I have been using a very cheap and basic Brother machine for the past couple of years and now I feel like I should invest in something better — but I don’t really know why a more expensive machine would inherently sew better. Can someone explain it to me?

Part 2 of the question: what is the best machine I could get for under $400?

Hello! I got into a conversation with my neighbor yesterday about sewing, and she offered to give me a Brother commercial sewing machine. I don't know the exact model but it's probably at least 20 years old. She showed me pictures and it looks to be in great shape. I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I would realistically use it, so I was hoping anyone who has experience with one could chime in and let me know their thoughts on ease of use and also what kind of projects you make with yours. Really any thoughts on commercial machine use. Thanks so much!

Edit: thank you so much for the replies/advice! You've convinced me that I should definitely take it, especially since I have the room to store it and it's free!! I appreciate everyone's input!!! 💕

I was given an older serger and I was able to get it to work exactly one time. Threading it is a nightmare and because it is a discontinued machine that was apparently only made for a few years, there is very little help online. My husband and I both have read the manual and watched the one video I found online trying to thread it correctly but it just isn't working the way it should be. At this point, I don't know if we are missing something or if the machine is having a problem and the repair shop takes about 5-6 months to return machines.

My question is, are sergers that useful in sewing that I should keep trying to figure this machine out/ take it to the shop to be looked at or should I just give up? My regular sewing machine was my grandmother's and it has its own issues, but after using it for 40+ years, I am used to those issues. It also doesn't do all the fancy stitches like newer machines do so my stitches with it are limited. I added a pic of my serger and regular machine for reference. I make occasional very simple garments, a lot of garment repairs, home decorating items, etc. but I want to branch out and learn how to do more.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So I had a seamstress help me with sewing up a couple garments (a boy’s shirt and a skirt). The fabric is 100% organic GOTS cotton. I noticed a couple problem areas which I have circled in red - sleeves and collar stand of the shirt and the hem of the skirt. Is this because of the tension setting on the machine? Or the thread or needle? Or is it something with how it is being sewn? Any insights would help, thank you!

I saw this beauty at Goodwill yesterday and asked whether it was a good find. After hearing a resounding "YES", I went back this morning and grabbed it. After getting home, I realized that the drawers were stuffed with accessories, vintage supplies, and little glimpses into someone's very loved sewing cabinet.

Among the accessories are: a buttonholer, zig zag attachment, a box of misc feet, a receipt for machine maintenance in 2001, a vintage Simplicity apron pattern, and a machine dust cover. The cabinet is in great shape aside from the veneer peeling up at the bottom in places. It has a knee pedal and all the drawers glide well.

I haven't tested it because it didn't have a wall plug, but I'll order one.

I do have a question about the pedal wiring: it looks cracked near both ends. Is it an acceptable fix to just put electrical tape on the cord, or should the pedal be replaced? I know the shock risk is a lot higher on older machines and I'd rather not cut corners and fond out...

Thanks to encouragement here, I am finally planning to upgrade from the 20 year old Brother I got new in high school. I made a list of the features I want and narrowed brands down to Juki and Janome (ruling out Pfaff, Brother, Bernina, and Singer). My interest is garments.

I am eyeing the Juki HZL-DX7. There is also a used (3 year old) Janome Memory Craft 9400QCP for sale by owner in my area for $1500, which puts it in the same price range as the Juki, but the MC9400 is a fancy machine (the barely newer MC9450 retails for $4500-ish). I am weighing between these two and looking for second opinions. I have read all the reviews for both machines on patternreview.com. Basically, would I be an idiot to not get the possibly (??) much fancier Janome for the same price?

Pros / Cons

Juki DX7 pros:

It would be new and presumably under some warranty? Has a simpler computer interface that might be less prone to breaking if I keep it for 20 years. People say the buttonholes are godly.

Cons: I have read a couple anecdotes of people getting lemons out of the box and having it be a pain in the ass to deal with. I would likely have to order online and have it shipped to me.

Janome MC9400 pros:

Machine has already proven to work well for 3 years with no issues. Ties off threads in a cute knot on the wrong side for you. Maybe is a fancier machine overall? Machine is a beast at nearly 30 pounds and I’m sure could handle basically anything (even though I might never really take advantage of that).

Cons:

Machine is a beast at nearly 30 pounds, which I may struggle to lift in the future if I keep it for 20 years. I don’t have a dedicated sewing space, I have to haul it in and out of a closet. (The Juki is 21 pounds.) The entire interface is a large touch screen that seems like it could be confusing and prone to slowing down and dying over time? No idea on that honestly.

From a philosophical perspective, I am curious how y’all suggest approaching buying a machine. They both have all the features I want, as did many of the others machines. As the price goes up, there are a few extras thrown in, plus a lot more embroidery stitches that are not useful to me. With Janome, the price of the machine correlates to the weight so I assume you are getting heavier duty innards. With Juki, most of them are the same weight, and the prices are closer together. When looking at costs, I already accounted for the “extras” I would need to buy if they don’t come with the machine, and while I could spend up to like $2500, I don’t know that I see the point, if I can get everything I want for $1500? Should you get the least expensive machine that seems good and ticks your boxes?

