June is Sewing Machine Month at Sew, Mama, Sew and they have asked their blog readers to answer some questions about the sewing machines they use. They plan to make the info available as a resource for those looking to buy a new machine.
First.. here's a look at my pimped out with temporary tatoos machine!!:
Yeah, baby! 14 whole stitches!
What brand and model do you have?
I have a Brother LX-3125.
How long have you had it?
How long have you had it?
Three months.
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I paid around $79.00
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
I sew handbags, children's clothing, and quilting.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew every day. I wear the heck out of it. Haven't broken a single needle yet!
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I like my machine. I am taking quilting classes, and the machines they use are fancy computerized models. They are nice, but very pricey... and I feel more hands-on with my basic model.
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
I like that this machine is light and a cinch to thread.
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Well, I drove MYSELF nuts in the beginning before I learned to start everything with the needle in the down position (inserted into the fabric), otherwise the fabric bunches up and gets stuck... but that was my fault, not the machine.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
I don't know if this is a great story or not, but my main crafting focus used to be crochet (amigurumi, Japanese style). One day I was looking around blogland and Flickr and noticed all the great Japanese fabrics everyone was using. I had sewn a few times when I was younger, and so I convinced myself that I NEEDED a machine. I didn't want to overspend, just in case it ended up collecting dust in a corner. Now I have spent 4 times as much on fabric than I initially spent on the machine!
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
I would recommend this machine to others who might not want to spend too much, and still get something that works well.
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
For me, I don't really need all the fancy stitches (they are fun, I know, I just don't NEED them). This machine only has 14 stitches. I just want something that works consistently, smoothly, and won't break down.
Do you have a dream machine?
I would love to have a really, really old vintage Singer... just to play with. :)
xoxo, Whimsical Road
I have to start off by saying that I love the tatoo idea, I'm so doing that to mine.
ReplyDelete-I have a singer simple machine.
-Have had it about a year and a half now.
-To buy a new one of the same kind would cost about $100.
-I have sewed everything on it from book bags to to cloth baby diapers to simple outfits for my kids. I have never used a pattern. Bought a few, never used them though.
-Lately I sew a little each day. Previously, I would lock myself in a room for 2 to 3 days at time and sew the whole time, but only every few months. Why the change? Now my machine has it's very own desk instead of a home barried in the back of a messy closet. Since I never really learned how to sew, my machine has taken LOTS of abuse. I have only broken one needle though and i'm sure it's totally my fault. When I made my daughters book bag, the fabric was very think and wouldn't fit under the presser foot. So, I took it off and the needle broke.
-I like that it seems to be easy to use. What drives me crazy is the lever that alows you to back stich is so far away from where my hands usually are.
-I don't think my machine really has any features, and I doubt I would know how to use them if I had them.
-I didn't know about that needle thing, on my machine it just makes a big clump of messy look thread. That has driven me crazy, but I'll try with the needle down and hopefully that will help.
-My machine story... I used to have a different sewing machine. My mom gave it to me for a christmas present when I was about 12. It was a bit old and had about 5 stich options. It broke, I took to a shop and got it fixed. A couple of years later again. Then about 5 years ago it broke again, but the repair shop said it's parts were no longer avalible. A year and a half ago my mother-in-law got me a new machine for christmas after hearing about the older machine. She doesn't either, but she had a ton of my husband's grandmother's sewing stuff. Thats the cool part of the story. I have all of these really cool sewing gagets from generations past, some I have figured out, some I have not.
-Not sure if I would recomend my machine to others. I think it seems to be a good fit for someone like me who has just jumped in and tried to wing it, but I haven't really tried out or even looked at many other machines.
-If I were looking to buy a new machine I would look one that has a reverse stich lever closer to needle so it can be pushed with the movement of just 1 or 2 fingers. My really old machine had a spot on the base that you could stick 5 or 10 pins as you removed them from fabric. I really liked that also (my pin cushion always seems to be just out of reach when I start to sew). I also think I would like a few of those really cute stiches. I would also read reviews to see about the whole breaking down issue.
-I don't have a dream machine really. I would love to be able to try out a serger and an embrodiery machine for a few weeks to see how I like them thought.
I have this machine as well. I just started using it withing the past month but I am impressed so far. I am a sewing novice and this is my first machine. Previously I made simple blouses, purses and curtains using my mom's machine, but would without fail get the bobbin thread all knotted and jammed. It was frustrating. So far with this machine that never happens. I've been using the zig zag stitch to finish raw seams, sewing a little over the edge of the fabric. On my mom's machine this would have definitely caused a jam, but each time I finish sewing on mine, and pull the fabric away, only two neat non-tangled (!) threads unveil themselves. Hopefully all will continue well.
ReplyDeleteHa! I found your review from the SewMamaSew site while researching a possible upgrade to my... really, really old vintage Singer ;^)
ReplyDeleteWell, it's 1940s, so maybe not that old - it goes forward and backwards (unlike my Nana's from the 1920s) and you can adjust the stitch length. A little.
If you can get one I bet you'd enjoy it, though those great tattoos wouldn't show up so well! I've sewn everything you can imagine on it for nearly 20 years thanks to the crazy convoluted attachments I find sometimes (you don't even want to think about the buttonholer one.) They stand up to a lot and they are so, so pretty.