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You have finally come to the conclusion that you need or want a sewing machine. Now, what is on the market and how do you make the right decision?
There are many brands of machines out there and everyone boasts different features. Some machines appeal to quilters, others want you to embroider everything including the toilet seat and the shower curtain. Searching for the right machine is going to take some time.
Shopping for a new machine can make your head spin. The girls on my boards discuss which machine is best every time someone needs a new one. We all know the name brands but I am not going to suggest one, that decision is yours. It's a personal one and an important one. I will, however give you a few basic questions you should ask yourself.
1. What type of sewing do you plan to do?
- clothing
- crafts
- repairs and alterations
- home decorating
2. Where will you sew?
- sewing room
- kitchen table
- integrated into other family living area
3. How will your machine be stored?
- in its own cabinet
- in a closet hiding behind the coats
- leave it out to sew every spare moment
4. Consider your budget and buying habits? How long will you keep this machine?
- 6 months
- a few years
- forever and a day
When you answer these questions, you are on your way to making the right decision. Obviously if you are going to sew from the kitchen table, you don't want a machine with lots of accessories or add-ons that will take up too much room. If you are doing repairs and alterations, you don't want a machine that duplicates the quilting stitch. If you have small children around, your machine needs to be tucked away safely. Just a few things to think about.
Research is the name of the game here. Check out the latest consumer reports. Visit the forum discussions on sew-whats-new.com and see what the girls are using. They will gladly tell you what works and what doesn't. Another source is the well known sewing magazines. Sew News and Threads do comparison studies all the time.
If you are lucky enough to have local dealers, pay them all a visit. Test drive all their machines and ask lots and lots of questions. Take fabric with you that you use and test out things like stitch length, reverse and some of the different presser feet. Find out about lessons. Lots of dealers will give you a few free lessons to get you acquainted with your machine. Above all, take your time. I cannot stress this enough. Don't let anyone rush you thru the process. Leave the kids at home so you have no distractions. While you are in the shop asking questions, you can see how the staff relate to customers and if they have the answers to all your questions. If they seem impatient or brusque, imagine how they might be after the sale. If they are not helpful now at the prospect of a sale, they probably won't be later if you need help.
On the other hand, a strong sales pitch can also steer you in the wrong direction. Paying for a top of the line model doesn't mean you are getting the machine you will be happiest with. You must resist the urge for that impulse buy. Go home and talk to someone who sews. Find out their experiences and listen to what they have to say. Again, take your time with this decision.
If you have visited all the dealers, and test driven their machines visit them all again. Visit again when you are rested and can make a clear decision. Go back and take a second look at those machines. You are looking at them with new eyes now. Maybe there are a few things you never noticed the first time that stand out now. What about that foot pedal, is it comfortable? Do you want the even feed feature? Does the machine run smoothly and quietly? Are there more programmes than you will ever use? If so, make a mental note and you can scale down your possible choices. This second visit will tell you more than you expect.
Ask about the warranty that comes with each machine. Be sure you know who is responsible for standing behind it, your dealer or the manufacturer. Are repairs made locally or will you have to pack everything up and send it away.
Be very sure you understand what is included with the sewing machine. Which feet, how many bobbins and what about a manual. The manual is very important. You will refer to the manual time after time so it should be a good reference guide to all the accessories and stitch designs along with any other functions. The manual should be full of pictures and diagrams for the basic sewing as well as clear directions. If your manual isn't helpful, do you want to go searching out the answers every time you have a problem. I wish I had a penny for every time someone has emailed me with a problem that their manual doesn't answer.
Be sure you get your sales agreement in writing and keep your copy in a safe place. Nothing less will do.
The bottom line is you m ...
