Sewing Machine For Mrs Angst...Advice Needed Please....

[Angst]

hi....i want to get a machine for angela (because shes burnt out her bosses modern thing lol) to enable her to make 'arts and craftsy' type stuff for xmas fairs and small community hall affairs...you know the stuff i mean....things made out of fleece....''home is where the heart is''....all that kinda stuff...babies booties, xmas decorations, possibles pouches, love heart stuff, purses etc etc....some of you will have seen a few of her items on my stall at shows....it would need to be able to comfortably go through say supple softer 2mm suedes and leathers as well and 10/12oz canvas....i know absolutely nothing about this kinda thing and even though i'm aware the older machines are better i worry about getting spare parts and so on....i've looked on the tyson website but it all looks the same modern carp (lol toddy) to me...i'd like something fairly robust and with stamina without having to shell out thousands....any advice would be appreciated....

i know there are threads on here but every time i research my head starts aching....so if anyone on here can either sell me one or, through familiarity with what angela and i produce, can point me in exactly the right direction it would be very much appreciated....or provide me with a recommended company website maybe?

sir bilmo has told me he uses a janome new home 921 but there are none currently on ebay....so i'm out of ideas....

regards!

s

 

[Macaroon]

Get yourself an old Singer 201k, you'll never regret it! Adjustable stitch length, forewards and backwards, and the best-quality of stitch you've ever seen.Plenty of spares available cheaply but you won't need them, and accessories to do pretty much anything e.g. buttonholers, zig-zags, darning hoops etc. The rolls royce of domestic machines and available easily on the 'bay and many other sites from around £50!

Oh, and very easy to use!

 

[ged]

The New Home machines have a good rep and I have good experience of them. There are two here.

At the other end of the scale I've picked up century-old Singer, Jones and similar for a fiver in charity shops and they'll still sew, they just won't do all the fancy stitching and what-not. There are half a dozen here.

If you're looking for electrically driven ones though, better stay with the more modern products as if you're not skilled in the electrons the older gear might easily be dangerous. Think hundred-year-old rubber insulation. I've just had to replace some that was only twenty.

There are a lot of places on the high street and online who will do 'reconditioned' (or some similar euphemism) machines. I'd avoid them unless you know the people involved as you'll probably just be paying over the odds for a tin of 3-in-1.

A year or two back I picked up an overlocker for fifteen quid in a charity shop. Had no idea if SWMBO would want to use it, nor even if it would work as designed, but it's been the best fifteen quid I've ever spent in my unfortunately long life.
After a little bit of puzzling and fettling it worked like a champ -- it does seams ten times as fast as a sewing machine -- and she just loves it. Anyway it's a thought.

Have you thought of places like freecycle?

 

[bigant]

i got mine from these http://www.sewing4everyone.com/ really nice company to deal with guy who runs it really knows his stuff. no links to them other than been a very happy customer i have a big brother jones machine.

 

[Angst]

thanks everyone....please keep it coming....

i'm currently looking at singer 201ks on ebay thanks to mac and whilst i'd prefer electric i am concerned about geds comments....so i'm also looking at the alfa 50 thanks to bigants input.....

what do i do?????????????? lol

s

 

[Toddy]

Take samples of the stuff you want to sew and away and book a visit/demo at the local dept store sewing machine sales place. John Lewis for instance. You don't need to buy there, but it'll give you a good idea of potential, and an understanding of what you're looking for.
Having said that, the dept store sales are worth keeping an eye on if you're after a new one

Me ? learn to use what you find, to the best of it's ability and your's, and figure out pdq how to de-oose it often It'll make servicing a once in a blue moon necessity.

I admit, I like my Singer's, but then it's all I've known. Others swear by Pfaff, Bernina, Brother.....

cheers,
M

 

[Quixoticgeek]

I paid 60 quid for a reconditioned machine from my local sewing machine, has worked wonderfully ever since. It's made by Frister & Rossmann.

J

 

[neilwragg]

Get some help with your research from an expert and go to a sewing machine shop with some samples.
I got a Janome from John Lewis (never knowingly undersold, long warranty etc) after testing a bunch of machines. You don't want to get something that will burn out whilst trying to do heavier materials.
Mine does leather, canvas, denim no problem, have broken plenty of needles though!

 

[Frase]

Bernina the Rolls Royce of sewing machines seemingly and Swiss made.

