Embroidery is a very expensive hobby so some people choose to buy a sewing machine that also does embroidery. But there are others who’d invest in a machine that does only embroidery and use another cheaper machine for basic sewing so that the embroidery machine suffers less wear and tear.
Which do you think is better then? If you want a 2-in-1, I recommend this Brother SE270D. It has a lot more built-in designs than the SE350, including Mickey Mouse designs, florals and other patterns, and 5 monogram fonts.
Brother SE270D Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine
Add More Designs with Software
You can buy more design cards or expand the database by getting a card reader and software. The software allows you to download all the designs you like from the internet. Both options are wallet-killers, but I did tell you that embroidery is an expensive hobby.
A USB port for downloading is a better option but the Brother PE700II (a pure embroidery machine) which has this feature, costs twice the price of the SE270D.
The size of the embroidery hoop is 4 by 4, not industrial size but good enough for making some nice embroidery on purses, pockets, and baby blankets, to name a few.
Good for Sewing Too
As for the sewing part, it sews pretty nicely with straight and precise stitches, and the three sewing speeds are great for beginners.
You can also adjust for long stitches if you’re doing thick or multi-layered fabrics. The automatic threading makes it very easy to switch from embroidery to sewing or to switch colors.
The Brother SE270D is very easy to use with simple controls, just right for people who’re taking on embroidery for the first time.
Further information:
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Below are the few features I feel are the most important to me when looking for a sewing machine. If you want to know how to choose the best sewing machine, click here a more detailed account.
Drop-in Bobbin
No more fumbling underneath the machine to insert the bobbin, but you can open a section right on top to drop the bobbin in. You’ll see the thread running low through a clear panel.
Automatic Buttonholer
Also called a one-step buttonholer, and is a feature that most electronic and computerized sewing machines have. Sews your buttonhole in a step without you having to turn the fabric around. Some can adjust the buttonhole size according to the button you put into a slot in the machine.
Needle Threader
Threads your needle by itself. If you have had a hard time squinting and pricking your finger in the needle-threading process, this is a life-saver. But some users didn’t like it because they are much defter than the machine.
Adjustable Presser Foot
Now you can adjust how tight the machine holds your fabric. This is important if you sew many kinds of fabric like me. Thin fabrics do not deserve the same treatment as thick ones.
Sound
Sewing machines make a certain amount of noise while sewing. Do you need to be quiet when you sew? When your baby is asleep, maybe? If that is the case, you shall have to get a sewing machine that is very quiet so that you can sew at any time of the day.
Size and Weight
Traveling around with my sewing machine is a bother, so I don’t do it. But if you need to carry it to sewing class or stow it away each time after use, the size and weight of the machine is definitely something to note. Because I sew a lot, I just cleared out a space at home specially for sewing so that I can just leave my stuff there.
Manual
The sewing machine manual is VERY IMPORTANT. Check reviews to see whether the model you’re buying has an easy understandable manual. Don’t chuck it in the box and leave it. Instead, as soon as you got your purchase, read the manual thoroughly and try it out with a few pieces of fabric.
Warranty
Sewing machines can and should last a very long time. However, always check for a warranty from the manufacturer. Most machines come with a 25-year warranty or limited warranty.
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Type of Work
What are you buying the sewing machine for? This is the ultimate question that will help you mark the range of sewing machines you’ll be looking at.
1. Embroidery
There are single use embroidery machines that can only do embroidery; and there are dual use embroidery and sewing machines that can do sewing jobs besides embroidery.
To save money, I suggest that you buy a single use machine plus a separate electronic sewing machine if you do a whole lot of sewing jobs besides embroidery. This means your embroidery machine takes less wear and tear from usual sewing.
If you are doing mainly embroidery and only the occasional sewing of buttonholes and hems, get a dual use machine.
When buying an embroidery machine, whether single or dual use, you can look at these details:
- Size of the loop
- Number of built-in designs
- Size of designs and fonts
- Additional design cards or software for downloading designs
- USB port
- Easy selection and controls
2. Quilting
Most mid-end sewing machines can do quilts (you may have to get your own walking foot if it’s not included) but if you are doing a lot of quilts you can look for a good quilting sewing machine that provides plenty of quilting accessories and features.
I just bought a great quilting sewing machine – Brother CS6000I, just to do quilts, because it comes with a quilting table, walking foot, quilt guides and a wide selection of quilting stitches!
3. Basic sewing
Forget about embroidery and quilting machines, you’re just looking for a sewing machine that can make dresses, cushion covers, pillowcases, buttonholes, and fix that hem.
I suggest you get an electronic sewing machine. Personally I don’t think a computerized sewing machine is needed for basic sewing; a computer memory is only for designs.
- Price range – It’s easy to choose if you keep this in mind: there are only two main price ranges for electronic sewing machines – below $250 and above $250.
If you’re doing a lot of heavy fabrics (curtains, denims and multi-layers), definitely get the higher range.It’ll be worth it in the long run because expensive machines have a heavier and more durable make to last you a long time. The heavy fabrics feed better so the stitches will be finer too.
As far as I can see, you can still be pleasantly surprised by the quality of sewing machines below $250, but please don’t expect them to take heavy sewing for years and years.
