Hi all,

My sewing machine just died, so I'm looking for a replacement (it was a Bernette).  Any suggestions?  I don't need anything particularly fancy - I'm not planning to do embroidery with it or anything - but I do plan on sewing my handwovens with it, including my wedding dress!

I think I'd like an entry-level machine from one of the "quality" brands - Elna, Viking, Bernina, Pfaff, etc.  My Bernette lasted 14 years and I'd like another one that will last just as long.  My budget is in the $300-600 range - any suggestions?

(I do plan to go see a dealer to check out sewing machines, but unfortunately the best and biggest dealer on the Peninsula turned me off by MAJOR high-pressure sales tactics when I went in there, so I'm probably going with a smaller shop.  So I'd like an idea of what machines I should be looking at, so I can choose my dealers accordingly.)

Thoughts?

Tien

Comments

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 01:48

claudia (not verified)

Hey Tien,

I can only speak for my experience and I love my Pfaff.  Our local quilt shop sells Pfaff after years of carrying several more expensive brands.  I bought one in the price range you mention, about 2 years ago with very few bells and whistles, just the basics and a few zigzag stitches.  It has been amazing.  I keep it clean and oil it every month but have used it for a huge variety of fabrics including leather and it has done very well.

Previously, I owned a Sears machine which cost me $50 at a yard sale and lasted 20 years.  Including sewing everything my children wore for 13 years. 

Claudia

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 10:52

Little Meadows (not verified)

You may want to add Janome to your list...their machines get lots of praise from quilters and other work from home sewers. Liese

 

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 14:23

Michael White

Tien, you can go to this web site to find spec/ reviews on a lot of sewing machines http://www.sewingmachinereviewer.com

And how are the wedding plans going.

Michael

Liese, have you put the loom together yet?

 

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 16:53

Robyn (not verified)

I would add a hearty second thumbs up for Janome!  I have two and absolutely love them!

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 21:20

Loominaria (not verified)

I did a lot of research about 14 years ago (?) and decided on Husqvarna Viking. My second choice at the time was White. Actually, they were tied, and the sale price on the Viking nudged it across the finish line first. I don't use it much, but it has always performed well, including heavy denim. I really don't think there is that much difference among the major brands, as far as sewing basics. I consider major brands to be those that have their own page on the site Michael posted: Bernina, Brother, Janome, Kenmore, Pfaff, Singer, White.

I think your budget is higher than it needs to be.  Check out http://www.consumersearch.com/sewing-machines also.

Kurt

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 21:36

RuTemple (not verified)

Wow, I have my grandmother's Singer featherweight, and while the zig-zag is an added brick-with-cams, it does straight-ahead sewing like a dream.

Our Bernina, another inherited delight this one from my mother and 1978, (the Bernina 1008) remains a steady stalwart, and does all the fanciness I can imagine needing to use (or grow into) for a Long While.

I'm tempted to ask who your bad experience was (and I will, offline) but I have a baaad feeling I may already know. In any case, how unfortunate to be on the receiving end of high pressure sales tactics! ew...

onward,

Ruth

 

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 22:06

tien (not verified)

Thanks!  I will look into those websites and also into Janome machines.  I've already seen an Elna, which I believe is a subsidiary of Janome, and liked it quite a bit.

Michael - the wedding is cranking along, I have a photographer in mind, and we should be nailing down the location/date in the next 2-3 weeks.  It'll be late May or early June - and I'm going to visit two sites on Saturday.  Hopefully one of them will do!

Ruth - the shop in question is Eddie's Quilting Bee.  They started by telling me that my Bernette was unreliable and not worth repairing, so I should buy a new machine.  When I pointed out that it had been quite reliable for 14 years, they responded, "Then you've gotten your money's worth out of it.  What about a new machine?"  Then they told me they charged $85 to clean the machine before they even think about repairing it, and that parts to fix it could be as high as $120, plus labor, plus the $85 to clean it first, which is very close to the price of a new machine - we can put you in a new machine for as little as  $400 for a quality brand...

Around that point I got cranky and left.  Too bad - they have classes on how to use your new machine, and I had intended to purchase my new sewing machine there next time I needed one, but that kind of high-pressure sales is ridiculous.  I'll buy my new machine elsewhere.

Wed, 11/04/2009 - 23:20

Spinningdoula

Hi Tien

I think when you do choose and purchase your next machine, it would be beneficial to the shop owner if you send them a letter.  Tell them what happened and why you decided to buy elsewhere, even though you had originally planned to buy from them.

Blessings,

Angi

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 16:42

kerstinfroberg

Re: Elna machines.

When my old Husqvarna decided to take a break, I got a new Elna a couple of years ago. While it is a very nice machine, with many metal parts (as opposed to plastic), it does not take standard presser feet. Also, they did not offer some of the feet that my professional sewing requires.

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 02:12

TinaHilton (not verified)

I have a Husqvarna too and like it.  I got a good deal because it was a closeout sale of a discontinued model.  It also helped that they were closing that store too.


