My Mom's 3 Tips for Buying a Sewing Machine

Picked up this gem last night!! An early birthday present, I guess you could say! Isn’t she a beaut? This 1968 Singer was a whopping $25 on Facebook Marketplace! 😱 And it works!! I have longed for a sewing machine of my own for quite a while. In NYC, space was so limited and it just wasn’t the right time. Recently, I’ve been talking to my mom extensively about finding a good machine. At first, I just assumed I’d head to a craft store and pick something off the shelf, hoping to stay around $100. Mom was quick to tell me that might not be the best way to approach finding a sewing machine. If you’re a beginner seamstress looking to purchase a machine, this post is for you! I’ve gathered my mom’s tips to guide your sewing machine search experience!

Growing Up with a Crafty Mom

My mother is an ultra talented crafter. She and many women in my family love to sew. I am blessed to be able to call on my mom along with my Nannah, my Nay-Nay and now my mother-in-law for expertise.

From quilting to sewing matching clothes for my sister and I, to now making masks, she’s sewn all sorts of things over the years. She credits her skill to her mother who she says made her rip out stitches and try again, over and over to improve! She laughs about it but she says it really is practice that makes a good seamstress. Beyond sewing, she’s been featured in scrapbooking magazines for her detailed paper crafts and has sold many different crafted goods over the years at shows and gift shops, and now through Etsy and her own website. My dad is a master craftsmen of fine wood furniture and years ago they had a small business making classic wooden children’s toys together. Mom also sold quilts for several years! So I grew up in a home that fostered creativity and some of my favorite memories growing up are creating things from endless supplies of craft and office goods LOL.

She and my paternal grandmother crafted a beautiful heirloom bonnet that turns into a hankie back when mom was expecting me. She actually sold them wholesale to shops across the country for years. I used to help her cut lace, tie little bows and thread the ribbon through the bonnets as a child, and eventually sew the bonnets from beginning to end in college. It’s been years since we last made a bonnet hankie and I haven’t dabbled much in sewing since, but I have a love for the skill, nonetheless.

What to Look For

There are three main things to consider when you begin shopping for a sewing machine. I entered into this process pretty blind and have already learned a lot. I’m comfortable around a sewing machine and much like driving, once you’ve learned, even if time passes, you generally remember the basics. Darrell says my face completely lit up last night as I sat down and began to sew. It is a comforting hobby that I am so excited to get back into! But still, when I first set out to look for a sewing machine, it seemed like prices varied and I didn’t know what all I would “need” it to do. So I consulted mom. Beyond these three main points, I talk a little more about cost and brands toward the bottom fo this post. Here are the three considerations she suggests you look for when starting out.

Stitches

To get started, you really just need to be able to do a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch. If you have those two, you’re doing good. Anything beyond that is a fun, fancy extra perk.

A “Bells and Whistles” Feature to Consider

While not necessary by any means, Mom says the one bell or whistle she thinks is nice, is the needle-threader feature. Newer machines often have this feature. While the machine I ended up purchasing does not have a needle threader, it is not difficult to thread your own needle, and honestly until I interned for 4-H and helped youth learn to sew on newer machines that had needle threaders, I had always threaded my own needle, haha. Again, not necessary, and if you’re looking for an older machine, not something you’re likely to find. Speaking of older machines… you may be surprised to find that in many ways, older is bettter. See the next point for details!

Older Machines

While machines today aren’t completely plastic, they have a lot more plastic than machines my mother and grandmothers learned to sew on. These less-durable machines begin to have problems with tension and other issues that you can have fixed but they’re just not as long-lasting as older sewing machine. Not that you can’t find a newer machine of similar caliber but you’re going to pay for it big time! So to find something that fits your budget, it’s highly worth considering shopping Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and yard sales for an older machine that is still in great condition. If you find an older machine that works, you can take it to a sewing center and have it cleaned and tuned up. Or it might not even need that.

My Sewing Machine

So clearly finding an older machine is a viable option because I found one on Facebook Marketplace and I’m blown away at how well it works!! Mom says I will need to be on the lookout for bobbins because they type my machine uses are harder to find so that’s on my to do list. And I need to find a rotary cutter, more thread, fabric and a cutting mat. But the machine is the big thing and I’m thrilled to have my very own! I think I had a childrens sewing machine as a kid but this is my first “real” sewing machine and I cant wait to make something!

A Note About Cost

One thing my mom also mentioned when I was first just looking at stores, was that if I were to buy a new machine, I was probably going to need to spend at least $200. Which was a bummer because that was double what I was interested in spending. That’s her advice based on what you can find at most common stores these days and she frequents those retailers enough to know. You’ll notice you can find a machine for cheaper than that and if that’s the best route for you, go for it! It’s a wonderful starting point. But if you want to find something for the longhaul and you don’t need something elaborate, you seriously can’t go wrong with shopping around for an older, well cared-for sewing machine! And it’s a great way to possibly save lots of money! My mom and my Nay-Nay have Dressmakers that they love and have had for many, many years. I don’t think you can buy a Dressmaker at stores now, but that’s a good brand, along with Singer, if you’re looking at older machines.

Are you a seamstress? Beginner or master, I’d love to connect and hear about the projects you’re working on!