Buying a used/vintage sewing machine
October 7, 2024 5:58 AM Subscribe
I would really love to start properly learning how to sew, but I haven’t used a sewing machine since I was a kid. There are a lot of used sewing machines on Marketplace but I don’t know where to start!
The price is right for a lot of the machines available on Marketplace right now. I don’t care about being able to do anything fancy at this point — would love to be able to just learn and do the basics and go from there. Are there good older models to pick up if I can find them? Any other advice?
The price is right for a lot of the machines available on Marketplace right now. I don’t care about being able to do anything fancy at this point — would love to be able to just learn and do the basics and go from there. Are there good older models to pick up if I can find them? Any other advice?
I bought a (new) machine a few years ago, so still figuring things out. My two cents: If you see a machine on marketplace, first see if you can find some manuals for it online, and see if you can find some instructional videos from youtube users - those can be quite helpful, especially for bobbins and threading. Other than that, machines are pretty simple and universal.
BUT, try to find a machine that's wasn't a super-cheap model originally (and definitely not a 'kids' or 'beginner' machine). Those will just give you more trouble with stitches snaring and other issues you don't want to deal with.
Another recommendation: I'd look for one that has at least something to help thread the needle. That can be a PITA.
posted by hydra77 at 6:11 AM on October 7 [3 favorites]
BUT, try to find a machine that's wasn't a super-cheap model originally (and definitely not a 'kids' or 'beginner' machine). Those will just give you more trouble with stitches snaring and other issues you don't want to deal with.
Another recommendation: I'd look for one that has at least something to help thread the needle. That can be a PITA.
posted by hydra77 at 6:11 AM on October 7 [3 favorites]
Sears Kenmore had great machines for several decades, and they often show up cheap. Repair parts are also readily available and all the manuals are online (though not necessarilyI ended up paying $6 for a nice pdf manual for my machine, well worth it)
If your town has a machine repair shop, you might plan on taking it there first for a basic check up.
Give high preference to machines that are complete with all parts and the pedal/power supply.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:18 AM on October 7
If your town has a machine repair shop, you might plan on taking it there first for a basic check up.
Give high preference to machines that are complete with all parts and the pedal/power supply.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:18 AM on October 7
If you do get a very old machine, make sure it has zigzag capability, or a zigzag attachment. You will be grateful.
posted by Melismata at 6:24 AM on October 7 [2 favorites]
posted by Melismata at 6:24 AM on October 7 [2 favorites]
Any other advice?
Ideally see if someone you know can give you advice on individual models or help you test them out. But barring that:
- if you're going old, go old - '80s or earlier. Quality went down a lot in the '90s (overall, with exceptions of course).
- older brand names with particularly good reputations: Kenmore/New Home/Janome, Bernina, Pfaff, Viking/Husqvarna (but the ones with the cams are famous for freezing up if not well maintained), Elna. Singers post, I dunno, the '50s or '60s are not much recommended (someone might have a more accurate take on the dropoff point for Singer quality)
- there are a lot of '50s-'80s Japanese-made machines, often with random brand names. They're often good quality, although like with any machine you run into potential issues with plastic gears cracking or breaking. Many of them also have a "feature" where the needle wants to stay on the left rather than in the center as with most machines. Probably not an issue as a beginner, but something to be aware of if you get one. I think this is true for many of the Brothers of that era too (Brother is also a venerable Japanese brand.)
- if you're going old, don't go for a computerized one - harder to maintain and more likely to fail in unfixable ways
- if it's a very old machine, you might have trouble getting parts like bobbins. Look up the models before you go test them.
- try to get one with adjustable presser foot pressure, especially if you think you might want to sew knit/stretchy fabrics
- if it's a zigzag machine, try to get one with adjustable needle positions (ideally at least Left, Center, and Right, although some machines will offer more than that)
- look up candidate models on youtube. Try to find videos that demonstrate all the features so you know what to test
- see if you can find a manual online
- if the sellers play up the "it's been sitting untouched for years!" angle, that's actually not a good thing - sewing machines can freeze up when they're not used for a long time, the lubrication dries up or clogs up, and if there are plastic gears (a given on almost any machine past the '60s or so) those can crack
- don't worry about whether the machine lets you use snap-on presser feet or makes you use screw-on feet. The screw-on types have snap-on adapters you can use. Some machines use generic universal feet and others (especially some of the European brands) use brand-specific ones, but there are usually adapters for those too.
- number of stitches is mostly irrelevant; the only really major distinction is between straight-stitch-only machines and machines that can do zigzag.
When you go to test a machine, bring along some types of fabric you want to sew, as well as a universal needle (or more specialized needles if you know what you need for the fabric, but that's not necessary at this point). This is in case the sellers aren't set up for you to test the machine (although that's often not a great sign itself).
Test all the stitches, or at minimum both straight stitch and all the zigzag widths (if it's not a straight-stitch-only machine*). Sometimes a machine with a cracked gear will be okay for straight stitching but not so much for other stitches.