 
Fri, 11/06/2009 - 02:27

Caroline (not verified)

I love my elderly Husqvarna and would only change it for another one. Mine has to be nearly 50 years old and never misses a beat, and I love it for free-hand embroidery, not that I do that any more. But its taken everything I could throw at it including being worked 8 hours a day 7 days a week at one stage.

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 13:46

weaversouth (not verified)

If you really do "no frills" sewing, I would suggest going to ebay and checking out the old "Featherweight" machines on offer.   They just sew backwards and forwards, but they are brilliant little machines and very, very portable, making it nice for taking with you for workshops etc.  There are a lot of accessories you can also find on ebay that expand the possibilities.  They are entirely of metal, meaning that repairs and cleaning are a LOT more do-able.  I had one that kept me clothed for YEARS and I've never stopped kicking myself for selling it when I left Europe.  (All you have to do, apparently, is switch the motors (or buy an adapter) to use it transatlantic to, sounds of gnashing teeth!!!)

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=featherweight&_armrs=1&_from=R9&_ipg=&_sop=10

I have three of them, (long story involving bidding on three in case I lost the others..Live and learn!!)  two of which I had reconditioned, but one was ready to boogie on arrival!

Be aware that there are "reproductions" around that just, plain stink, and Singer has also done a newer version that is not so great, either.  You really need to get hold of a REAL, "vintage" Featherweight!

Nancy C.

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 16:20

tien (not verified)

Thanks everyone for the recommendations!  I really appreciate it.

I opened up the case of my sewing machine a day or two ago to make a last-ditch attempt at fixing it myself, and discovered - lo and behold! - that the problem was just a cracked plug-receptacle and a loose wire.  (This is what the shop was going to charge me $150+ to fix??)  Mike and I have ordered a part from Digikey and are going to try soldering down the loose wire ourselves.  Hopefully it will work, and then my beloved machine will be back in working order!

But if not...at least now I know what to look for!

Thanks again!

Tien

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 16:42

CraftinSusan

Sewing is my first love and I have used a number of sewing machines over the past 50 years.  Some of the brands I used are no longer being made.  Right now I have Baby Locks machines and a very old Janome.  All work well and I love them.

The best suggestion is to take pieces of the different fabrics you will be using and try the different machines out.  At some point one machine will jump out at you and you will know that is the machine for you.  Check to see if there are classes being offered.  Do these come included with the machine and are they at convenient times for you?

A word of warning here.  I would recommend going to a sewing machine dealer to purchase.  Often we will see brand names at discount places and craft stores being sold for less than at the sewing machine dealer.  That is because these machines aren't made with the same quality that the dealer carries.  Many of these machines will cost more to fix than what the original price was.

Susan

Sun, 11/08/2009 - 02:15

cleeso_1 (not verified)

Almost 25 years ago I purchased a Pfaff sewing machine because my old Montgomery Wards machine wouldn't sew on lycra without skipping stitches and I was trying to make swimsuits for my daughter and bicycle shorts for my husband.  A sewing machine dealer was recommended to me by a friend and when I went in, he spent at least an hour talking to me about what kind of sewing I did, what extra gadgets I might like, how much I expected to spend, etc.  At that point he suggested a machine, the one I wound up buying, and I've loved it all these years.  It's mechanical, not computerized; has more stitches than I'll ever use and it is still a joy to sew on.  I still think of it as a "new machine".  The dealer offered a free course with purchase, not to teach sewing, but to make sure anyone who purchased a machine knew how to use and adjust everything on it.  A couple of things that it has that may be standard now, but certainly wasn't then:  you could adjust the bobbin tension easily and it had a feeder for the top of the fabric (like the feed dogs on the bottom) that can be engaged or disengaged.   The top feeder is wonderful for both lightweight, slippery fabrics and very heavy fabrics. 

Good luck, Tien, on your repair.  

Sun, 11/15/2009 - 04:37

cmtigger (not verified)

I know that you've figured out how to fix your machine-  yay!  I love opening up my machines and getting them working again myself.

 I am another fan of the older machines-  they don't have all the "fancy" stitches without attachments, but they're sturdy and I can do most repairs on them myself.  My current favorite is a 1909 White Family Rotary treadle-  it can handle ANYTHING, and I control how fast or slow it goes, and it can sew quickly.  I also have been using a little 1938 Singer Featherweight for years, it's a great little machine, but because it's half sized sometimes it doesn't have enough room underneath it if you're working on a big project to hold the fabric, but I did manage two 1840's style dresses on it, but the next one was made on my white.

My mom has a Husqvarna that she likes (but it won't sew through boas-  my niece was a flamingo for Halloween) and I used it a bit when I was still at home.  (I had an inexpensive brother at the time, I wore that machine out)  My serger is a Bernette, and my grandma has a Bernina that she likes.  The new whites are not made by the original company, they were bought out, so the quality isn't the same as the old ones.

I have been told that the kenmores have gotten good reviews from Consumer Reports, when I was thinking of getting a machine just to do zig zag and buttonholes.  (I found a buttonhole foot for my featherweight, and decided that the zig zag wasn't that big of a deal to me, especially with a serger.)