Go ahead and buy these budget machines if you are only sewing fabrics of normal thickness most of the time. They will give you value for the price if you do plenty of dresses, covers, buttonholes and hems instead of heavy curtains and denims.
Singer 7442 is the best value electronic sewing machine while an even cheaper one for minimal sewing would be the Brother XL2600I.
- Type of fabric – What type of fabric will you be using?
Thick fabrics will need longer stitches. Check the machine for a good selection of stitches including long and short stitches for different thickness of fabrics.
The other feature to check is automatic tension. That will save you a lot of time because the machine adjusts the tension according to the fabric thickness without you having to do it manually.
Delicate fabrics like silk and chiffon are tricky to sew because they snag easily. If you’re using these fabrics check to see whether the presser foot can be adjusted to a lesser pressure. The right needles must be used (click here to see the different types of needles for different fabrics) but you can buy these to add if your machine does not include them.
Stretchy fabrics shall need a stretch stitch. If the machine you’re checking out does not say anything about the kinds of stitches it makes, read the reviews!
Large projects like bed sheets and curtains are easier done with an extension table. If your machine doesn’t come with one, check to see whether this can be added.
Person using it
Are you buying the sewing machine as a gift? There are some features that are convenient to certain people, while being cumbersome to others.
People with poor eyesight or shaky hands would find the auto threader very handy and time-saving. Some machines also have a thread cutter, but there are people who think it gets in the way.
Novices or young seamstresses would find a well-written manual helpful if they are not taking sewing classes. A more user-friendly sewing machine would also include auto tension, drop-in bobbin, and simple controls. I highly recommend the Singer 7470 Confidence for friendliness!
Portability
You might not be using your sewing machine at the same spot every time.
I myself like to place my sewing machine out in the open so that I can sew at every opportunity, and there is a cleared space for me to work and throw down all my stuff. But my girl friends have all kinds of habits like:
- Sewing on the dining table or shared spots and clearing away after use
- Using a different spot in the house every time
- Bringing the sewing machine to sewing classes
- Bringing the sewing machine to a friend’s house to sew
So when you buy a sewing machine, you’ll have to take this into consideration. If you’re not like me, you’ll need a lightweight machine to carry around or store away after use, but it shouldn’t be so light that it will prance on the table like an excited dog when you feed it with fabric.
Machines with some weight are good for heavy fabrics. In short, you’ll have to strike a balance between having a machine sturdy enough for fabrics you’re using, and light enough to carry. All the better if the machine comes with a hard cover carrying case.
Tip: If your machine does slide a bit when in use, place it on a sheet of thin rubber mat.
For more sewing machine reviews and recommendations, go to my Sewing Machine Review main page.
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I was a bit taken aback when I read a sewing machine manual for the first time, because I started sewing a long time ago and didn’t think of myself as a novice, but I realized that I never learned all those technical names of sewing machine parts; all my mother said when she taught me to use her ancient sewing machine was “the thread goes here and here and into here”, and “this goes inside here”.
I know that to shop for the best sewing machine you’ve got to learn those terms first, and so here they are:
Bobbin – That metallic roundish thing to hold a small spool of thread under the needle. Old sewing machines have their bobbins inserted from the underside, a small feat that would need you to lean under and peer inside if you don’t know where it goes. Nowadays machines have a small clear cover that can be opened on top for you to drop in the bobbin, and you can see whether the thread is running out.
Foot pedal – A pedal for you to press with your foot to run the machine, but some sewing machines have a start-stop button for automatic sewing too, if you’re not so good at the footwork.
Feed dog – Those teeth-like metal chains directly under the needle and presser foot, which pulls your fabric forward in a straight line when you sew. Some sewing machines allow you to drop the feed dog, so that they will go down and you can move the fabric freely in any direction while you sew.
Presser foot – That flattish piece of metal that holds your fabric flat against the needle plate when you sew. Presser feet come in a few variations for different functions, and you can change them easily because they are either screwed or clipped on.
Walking foot – A kind of presser foot that has teeth to grip the fabric together with the feed dog, usually used for quilting or sewing layers of fabrics because it keeps the fabrics from slipping, giving you a more precise stitch.
Free arm – A cylinder to help you sew pockets and sleeves.
Needle plate – The piece over the feed dogs and under the needle and presser foot. It has a hole for the needle to go through and markings to help you keep the fabric a certain distance from the needle and maintain a straight line.
For more tips of how to choose the best sewing machine and sewing machine reviews, go to my Sewing Machine Review main page.
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Hi welcome to my first post of sewing machine review blog.
Sewing machine is a textile machine use to stitch fabric or other material together. Sewing machine where first invented during the first industrial revolution to help increase production in cloth companies. Since then, it has vastly improved the efficiency and productivity.
Sewing Machine Review
I hope to write some sewing machine review post to help to find the right one for your need.
Most of the sewing machine being review here will be lightweight and portable sewing machine. Portable sewing machine come with 10 built-in stitches will be perfect for basic sewing, mending, crafting, and scrapbooking projects.
With today sewing technology, some of them offers an automatic bobbin winder, an automatic four-step buttonholer, forward and reverse sewing, and quick-change snap-on presser feet that include a buttonhole foot, zipper foot, button-sewing foot and many more!
Well, getting one great sewing machine will be home sewn fashion at your fingertips. Stay tune for more sewing machine review to come.
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Sewing Machine Review 