Make sure the electric wiring is okay and not fraying.
See how you feel about its speed control: do you feel the maximum speed is too slow, or like it's pushing you to go faster than you feel comfortable? Or does it let you control your speed as you like?
Do you have a budget? Will you be planning on taking your machine in to a shop for a checkup/maintenance after you get it? (This can be expensive.)
Sometimes sewing machine repair shops have old models that they've repaired or refurbished. This can be much more expensive than buying off a public marketplace, though. On the plus side, that price often includes a warranty.
*About the advice to make sure to get a zigzag-capable machine, it's good advice in general if you're planning on doing more modern sewing, but just as a counterpoint if you find a very inexpensive cast-iron straight-stitch machine it's not a bad way to get started - the simplicity and solidity is amazing, they're easy to learn how to oil and maintain, they tend to be very strong and have no plastic gears to break, and there's just less to mess up as a total beginner. I personally found that a good entry point. If you happen to find a cast-iron zigzag machine, I'd definitely go for it unless there's something seriously wrong with it - it'll offer all those advantages with the flexibility of zigzag.
Whichever way you go, starting with something good but inexpensive can let you get a sense of what you want and need for the kinds of sewing you'll want to do, and then you can decide if the machine you've gotten is one to stay with for the long haul or what abilities you want in your next machine. What you wind up with is often a matter of luck - you might (as an example) get an amazing, healthy machine that would be great for someone else but maybe the feed dogs will be not quite right for the kinds of fabrics you want to work with. I got a great machine to start out with but it turned out I really needed adjustable presser foot pressure, which it didn't have. So get something that runs well but don't worry about it if it turns out to not be exactly what you need - the only way to find out what that is is to get started.
posted by trig at 7:18 AM on October 7 [5 favorites]
Ideally see if someone you know can give you advice on individual models or help you test them out. But barring that:
- if you're going old, go old - '80s or earlier. Quality went down a lot in the '90s (overall, with exceptions of course).
- older brand names with particularly good reputations: Kenmore/New Home/Janome, Bernina, Pfaff, Viking/Husqvarna (but the ones with the cams are famous for freezing up if not well maintained), Elna. Singers post, I dunno, the '50s or '60s are not much recommended (someone might have a more accurate take on the dropoff point for Singer quality)
- there are a lot of '50s-'80s Japanese-made machines, often with random brand names. They're often good quality, although like with any machine you run into potential issues with plastic gears cracking or breaking. Many of them also have a "feature" where the needle wants to stay on the left rather than in the center as with most machines. Probably not an issue as a beginner, but something to be aware of if you get one. I think this is true for many of the Brothers of that era too (Brother is also a venerable Japanese brand.)
- if you're going old, don't go for a computerized one - harder to maintain and more likely to fail in unfixable ways
- if it's a very old machine, you might have trouble getting parts like bobbins. Look up the models before you go test them.
- try to get one with adjustable presser foot pressure, especially if you think you might want to sew knit/stretchy fabrics
- if it's a zigzag machine, try to get one with adjustable needle positions (ideally at least Left, Center, and Right, although some machines will offer more than that)
- look up candidate models on youtube. Try to find videos that demonstrate all the features so you know what to test
- see if you can find a manual online
- if the sellers play up the "it's been sitting untouched for years!" angle, that's actually not a good thing - sewing machines can freeze up when they're not used for a long time, the lubrication dries up or clogs up, and if there are plastic gears (a given on almost any machine past the '60s or so) those can crack
- don't worry about whether the machine lets you use snap-on presser feet or makes you use screw-on feet. The screw-on types have snap-on adapters you can use. Some machines use generic universal feet and others (especially some of the European brands) use brand-specific ones, but there are usually adapters for those too.
- number of stitches is mostly irrelevant; the only really major distinction is between straight-stitch-only machines and machines that can do zigzag.
When you go to test a machine, bring along some types of fabric you want to sew, as well as a universal needle (or more specialized needles if you know what you need for the fabric, but that's not necessary at this point). This is in case the sellers aren't set up for you to test the machine (although that's often not a great sign itself).
Test all the stitches, or at minimum both straight stitch and all the zigzag widths (if it's not a straight-stitch-only machine*). Sometimes a machine with a cracked gear will be okay for straight stitching but not so much for other stitches.
Make sure the electric wiring is okay and not fraying.
See how you feel about its speed control: do you feel the maximum speed is too slow, or like it's pushing you to go faster than you feel comfortable? Or does it let you control your speed as you like?
Do you have a budget? Will you be planning on taking your machine in to a shop for a checkup/maintenance after you get it? (This can be expensive.)
Sometimes sewing machine repair shops have old models that they've repaired or refurbished. This can be much more expensive than buying off a public marketplace, though. On the plus side, that price often includes a warranty.
