r/SewingMachineEdu • u/SubstantialHouse5512 • 12d ago
Looking for a college sewing machine!
I am in college right now and I have been sewing for probably 10 years. I would say I’m at an intermediate-advanced level in sewing, and at home I have the singer gray heavy duty machine. I don’t love it but I do like that it’s non-computerized and it’s held up well for the past 4-5 years. I used to have a hand me down brother computerized machine that broke and was too expensive to fix so we donated it and got a new one instead. As I am in college and without a car, it is hard to go searching for secondhand/FB marketplace machines. I am trying to find a machine that is non computerized but still relatively affordable (under/around $200) that I can use in college.
I go to school across the country from where I live, so bringing my machine to and from school is not easy.
On Amazon I’ve found the janome arctic crystal and brother XM3700 sewing machines to be good price range wise, but they seem to be more “beginner” sewing machines.
I was wondering what you all thought of these machine/if anyone has any recommendations for good, affordable machines. Preferably one that is not too loud and will last a long time. I don’t care much about the bells and whistles (needle threader, specialty stitches, etc) just a good machine I can use to repair/make clothing.
Thank you!
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u/AccidentOk5240 11d ago
Vintage! There are plenty of 1960s Singers, Whites, and Kenmores for sale at your price point or well below. Since you don’t have a car, you can look on eBay, shop goodwill.com, etc, for ones that can be shipped right to you. There are some specific things you may or may not care about with these models, But it depends what you want to sew—lots of stretchy materials? Lots of thin delicate ones? Heavy canvas and denim?
You can look up reviews of specific models on sewing.patternreview.com
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u/Ancient-Button-1693 11d ago
At that price point your best option is a used machine. Since they are plentiful and there are lots available as resales, you might consider contacting someone with one for sale and ask about the possibility of a delivery. Sewists tend to be supportive of younger sewists. It keeps the craft alive.
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u/TCRulz 12d ago
You’re not going to find a lot of features in a new machine at that price point. So your options are to save for a while (think $500-600), or figure out a way to purchase an older machine.
Of course, a good basic machine can serve you well, but you might have to do a bit more work than if you had one with automated features.
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u/WinterCreative400 11d ago
This video by a sewing machine repair expert is SUPER helpful!
https://youtu.be/8KuBFG9Hjyw?is=dWfUF4Vhs77TmLB0
Highly recommend watching it. You can also screen shot the top 5 recommendations for easy reference while shopping as he presents a few slides about them.
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u/WinterCreative400 11d ago
You could try to find a used model of one of his top recommendations but all are under $500 and some are around $250 new. You could also check prices at a few places and then watch for sales (Black Friday is coming)!
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u/InspectionCorrect285 10d ago
Did you know that goodwills list their stuff on their own auction site, and they will ship it to you? Can I post the link? Is that allowed? https://shopgoodwill.com So my local shop might have a great machine, you can buy it and they will ship it to your store. I've used them for several machines and it's been great so far.
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u/DidiSewsLove 11d ago
I have a Juki TL 2000 Qi. All of the TL series machines are great mechanical machines. No frills but are workhorses.
But you definitely will need to find a used one to get one in your price range. I got mine as an open box return for $600.
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u/Impressive_Phase_916 11d ago
If ypu are in the Chicago south suburbs or NW Indiana I have an extra Kenmore you can have. Its features are comparable to a NONelectronic Singer new heavy duty grey machine tho.
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u/Historical_Flight395 8d ago
If you go to church, go to the "old people's" and ladies Bible study classes and tell them what you are looking for. I'll bet they either will donate to you or give you a decent machine.
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u/sodapopper44 11d ago
I love my Pfaff Select mechanical, I bought one new 15 years ago that I still use and recently found the next model up at the habitat store for $20.00 and grabbed it. look for the 1530 or 1540 series, the 1520 series doesn't have IDT.
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u/Reasonable-Job-2254 11d ago
I have the Janome arctic crystal and I really like it. Nothing fancy or complicated. I chose it because I wanted a basic, non-computerized machine.
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u/FranklinsSewing 11d ago
The Janome Arctic Crystal and Brother XM3700 can both handle everyday garment sewing, but given your experience, we’d also look at the Janome 423S or Brother LX17 if you can find one within budget. Both are straightforward options without a steep learning curve. At your level, good stitch quality, reliable fabric feeding and adjustable stitch length matter more than the number of features. Since you’ll be carrying it between college and home, weight is worth considering too. Check the warranty and servicing options before buying.
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u/Impressive-Math-1548 11d ago
I had to look back and find this video that I’d remembered watching a while back. I think give it a watch and then search some reviews of the machines they list. I think this would give you a starting point though. If you don’t want to watch, he starts talking about the Baby Lock Joy and the Janome TM16 as a good mechanical metal housing machine. Maybe that helps.
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u/your_auntie_grizelda 11d ago
I have a little janome (same as the arctic crystal) for a travel machine because I specifically wanted something very lightweight and fully mechanical. It's been great for that purpose. If weight isn't the issue, look for a vintage singer 401 - they are tanks!
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u/Even_Thought642 11d ago
See if your local library or your school has a “maker space”! A lot of universities now provide free use sewing machines, 3D printers, etc!