Author: Mary Wilkins
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Timely help for quilting supply catalogs
About Quilting I really like Asian themed fabrics, but sometimes I have a hard time visualizing blocks that fit the look. But I love this Oriental Attic Windows design. Each quilt block is made from three pieces of fabric -- and sewn together with only two seams. Yes, the block has a mitered corner, but the easy sewing method will erase any fears beginners might have about tackling miters. I promise, it's simple, and a really important skill to learn. Give it a try! Oriental Attic Windows Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 06:00:47. Permalink | Comment | Email this Domino Quilt Block & Quilt Pattern The Domino quilt block finishes at 9" square, with small units that are a nice size for baby and toddler quilts, but perfectly fine for a bed-sized quilts, too. The Domino quilt block pattern includes instructions for making a single quilt block, for those of you who like to go scrappy, plus directions for 20-strip pieced Domino blocks. The 20 blocks can be used in the Domino baby quilt shown on page 4 of the pattern, or in another quilt of your own design. Before beginning, new quilters should make sure they're okay with sewing a quarter inch seam and with rotary cutting long strips of fabric. Domino Quilt Block & Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 06:00:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this Lost Ship Quilt Block Pattern Lost Ship is the ninth quilt block pattern for the Scrap Happy Sampler Quilt, but you can use it for any project. Two versions of the block are shown, one more scrappy than the other, but each variation helps you practice making half-square triangle units -- a good thing since those units are probably the most commonly used patchwork configuration. You might notice that the design is similar to the Rocky Glen quilt block -- the overall layout is basically the same, but Rocky Glen contains more half-square triangle units. Like other blocks in the sampler series, the Lost Ship quilt block finishes at 12-inches square. Lost Ship Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 07:50:44. Permalink | Comment | Email this Pictures of 2012 New Year's Day Mystery Quilts The 2012 New Year's Day Mystery Quilt gallery is up and running now, and illustrates the wide variety of layouts that quilters developed when designing their projects. The quilts in the gallery are a wonderful representation of the work that went into these projects, but there are many, many more quilts and quilt tops out there, and I'd love to feature them all in the gallery. Please email your photos to me at quilting.guide@about.com. Quilt by Neralie Pictures of 2012 New Year's Day Mystery Quilts originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 06:00:59. Permalink | Comment | Email this Quilt Photo Gallery Updates I updated quite a few of our quilt galleries this weekend, and am now pretty much caught up (temporarily, as usual) with the photos you have submitted. Once again I do have forms without photos and photos without forms -- all of those go into a 'check these' folder until I can find time to write (mostly about missing photos). When you submit the form, please remember that it is a 2-step process -- photos must come to me by separate email. Galleries Updated Photo is Shattered, a quilt by Sewtherequilts in memory of her sister. Quilt Photo Gallery Updates originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 18:01:08. Permalink | Comment | Email this Flock of Geese Quilt Block Pattern Flock of Geese is a traditional quilt block, but its name is a bit misleading. Take a look at the block and you'll see it does not include those popular flying geese units that we often use. Instead, the 'flocks' are made up of half-square triangle units, kind of like geese flying in formation. You can adjust the color value of your patches to make the block appear very different from mine, and you can choose a structured look or go very scrappy with the layout. The Flock of Geese block is fun to play with -- try varying the look from block-to-block in a larger quilt, because I think you'll like that, too. Flock of Geese Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 12:16:15. Permalink | Comment | Email this Patchwork Hearts Quilt Block & Quilt Patterns Quilting Forum members designed this 6" patchwork heart quilt block for a 2008 swap, and are using it again this month. The design is a natural for a Valentine's Day wallhanging and makes a lovely baby quilt. The heart block is assembled with quick piecing techniques, so it's super easy to make. For the swap, a different focal fabric was used in each half of the block (two pinks or two reds), but choose another combination if you prefer. You'll find instructions and yardage for a small heart wallhanging on the last page of the pattern. Photo © Sophie Patchwork Hearts Quilt Block & Quilt Patterns originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 06:00:22. Permalink | Comment | Email this Heart in a Snowball Quilt Block Pattern This vibrant Snowball quilt block is assembled with a white on white interior and purple tips. A red heart is appliqued to the center of the 6" (finished size) block. If you're already into applique, the gentle heart will be a breeze, and beginners will find that it's a perfect first applique project (read my Needleturn Applique Basics for technique how-tos). The block is from a 2009 Quilting Forum event, where it was sewn by numerous members. Heart Blocks by Sandy Heart in a Snowball Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 06:00:45. Permalink | Comment | Email this Reverse Capital T Quilt Block Pattern The reverse version of the Capital T quilt block isn't seen as commonly as its counterpart -- where dark fabrics create the diagonal T-shape at each corner. Both blocks are assembled the same way, it's just the color values that are flip-flopped, but the two versions are unique enough that I felt a separate pattern would be a good option for the quilt block shown here. I've included instructions to make the block's flying geese units in a couple of ways -- both are quick-pieced but one technique results in no fabric waste. Choose the method that works best for the fabrics you have on hand. I saw some examples online recently of quilts made using this value layout, but can't locate them now -- the blocks looked wonderful placed on point. More T Blocks Reverse Capital T Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 19:22:19. Permalink | Comment | Email this Hearts 'n Rags Rag Quilt Pattern Hearts 'n Rags is an easy rag quilt pattern, one that you can assemble pretty quickly. The quilt is made with a combination of block types: squares with raggy heart applique, plain floral squares, blocks cut from a border print and another unit created by sewing two bars together. Mine is lightweight, with no batting, but I've provided yardage and cutting instructions for a middle layer if you choose to add it. I machine sewed my hearts to the blocks and left their edges ragged, but didn't clip them. They frayed pretty well during a couple of washings, but feel free to clip into the seam allowance of yours to make them a little bit fuzzier. Photo © Janet Wickell Hearts 'n Rags Rag Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 06:00:51. Permalink | Comment | Email this Newsfeed display by CaRP |
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