A stitch in time ...

September 1, 2010 1:28 PM

Sewing. Need online resources and recommendations for tools and a basic machine.

I have basic skills, but all hand stiching that my grandmaw taught me, enough to mend little rips and tears. But when I was trying to make a small bag (to hold gold & silver coins I carry about with me) I realised I'd reached the limit of what I can accomplish by hand.

So I'd like to understand what to look for in a small machine. I probably wouldn't undertake anything more ambitious than mending rips and tears in clothing in a fairly fast manner.

Helpful online resources (videos, or other guides etc) would be great, as well as tips for what basic tools I should acquire. If it matters I'm in The UK.

posted by Mutant to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

Best answer: I strongly suggest looking for an older, simple machine in a secondhand shop. You can get a solid machine for way less than you would pay for a new one. Get one that has forward, reverse, and a width control. Good brands: Brother, Bernina, Pfaff, Janome, older Singers, Kenmore only if it has a metal body (I'm not sure that Kenmores are even sold in the UK.)
In my experience, the more complicated a machine is, the more parts is has that can break. If you're just starting, you don't really need a million different stitches.
Look for a machine that runs when you plug it in. The motor shouldn't sound unhappy. If it's missing the belt that runs between the motor and the main wheel, that's okay, they're easy to replace. As long as the motor runs and the parts move easily when you spin the wheel by hand, you can always get a belt later. They're usually pretty cheap. The machine should not have any rust or drip strange fluids.
Searching YouTube for "sewing tutorial" brings up thousands of results, with varying levels of quality.
Good luck!
posted by Adridne at 1:43 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

Oh, and don't get any of those hand-held ultra-cheap sewing machines that they advertise on TV for stitching rips in emergencies. They are a complete ripoff.
posted by Adridne at 1:44 PM on September 1, 2010

Best answer: Are there any cheap basic sewing classes where you live? When I took one it included machine recommendations and a local class might steer you to brands that are more available and easily fixed. Same class recommended the Readers Digest sewing book as a good reference. Maybe check out DIY website like craftster? They tend to have tutorials on how to do project x but may have good advice for someone trying pick a machine and learn on their own.
posted by oneear at 1:48 PM on September 1, 2010

Best answer: From a line of three seamstresses: don't get a machine with a plastic body. Get one with a metal body.

Basic tools to start out:
Good sewing scissors
Thread ripper
Sewing gauge
Pack of empty bobbins
Replacement sewing machine needles, for when yours break
Pack of straight pins
Small pincushion
Fabric pencils

I would consider those to be the basic pieces of equipment to have alongside any sewing machine.
posted by frobozz at 3:04 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

just noticed:
mending rips and tears in clothing in a fairly fast manner.

this stuff usually is more efficient and neater if done by hand, unless you've got some pretty big rips
posted by frobozz at 3:11 PM on September 1, 2010

Best answer: I got a Singer 8280 for pretty much the same reasons as yourself. It has the basic stitches, straight, right-aligned, variable zigzag, dashed zigzag, and an attachment for making buttonholes. The only problem I have with it is that changing the bobbin in the lower part can be quite fiddly. It was the cheapest brand-new machine in the shop, and it suffers my occasional use without breaking, so I feel confident recommending it.
Singer has a bunch of manuals and clear instructional videos on their website.

Everything Frobuzz mentioned is useful. A thread ripper (or unpicker) was the most important tool for my first few jobs.
posted by WhackyparseThis at 6:15 PM on September 1, 2010

Best answer: I bought a refurbished Brother last year for $60 that I've been happy with (not sure if it's this exact model but it's similar.)

The book Singer Sewing Essentials has been handy, too. If you don't want to buy it, your library probably has it.
posted by zinfandel at 8:31 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

Best answer: As a novice machine-sewer myself, a tip: don't cheap out on thread. Cheap thread breaks, spits out fibers that foul the works (which you then have to unfoul), etc. Get the better thread and save yourself headaches.

I ended up getting a little container of sewing machine oil as well, when I was having some troubles with the tension on mine - I've only used a tiny squirt, but it's nice to have in case the machine goes wonky when I'm sewing at odd hours. Sewing seems to be a "do it now!" sort of thing for me, if I don't sew the thing when I notice the problem, I'll put it off indefinitely.

I got a Kenmore model that's, I think, one step up from the most basic - it has zig-zag stitch and several others. It has been ok, though the tension gets off fairly easily (which you can manually re-set, so it's just an annoyance). I had an experienced sewer walk me though setting it up, sewing a very simple quilt-top, troubleshooting along the way, showing me what the finished stitches should look like, giving me a sense of when the tension was sufficiently off to be a problem. This was very helpful since I was starting from zero knowledge at all. Might see if there's a quilting/sewing/etc store near you where they have someone who can show you things in person? (It's not brain surgery and I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself, if not.)

But yes - seconding frobozz's point that small rips are easier and better fixed by hand. The machine is good for longer lines, like a hem of trousers. Machine sewing is a good basic skill to have, so it's not terrible to pick up a machine and learn to use it, but small fixes may still end up being hand work.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:00 PM on September 1, 2010

Kenmore sewing machine model 385 . 15243 is the model I have. Not sure if you can get the same one where you are, but just for reference.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:08 PM on September 1, 2010