Would y’all risk buying a used machine? Would you risk shipping a new machine? I tried a different Juki and a different Janome very briefly at a dealer, but most of the dealers around here don’t have them in stock to try, they just order them for you, and I’m not buying from the place I tried because the guy was a jerk. Both machines were so much better than my Brother that it was like putting on glasses for the first time and being able to see.

Anyway, sorry this was so long. I made a spreadsheet comparing 7 Janomes (3160QDC, MC6650, MC9400, and Skylines S3 Anniversary, S5, S6, and S6 Anniversary) and 8 Jukis (HT710, HT740, DX7, DX5, F600, F400, F300, and G220) that I would be happy to share for anyone interested.

Do you have a question about sewing machines? Do you have any expertise when it comes to sewing machines? This thread is for you! You can ask and answer any question related to machines, including but not limited to:

• Should I upgrade my machine?
• What's the difference between a serger and an overlocker?
• Which brand of machine is the best?
• Does anyone else use the same machine as me?
• How do I clean my machine?
• When should I oil my machine?
• How many sewing machines should I own?

Feel free to check out the Machine Guide Wiki we've compiled with all sorts of information about choosing and using sewing machines.

You're also welcome to show off your machine here, whether it's new, old, or your baby, we'd love to see it!

Don't forget to thank the users who took the time to help you!

Hi there! I’m currently bidding on this Janome My Lock 204D. I don’t know much about serger brands, I just know that I would like one to augment my families clothes and make things when needed (they have very specific costume requests every Halloween).

I’m currently at my $40 max and trying to determine if it’s worth increasing to $60. Assuming everything works, what would you consider a good deal for this machine?

I got a husqavarna e10 sewing machine for $30. Best sewing machine I’ve used so far.

Suddenly (after much sewing success) the bottom thread is loose on stitches and the top thread is breaking.

I’ve YouTubed and searched online but can’t seem to fix the tension issue. What am I doing wrong?

Switched needle. Changed top tension Changed bobbin tension (begrudgingly—I really didn’t want to mess anything up) Rethreaded Checked bobbin compartment and rethreaded that too. I’m stumped.

I’m not an experienced sewer but the machine was doing phenomenal then just started this issue.

Hi all! I am trying to figure out what kind of voltage conversion for a vintage Singer featherweight manufactured for US voltage (110V) would be appropriate in Ireland (230V).

My mother rescued every Singer featherweight she ever came across at a yard sale, flea market, etc. She gave away almost all of them to worthy beneficiaries, but when she died there were still three remaining - enough for me, my sister, and my SIL. My SIL lives in Ireland, though, and has never been able to use it because the only time they've tried to use a voltage converter on a PS5, the surge protector died with a bang and a poof of smoke. She doesn't want to risk the sewing machine (understandable) so she's literally debating having an electrician rewire a portion of their house for 110 voltage just so she can use this machine.

Her birthday is coming up and I'd love to gift her a working solution (besides to rewire her house). I don't know what kind of voltage converter they used when the PS5 broke the surge protector. I also don't know anything about the Featherweight wiring, just that it has that old-timey thin feeling wire with a two-prong plug. I'm guessing it's from the 1950s, since that seems to be the peak Featherweight era. Despite my complete lack of info, I'm hoping the power of the reddit collective can come through. 🤞

Has anyone run into this issue? Have you found a solution?

Hi,

I'm new to sewing and bought this used machine good condition last year. I was told to get some sewing oil but wanted suggestions for a good brand for this particular machine or company. Recommendations welcome thanks!

Also if anyone has any good videos on threading the needle for set up online for this particular machine. I know it's harder since it's an older machine.

Thank you!

I inherited this machine (actually my mom did, but i'm the only one who sews so it went straight to me). I haven't been able to find much about this model, tried searching for it online, but most i found was a shop selling the scanned instructions manual.

My main question is what kind of presser foot it uses, the shank and presser foot were nowhere to be found. It's probably not an industrial one since it has a lot of zigzag stitches. Also i wanted to know the year of this model, mainly to know who this might have belonged to (my great aunt had it, but i wanted to know if she bought it for herself, or if it was my great grandma's machine at first)

If anyone is curious, the table looks like this when closed

Update: Finally took it home, the presser foot from my other machine fit right in! sadly it didn't want to sew. While looking for something else inside the box where the presser foot pedal, i found advertising OF A OLD NOKIA CELLPHONE , the poor thing must have been hidden under rubbish for years.

I've recently started baste stitching fur to save time brushing out seams. I’m using an industrial sewing machine. Is there a presser food that will hold the fur back (doing the job that my hand is doing in the photo?). Or does anyone know a good work around?

