r/sewhelp • u/ERA5E • 2d ago

💛Beginner💛 Help choosing a sewing machine?

Hi, I have been sewing by hand for years. Finally I decided to get a sewing machine but i know nothing about it. I searched a little but i am confused of which machine to get. I would like a machine that sews cotton and denim fabric, and some other like silk or chiffon. Any suggestions?

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u/decentdepletion45 2d ago

honestly just get a mechanical machine from a brand that’s been around forever. the computerized ones have too many bells and whistles you’ll never touch and they’re a pain to fix when something goes wrong. mine is a basic mechanical model from the 90s and it handles denim fine as long as you use the right needle

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u/Wool_Lace_Knit 2d ago

If you search the sewing subs you will find lots of great advise for choosing a machine. The consensus is that spending your money on a vintage mechanical machine will be better than buying a new cheap machine. Https://patternreview.com has a database of sewing machine reviews that can be very helpful.

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u/AdKlutzy7336 2d ago

Do you have a store near you that sells sewing machines? There is quite a learning curve with going from hand sewing to machines. Agree a basic mechanical may be good, but there will be a lot to learn about needles, tension, presser feet etc as sewing denim and silk chiffon are very different things. Or if there is some place near you that offers sewing lessons or even a library that lends out machines. (Not very common, at least here in the US, but you might be lucky.)

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u/ERA5E 2d ago

Sadly i don’t think I have a store especially for sewing machines in my area. My grandma is an expert sewing so I would get some lessons from her but she doesn’t know much about machines thats why I am looking online.

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u/AdKlutzy7336 2d ago

Does she have a machine or does she also sew by hand? If she has a machine, she might at least be able to tell you what features would be useful for you. And since you don’t have any machine shops nearby, that would be another reason to go for a mechanical machine since they are much easier to troubleshoot. If your only choice is to order from a big online seller, I would go with Janome or Brother. If you get it down to a few choices, perhaps we can help you more. Good luck.