 

[Macaroon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Singer-se...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item4ad5fa0de6

Here's a bargain with just over 2 hours to go - very cheap machine and looks good to me; can easily be removed from the cabinet, but they're great to use just as this one is. Seller will give you two weeks to collect; more to come!

 

[Nomad]

If there is a need for the fancy stitches that the modern machines do, then the choice would be limited to those that do them.

My machine is a factory reconditioned Brother somethingorother that does the fancy stitches (bought in relative ignorance). I don't use most of them, although the zig-zag with a short stitch length is good for bartacks. I've been able to sew layers of coated cordura, tight-woven webbing, velcro. Never tried leather. There have been occasional times with multiple layers of heavy stuff when I've had to turn the handle manually to get the machine going, but it usually manages by itself. If I was doing heavy stuff all the time, or lots of it, I would probably consider an old Singer (and convert it to modern electrics).

For light duty crafty things, I think most machines like this would be fine. Good needles and thread can help with the heavy duty stuff. My needle snapping rate went way down when I started using Schmetz needles. The much-lauded Gutermann polyester thread disintegrated when trying to put velcro hooks onto webbing - switching to Coat's Aptan bonded nylon sorted that.

 

[Macaroon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-1...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item5665b73f47

Here's a real beauty! needs collecting though, Norwich.

 

[Macaroon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item5b00a1daad

Another really good one, Bristol this time.

 

[Macaroon]

Oh yeah, before I forget, DO NOT put 3-in-1 or any oil other than sewing machine specific oil on or into anything you may buy, you may as well use treacle. The real stuff is cheap enough and is specific for the job.

 

[Teepee]

For arts and crafty type stuff, best to go for a decent quality domestic machine that can do all the different stitches. An older Bernina/Janome/Elna/Singer/Brother would be my pick.

I use an Elna and Singer domestic more modern type that does the zig-zags (they all have metal gears, not nylon), a 1921 Singer straight stitcher with an electric conversion and a Brother Industrial straight stitcher. Both the domestics struggle a bit with thicker canvas and leather, the old singer has no issues and the industrial will sew perfect straight stitches from tissue paper to sheet steel.

Whatever you get, recommend you get one that's been serviced or get it serviced after buying. A good machine suppliers should have a range of machines that will have been serviced and have a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Angst]

hi!!!! first of all a great big thankyou to everyone for your input and advice!!! especially to Sir Macaroon!!!!

i am now the proud owner of this wonderful machine.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231246443466?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

yes it wasnt cheap....yes i couldve got one that does the job just as well....but after receiving Sir Macs pm saying ''BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT'' i couldnt resist.

today Sir Chris and i drove to Chinnor to collect from a very nice lady with a very nice house who has owned it for about ten years (un-used for the last few) and who bought it from an elderly lady herself. it is indeed near mint condition as are all the accessories....original motor and light etc....

i am of course going to be driving Sir Mac insane with questions in the veeeeeeeeeeeery near future and there are a couple of minor things which i need to clarify / iron out so may well take it for a service as soon as.....but.....

she purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs! yes, i'm in love.....

so....anyone know how to use this thing? lol!

thankyou again! i'll be taking some pics of her tomorrow.....

s

 

[Macaroon]

I'm very pleased indeed that you're happy with it Sonni; they're a lovely thing without a doubt and I'm sure you'll get years of pleasure and use from it

 

[Toddy]

Singer 201K have a brilliant rep for some very good reasons

Instructions should be on line; they're kind of iconic machines. Sounds as though you've got one as good as they get too

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Angst]

thanks again mac...i'm playing with it right now.....

yup toddy its lovely and i've caught the bug....brings back many memories of my youth....i'll be buying more....

its got all the original instruction booklets but theyre in ''such perfect, literal, old school, period english'' that i cant understand a word lol! its a load of carp.

if they used bangtidy, innit, wagwarn and blud i'd be getting somewhere haha!

s

 

[TinkyPete]

I was going to suggest singer, Pfaff, Bernina within my parents home there are 7 sewing machines and my mum and eldest sister use them all for various things,I have used a couple of them to make afew items and I always seek their advice, they do a lot of different jobs and I am perplexed about the machines, but I do what they tell me and it seems to work ok for me I can use they quite well now and when i get my own place once I get out I hope to be able to do my own projects and stuff and will probably get a machine then, so I am taking an interest in this thread :yelrotflm

Yes I could not resist