Before I share the story about my sewing machine, I wanted to share a July photo collage like many of you do at the end of each month. I had a slower month of postings, but did have some goodies to share. I am not sure what program others use to make their collages but I use Photoscape for my photoediting needs. Photoscape of a program you can download for free and has many neat features.
I was hoping to have some great sewing projects to share with you by now, but unfortunately my luck was not so good. I ordered my very first sewing machine last week and waited eagerly for it to arrive. Actually, it was a birthday gift from J, but of course I did some research and picked out the one I wanted. The last time I used a sewing machine was in middle school (7th and 8th grade) home economics class. We made little duffel bags, mine was purple, a pillow (cushion) was a pre-made sewing kit - mine was a basketball, and a pair of shorts - I picked a tropical fabric. I wish I had photo of those to share with you but I think they are all long gone by now. I do remember my dad used to use my purple little duffel bag when he would go on short trips and I was horrified when I saw him using it because I was very concerned that it would fall apart at any minute.
Well, back to my story of my sewing machine disaster. With my sewing experience limited to making my green vest for girl scouts in 4th grade and my middle school home ec stint, I wanted a basic sewing machine good for a beginner. I was hoping to start out by making some adjustments to my current clothes and doing some basic crafty things that I read about on all of your blogs. I researched and researched reading reviews, machine specs, and other useful resources. Similar to most products, there are always some people who have a bad experience, maybe a bad machine or product, a defect.
I am sure you can see where this is going. I got the machine out of the box, set it up on our dining room table. I read the manual from cover to cover - I really did. I confessed to J that I really did not know how to operate a sewing machine. He said he figured as much and knew I would figure it out. Treading the needle was easy, I started to sew experimenting with the different stitches on a old shirt I was planning to get rid of. In less than 3 minutes, the machine stopped. Needle down. No movement. Read the manual a few more times, nothing was stuck, no thread, and it was past 4:00pm which meant the singer call center was not open. I was so mad! I wanted to sew! After speaking with the call center the wheel arm dis-engaged and I would need to take it to a certified technician which was 2 hours away. I decided to return the machine. If it broke in less than 3 minutes, I don't want to have it fixed. Any suggestions for a beginner sewing machine?
I wish you a fabulous week ahead,
xoxo Susan
So sorry to hear about your machine- very frustrating. I started with a basic Bernina (1008- I think)which is a really good little work horse. They use it in a lot of schools here so it has to be strong!!It doesnt have masses of fancy stitches, but plenty for getting started. I would never get rid of mine, even though I have upgraded to a fancier, computerised machine. If you can get to a store to have a play on some machines you can get a better idea of what suits you. Good luck:)
ReplyDeleteHi Susan! I got this one for my niece who is a beginner and it's perfect and a quite decent price:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Brother-XL2600I-Affordable-25-Stitch-Free-Arm/dp/B000F7DPEQ/ref=dp_cp_ob_ac_title_1
Have fun!
xxx
My first was a Singer. It has plastic parts that kept mis-aligning, so I upgraded to an ELNA. I have had no issues with it. Metal parts make a world of difference. Good luck in your hunt.
ReplyDeleteNext month I've had my sewing machine for 23 yrs. It's a kenmore from Sears. By the way, it's never been in the shop although it needs a tune-up and cleaning. Good Luck with your search! Cheers! ~Merri
ReplyDeleteHello Susan
ReplyDeleteI know what you are talking about. This happens in school all the time.
Have you tried to loosen the needle above, where it is fixed maybe with a screw? Or maybe have a look into the space where the bobin is. Maybe you can cut the wind up thread.
It is possible that you haveen't put the bobin into the right position, so the thread has gotten into knots and knots and knots.
I hope you found someone to help you already.