Thu, 11/26/2009 - 20:25

kerstinfroberg

As I have mentioned earlier, I (now) have an Elna.
Today I wanted to mend a pair of jeans. Obviously, this is the first time I wanted to take advantage if the (what is is called in English - we call it "free arm"?) - it turned out that the free arm of the Elna is too thick. There was no way I could fit a reinforcement inside the old threadbare pocket with the help of this machine.

Moral: if you often use the free arm, check its thickness before you buy a new machine!

Kerstin (who dug out the old Husqvarna and had to hand-turn it to do the job)

Thu, 11/26/2009 - 23:03

claudia (not verified)

Hey Kerstin,

Let's hear it for determined! I find mending jeans a challenge, not sure it's the machine as much as the fabric and design. I think that's why some clever person decided, a couple years ago, that torn jeans were chi-chi. Not sure it's still true.

Claudia

Fri, 11/27/2009 - 00:53

DianneStucki (not verified)

I have to echo the clarion call of love for the old Singers.

BUT

as charming as the Featherweights are--a Singer 99 is a slightly bigger machine, just as pretty, just as reliable, and less than half what a Featherweight will run you. I got my 99K from a thrift shop. I paid $60 for machine, cabinet, and matching stool, which had a storage compartment under the seat CRAMMED with things like pins, chalk, and spools of bias tapes.  It included the buttonholer (still in the box!), all the extra presser feet, and the original manual.

It needed a new motor, which I bought online for an additional $17 (including shipping) and installed myself, It involved removing two screws on the back of the machine, lifting off the old motor, and screwing the new one into position. It runs like a little dream.

Fri, 11/27/2009 - 07:49

kerstinfroberg

However, if it barely can take a jean leg, then some fancy sleeve-work will be a challenge too. Even with the nicest of fabrics.

Fri, 11/27/2009 - 13:37

Dawn McCarthy

 Tien, I bought a Necchi/Omega for under $200 - floor model off Ebay, it has a walking foot which is great for gently evenly feeding handwovens, it will also sew leather and heavy fibers!  All metal construction (internally) and is a workhorse.  I would carefully research what the different machines can do and I looked for the ability to sew fine fabric and very heavy awkward fabrics.  Cannot wait to see a picture of the finished wedding dress.

 

Dawn

 

[email protected]

Fri, 11/27/2009 - 15:49

Joanne Hall

Hi Tien,

I bought my Viking (Husqvarna) in l967 and it is still going strong.  I have never had any repairs done on it and I use it a lot.

Joanne

Fri, 03/14/2014 - 14:17

mneligh

My last Janome was a lemon -- constant repairs, tangled threads, etc., although I love my Janome serger.  It was an electroniv machine, and I tend to repair horse tack, backpacks, and jeans, so maybe that was the problem.  I got so I hated sewing, which I used to love.

It got so bad that I went to the store, deposited it, and got myself a non-electronic (but still electric) Baby Lock.  It's been steady and loyal so far.  I also have, in fine condition, my mother's Singer and my great-grandmother's treadle White.  I tried to use the White as an early teen, but the treadling got to me.  Slightly later, I learned to spin on a single treadle . . . The White has an amazing number of attachments, as well as looking ornamental in the living room with its fancy wood and metal work.  It will still be going after several more of the modern machines have died.

Fri, 03/14/2014 - 14:18

mneligh

My last Janome was a lemon -- constant repairs, tangled threads, etc., although I love my Janome serger.  It was an electroniv machine, and I tend to repair horse tack, backpacks, and jeans, so maybe that was the problem.  I got so I hated sewing, which I used to love.

It got so bad that I went to the store, deposited it, and got myself a non-electronic (but still electric) Baby Lock.  It's been steady and loyal so far.  I also have, in fine condition, my mother's Singer and my great-grandmother's treadle White.  I tried to use the White as an early teen, but the treadling got to me.  Slightly later, I learned to spin on a single treadle . . . The White has an amazing number of attachments, as well as looking ornamental in the living room with its fancy wood and metal work.  It will still be going after several more of the modern machines have died.

Maybe all the years of writing software for a living have turned me into a Luddite at heart.

Fri, 03/14/2014 - 21:20

ReedGuy

I have my grandmother's Kenmore and it is old, but also has '25 year warrantee' stamped on it. She passed away almost 20 years ago and did not sew for at least 15 years before that. I had to go online to find an old digitized sewing machine manual for $5. :)

Don't buy those junk ones at Walmart, they might make good boat anchors.

Fri, 03/14/2014 - 22:59

endorph

Singer - it is one year older than me - let's just say its old! And still works like a dream

Mon, 08/11/2014 - 02:54

Vennui (not verified)

I have a singer touch and sew. 1 dollar at a garage sale and 12 years later she's still humming along.
Mon, 08/11/2014 - 06:50

CelticCats

I love my pfaff. First one would have lasted forever, if I had removed the batteries. Had it for 15 years. It did everything I wanted and loved the built in walking foot. Replaced it with another pfaff. I wouldn't have anything else. Not sure which peninsula you are on, but if it is the one in Washington state, quality sewing and vacuum in the Seattle area are great to deal with. I wouldn't go to any other shop. They are definitely customer service oriented.
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