Hey Costumers!

[novus-vita.livejournal.com]

We are looking to buy a sewing machine...

probably 90% of its work will be for costuming with s few draperies thrown in. And this is for personal use not for producing costumes for everyone, but it will need to handle heavy fabrics and sometimes more unusual things like lightweight leathers or neoprene. I really don't know a lot about the newer machines available because I've always used my mom's old machine.

The guy at the sewing machine store recommended the Janome 1600P-DBX. Its only option is straight stitch. I would like a button holing option buts its not necessary... and i really don't need all the optional stitches, I just need something that can stand up to the wear and tear of heavy fabrics.

Any suggestions? advice? horror stories?

Comments

[deliriumdreams.livejournal.com]

I have a Singer that was my mothers that does button holes and about a gazillion different stitches and tensions and what not. It's over 20 years old and has been used to make everything from prom dresses to furry stuffed animals to tons of costuming. It's just now starting to give me problems, but I suspect if I took it in and had it serviced it would be fine.

They obviously don't make this model anymore, but I'd recommend the company.

[dement1a.livejournal.com]

Singer ain't what it used to be, I'm afraid. They went into bankruptcy in 1999 and have been sold a few times, and now their machines are plastic junk that is made overseas. If you can find a good serviceable Singer from before around 1990, I'd say that'd be okay, but after that they started cutting costs and corners, and their machine quality suffered greatly.

I have a Janome serger that I've had for the better part of a decade and it's been great, plus a Riccar machine that I've had even longer that has only needed service once. My mom has a Bernina machine that she loves. The long and short of it is, if it's mostly metal inside, it'll last.

[deliriumdreams.livejournal.com]

That is really sad to hear.

[pktaxwench.livejournal.com]

Older is better. I've a 1927 Singer Featherweight that works beautifully because it's well maintained. I reccommend buying a sewing machine used from a repair shop. They have metal, not plastic, parts and if maintained, will last forever. Anything made after 1990 is junk. Go old. Most shops will have the manuals too.

All machines need servicing at least once a year. Every six months is better. If the oil lubricants dry out and you run it, you'll wreck it, even if it's sitting unsed for years.

the advice I give everybody.

[breedasong.livejournal.com]

This is a really talked about subject among costumers so I'm gonna give you the advice I give everybody. DO NOT BUY A WAL-MART MACHINE! and yes I had to say that really loud. You really want to avoid chain store machines like brother and kenmore. The parts are all plastic and so is the housing. most times when they freeze up and need servicing its actually cheaper to buy a whole new machine.

I'm glad you went to a specific sewing machine store, because usually they will let you try before you buy. this is very important to do if you buy a used machine (or even a new one). Janome is a decent brand. I personally prefer Bernina because my mom has one from the seventies that is still in tip top shape. also most bernina machines use the same feet. So I can still go into any Bernina shop and get a specialized foot without worrying. I have a cheap brother machine that I also use and to get any special feet I have to order them from the internet. Frankly I just don't bother.

My other bit of advice, since your looking for something simple but that can handle bulky fabrics, is look into school machines. If you have an old high school or community college nearby sometimes you can find refurbished school machines at the sewing/vacuum shops or purchase them directly from the school. The school machines are meant to last forever and can usually handle whatever you throw at them.

hope that helps!

[feuervogel]

I have a Husqvarna Viking Emerald 122, and I love it. It has 22 stitches, an automatic buttonholer, a cheat sheet for which stitch to use, 3 presser foot tension settings, and a bunch of feet. The 122 is apparently no longer available, having been superceded by the 183 (computerized.)

It's not cheap - mine was $550 2 years ago, but it was top of the (middle) line. (The high line is the $1000+ computerized embroidery machines.) Vikings are good, all-metal-innards machines, so it'll last you a long time under usual circumstances.

Regarding bobbins and feet, they can be a pain to find. You can find universal feet that fit, as long as they have a variety of shank length adaptors. (I paid $5 for a universal invisible zipper foot rather than the $30 for the Viking foot.)

I'll also recommend against buying a cheap machine at Walmart or Target, and Singer isn't what it used to be. If you can find a working 70s-era machine, great, but the new ones are all plasticy crap.

[miistry.livejournal.com]

I agree. Vikings are wonderful machines. I have a 6430 from the mid 70's that's still going strong. Mine has reupholstered a boat and two RV's and will sew through a wooden yard stick (not recommended). I have seen older Vikings on eBay but standard eBay precautions apply as it's difficult to test before buying that way.

[ashleyrains.livejournal.com]

I actually own the Janome 1600p-DBX and it is FANTASTIC!!! Truly! It is super fast, exceptionally durable, and has never jammed -- not once, not ever. I've sewn lots of layers, heavy fabrics, and heavy leathers without an issue.

I have a seperate cheap machine that I use for buttonholes and zig-zag stitches. I think I would go crazy trying to do the majority of my sewing on anything other than the Janome becuase I'm so used to the speed.

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

I bought a cheapy White in 2002, on sale at Jo Ann's for $125, the weekend after I moved out of my parents place and realized I no longer had access to my mother's old Singer, lol. I didn't expect it to last very long, but it's still going strong after 6.5 years. I've never had to get it serviced, though I try to remember to oil it from time to time. It only does straight and zig-zag stitches, and comes with instructions and a foot to make buttonholes, along with an assortment of other feet attachments. It handled sewing a leather jerkin for my husband in late 2003 with only minor swearing. It's seen a lot of use too -- I sew every formal dress (1-2 per year), every costume (2-6 per year), random clothing items (8-12 per year), and assorted gifts on it without any trouble at all. It can freak out a bit when using cotton thread in polyester fabric or vice versa, but otherwise is pretty jam free.

Hubby has offered to buy me a new high end machine (he's trying to bribe me into not getting a puppy, lol), but I'm not even sure what I would get, except maybe a nice old Singer. This one has been so sturdy that I worry that getting something more complicated would end up being more frustrating. Anyhow, my two cents.

[elsabroso.livejournal.com]

...This is marking myself as a bad sewing machine owner, but I got a cheapy Wal*Mart sewing machine at least eight years ago, and it is still working fine.

...and I might have kinda-never-ever had it serviced in any way?