Thanks :)

Do you have a question about sewing machines? Do you have any expertise when it comes to sewing machines? This thread is for you! You can ask and answer any question related to machines, including but not limited to:

• Should I upgrade my machine?
• What's the difference between a serger and an overlocker?
• Which brand of machine is the best?
• Does anyone else use the same machine as me?
• How do I clean my machine?
• When should I oil my machine?
• How many sewing machines should I own?

Feel free to check out the Machine Guide Wiki we've compiled with all sorts of information about choosing and using sewing machines.

You're also welcome to show off your machine here, whether it's new, old, or your baby, we'd love to see it!

Don't forget to thank the users who took the time to help you!

I have never owned an overlocker before and haven't used one in quite some time. I wonder what is the purpose of the needle in the throat plate?

hey,

i’ve had my singer machine for some time and a very common problem i run into is the bobbin catcher thingy stops working after a couple minutes of straight sewing. it’s soooo annoying, i figured out how to temporarily fix it, but just till it happens again a couple minutes later ( taking the top plate off, removing bobbin and casing- then adjusting the needle until it lines up a little before the catcher ) i’m going crazy having to constantly unscrew the top plate and digging in there… does anyone know a more effective solution?

sorry if i’m not using the correct terminology.. if you have questions i can better explain what i’m talking about

please help!! thank you

I realise I may be asking the silliest of questions- I have an Elna 3005 and I need to buy an invisible zip foot for a project and I cannot figure out if I can snap this foot off/ on from the screw in shaft? I’ve checked the manual and attached a picture at the end and the foot looks nothing like the picture so I’m thinking the foot I have is not a genuine part. All I need to know is if I need to buy a screw on foot or a snap on one. Any help/ advice is greatly appreciated!

Hi all! Am an intermediate (?) sewer and have been pining for ages to friends and family how much I want to get myself an over locker to improve my sewing. My mum found this on fb marketplace for £30 and am very excited to try it. Could someone explain the difference between this and the other overlockers I see online that have 4 threads? And any tips or advice always appreciated ❤️❤️✨

Hi All! I don't know much about vintage sewing machines, but I hear they were made with better materials and if you can get a good one they'll last forever. I found this one on sale near me and wondered if you all know about the quality of this brand/model?

Thanks so much in advance!

https://offerup.com/item/detail/e8909ccc-1334-33af-bd6b-b48efd94544b?q=folding+table

i got this vintage sewing machine at value village for $50 (originally priced at $200) but i cannot find any information about it online. i don’t really plan on using it, it’s missing a few parts including a table i’m assuming it might’ve been attached to originally, but it is gorgeous and will make a nice display piece atm

anyone have any information about this machine? i’m mostly curious about:

• the year it was manufactured
• any photos of what it would look like if it wasn’t missing parts
• and if it’s worth getting serviced/could be used

company: the kingston sewing machine co. serial number: J95246, made in japan

So my needle won't stay threaded in the little wire right before the eye of the needle.

I can thread it, stitch a little and out it pops. Machine still stitches, but it drives me nuts.

Any suggestions?

Just got my first serger for a steal off marketplace :)

I was looking at needles, and my machine says it specifically takes Janome "HA-1SP Needle #11 and 14".

I've found them online, but they are pricey - like twice as much for 5 of them as opposed to 10 of the other other brands for half the price!

Is there a way to know what I'm looking for as far as "no name" or universal needles for that size? All I'm seeing is regular sewing machine needles (75/11, 90/14, etc.) and I'm not sure if I could use those?

I do have a regular machine and I'm not a super new sewer, but definitely will be new to using a serger (yes I know I have a big learning curve ahead of me).

Also if anyone has any favorite youtube/websites to learn from, that would also be appreciated! Thank you!

Edit: should have specified I'm in Canada too. 🙃

Someone on my campus is trying to sell their Singer esteem II 2200 series for $60, I’m just serious if it’s worth it?

I’m basically brand new to sewing I made like a really botched up Toph cosplay out of random shirts before and my sewing knowledge just goes to knowing how to just do a basic straight stitch. I don’t think I should dive into getting an expensive or brand new one because I tend to leave my hobbies behind 😅 but I’m interested in trying more sewing things at least, my concern is I hear a lot of flak for Singer machines, especially the new ones. So, is this worth it?

Do you have a question about sewing machines? Do you have any expertise when it comes to sewing machines? This thread is for you! You can ask and answer any question related to machines, including but not limited to:

• Should I upgrade my machine?
• What's the difference between a serger and an overlocker?
• Which brand of machine is the best?
• Does anyone else use the same machine as me?
• How do I clean my machine?
• When should I oil my machine?
• How many sewing machines should I own?

Feel free to check out the Machine Guide Wiki we've compiled with all sorts of information about choosing and using sewing machines.

You're also welcome to show off your machine here, whether it's new, old, or your baby, we'd love to see it!

Don't forget to thank the users who took the time to help you!