovki. The purpose of this device is in the processing of slices of knitwear. Such work can only be done by them and the carpet covers. It is very difficult to process knitwear with an ordinary seam, and there will be no sense from this. But on such a machine, an elastic stitch is obtained that will prevent the fabric from blooming and the seam threads to burst when stretched. The cost of the unit is within 15,000 rubles. If you are going to sew t-shirts, swimwear and stretch dresses - this is for you.
6. Overlocks.This is a symbiosis of the two previous types - overlock and sewing machines. Designed to work with knitwear. There are models as well as two devices separately, so there is more a question of convenience. Sometimes it’s easier to work on two different machines than to constantly reconfigure one.

So which sewing machine to choose? For a beginner, of course, it is better to buy a regular electromechanical model. Or buy a computer, if the plans make money craft.

Now let's take a closer look at what to look for when choosing a model, and what is just a marketing ploy.

What to look for when choosing

After you clearly understand what exactly you will do on a typewriter, it is worth paying attention to a number of criteria.

1. Body material. For sewing from time to time, plastic is quite suitable. If you intend to spend eight hours a day behind the device, it is better to take a model with metal elements.
2. Power. On expensive models, a puncture force adjustment function is installed, so this indicator is important for budget ones. Some of them, because of their weak power, are “unable to” pierce even jeans, and even more so in several additions.
3. Sewing speed. As in the previous paragraph, this is for budget models in which the speed is controlled by pressing the pedal.
4. Pressure and height of the foot. Not all cars are equipped with a regulator of this indicator. As a rule, most have one. If you are going to sew dense fabrics in several folds, pay attention to the height of the foot - when a small fabric simply does not fit.
5. Type of shuttle. Vertical is suitable for periodic hemming and repair of products. Horizontal will suit both a novice and an experienced craftswoman with a large amount of work. The latter will cost more. This is relevant only for models with a zigzag width of 6 mm or more.
6. Types of lines. No need to look at the quantity here. In machines with the number of lines 100+, even professionals use no more than 20. The main types of lines that should be for the beginner to work conveniently are straight lines, zigzag, overlock and buttonhole. You can do without the rest.
7. Equipment. Be sure to check what comes with the machine. Be sure to have paws and needles, except for the cord, of course. If not all the paws you need are on this list, find out in advance where you can buy them, and preferably not from the words of the seller of the device.

Which manufacturer to choose

Like any home appliance, there are leaders and laggards. So which company to choose?

Home, Bernina, Family, Brother, Singer, Husqvarna produce many budget (and not only) high-quality models. The main thing you should pay attention to is the guarantee and availability of a service center in your city. Over time, this issue will become especially relevant.

It is also worthwhile to find out if there are original or suitable accessories for the typewriter of the selected company on sale.

Five common mistakes when choosing a sewing machine

It is such errors that make buyers overpay or acquire not at all what we would like. So, here are the most common ones:

1. An expensive and functional machine is useless to me, since I am not a seamstress. Of course, for household needs an expensive “sophisticated” machine is not required. But you should not choose the cheapest model, because, most likely, it will be of poor quality. Extremely suspicious devices with a wide selection of features and low price. Reliable equipment cannot cost 1-2 thousand rubles.
2. It’s better to overpay for a horizontal shuttle. This statement is true only for machines with a zigzag width of 6 mm or more. On devices with a smaller width, there is no difference.
3. The Chinese assembly is bad. This statement is fundamentally false! The production of world brands is transferred to China so that the goods have more affordable prices. Apple also collects its products in China, quality does not suffer from this. Price speaks primarily about quality. But still, not all cheap sewing machines are bad, as well as not all expensive sewing machines are of high quality.The quality of the products is monitored by the company itself, wherever the production is located.
4. I choose a technique based on reviews on the Internet. Reviews are a good thing and forums too. But there is one significant “but” - there is no guarantee that the information is reliable. So, for example, what prevents the employee of the company under discussion (the seller) from writing a flattering review of the product? On otzoviks like Yandex Market, reviews are usually left by real buyers. But are they valuable enough to rely on? Few indicate the types of fabric with which they worked, how often they sewed, and many other important factors. Usually these reviews come down to like / dislike, nothing more.
5. The more expensive the better. This is also not true. Firstly, the brand also affects the price increase, and many more factors ranging from the place of production to the store’s margin. Also, how smooth the line will be, does not depend on the price. It can be ideal on a machine for 5000 rubles, or it can be bad on a device for 15 000. The quality of the line depends not only on the sewing machine itself, but also on the settings that you set yourself.

A few examples

So we got to good examples of cars for beginners.

Janome JB 1108 is an electromechanical model with the ability to perform nine operations. Cope with fabrics of different densities, the main thing is not to forget about the settings. In addition to the main lines, it will cope with the application, monogram and darn.

Three paws included - for zipper, buttonhole and hem. This is a good sewing machine for beginners.

The cost of the model is about 11,000 rubles.

Brother LS-3125 is perfect for a beginner. Easy to use, easy to manage. There are 14 operations, including elastic and blind seams. Stitches both tarpaulin and silk with the same lightness and excellent quality.

The kit includes paws for stitching zippers and sewing buttons. In general, a good, easy to use and maintain model is suitable for a beginner.

You can buy such a sewing machine for 8-9 thousand rubles.

We hope that the information provided has helped you understand how to choose a sewing machine.

Smooth lines and strong seams!