*About the advice to make sure to get a zigzag-capable machine, it's good advice in general if you're planning on doing more modern sewing, but just as a counterpoint if you find a very inexpensive cast-iron straight-stitch machine it's not a bad way to get started - the simplicity and solidity is amazing, they're easy to learn how to oil and maintain, they tend to be very strong and have no plastic gears to break, and there's just less to mess up as a total beginner. I personally found that a good entry point. If you happen to find a cast-iron zigzag machine, I'd definitely go for it unless there's something seriously wrong with it - it'll offer all those advantages with the flexibility of zigzag.
Whichever way you go, starting with something good but inexpensive can let you get a sense of what you want and need for the kinds of sewing you'll want to do, and then you can decide if the machine you've gotten is one to stay with for the long haul or what abilities you want in your next machine. What you wind up with is often a matter of luck - you might (as an example) get an amazing, healthy machine that would be great for someone else but maybe the feed dogs will be not quite right for the kinds of fabrics you want to work with. I got a great machine to start out with but it turned out I really needed adjustable presser foot pressure, which it didn't have. So get something that runs well but don't worry about it if it turns out to not be exactly what you need - the only way to find out what that is is to get started.
posted by trig at 7:18 AM on October 7 [5 favorites]
Oh, one more thing: if you think you might want to do embroidery or free-motion quilting, look for a machine that either lets you lower the feed dogs easily or comes with a model-specific plate to cover the feed dogs.
(Feed dogs are the toothed things below the needle that sit under the fabric and automatically feed it forwards, or backwards when you're in reverse. If you're doing embroidery or free-motion stuff, you don't want the fabric to move on its own. But if you really love some machine and there's no way to deal with the feed dogs, there are some workarounds.)
posted by trig at 7:23 AM on October 7
(Feed dogs are the toothed things below the needle that sit under the fabric and automatically feed it forwards, or backwards when you're in reverse. If you're doing embroidery or free-motion stuff, you don't want the fabric to move on its own. But if you really love some machine and there's no way to deal with the feed dogs, there are some workarounds.)
posted by trig at 7:23 AM on October 7
Okay, last note: if having a built-in needle threader is important to you, that will limit your options considerably. An alternative is a separate needle threader like this.
posted by trig at 7:33 AM on October 7
posted by trig at 7:33 AM on October 7
Sometimes sewing machine repair shops have old models that they've repaired or refurbished
a shop can also help highlight different features/ give you a different sense of the objects, let you know how much repairs may be, etc.
there are plastic gears...on almost any machine past the '60s or so
i have one from before then & love it
posted by HearHere at 8:39 AM on October 7
a shop can also help highlight different features/ give you a different sense of the objects, let you know how much repairs may be, etc.
there are plastic gears...on almost any machine past the '60s or so
i have one from before then & love it
posted by HearHere at 8:39 AM on October 7
Adding to HearHere's suggestion of going to a sewing machine shop. They will also be able to repair it. I got a really nice computerized machine that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford.
I needed another machine and lucked out with a used Janome 750-S on FB marketplace. It's a machine made for classroom use. The outside was a mess when I got it, but it sews like a champ!
posted by sarajane at 9:16 AM on October 7
I needed another machine and lucked out with a used Janome 750-S on FB marketplace. It's a machine made for classroom use. The outside was a mess when I got it, but it sews like a champ!
posted by sarajane at 9:16 AM on October 7
I know the idea of all those free/cheap machines is tempting but it’s going to be hard for you to tell the difference between a crappy machine that no longer works well or needs babying and a good quality simple machine. You can take a risk and get it repaired but you might be stuck with a cruddy machine.
I would look for a machine that sells for at least $250 new and isn’t very old and hasn’t been used that much. Someone’s idea of a pandemic project that didn’t really go anywhere. Get a friend who knows sewing basics to try it out with you.
A machine repair shop is also good, though they sometimes will steer you to higher end machines.
posted by vunder at 6:59 PM on October 7
I would look for a machine that sells for at least $250 new and isn’t very old and hasn’t been used that much. Someone’s idea of a pandemic project that didn’t really go anywhere. Get a friend who knows sewing basics to try it out with you.
A machine repair shop is also good, though they sometimes will steer you to higher end machines.
posted by vunder at 6:59 PM on October 7
I got a 90s-era Husqvarna Viking 250 sewing machine for free and while I love it so much, it cost probably $150-200 (I don’t remember exactly) to get it tuned up and fixed. If you’re gonna get an unknown quantity or something that’s been sitting unused forever just be sure to factor that into the cost.
One downside of the European brands is not everything is universal - the bobbins I bought recently don’t fit, which didn’t occur to me would be an issue; luckily the person who gave me the machine included all the pieces and lots of needles and bobbins and stuff.
posted by misskaz at 10:36 AM on October 8
One downside of the European brands is not everything is universal - the bobbins I bought recently don’t fit, which didn’t occur to me would be an issue; luckily the person who gave me the machine included all the pieces and lots of needles and bobbins and stuff.
posted by misskaz at 10:36 AM on October 8
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posted by theora55 at 6:03 AM on October 7 [1 favorite]