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Happy Friday Goonettes (and any Goons around here too). After a horrible experience with a $330 Singer Quantum Stylist from Amazon I'm in the market for a new machine. I learned that to get a good machine you need to go to a dealer so that I did and now they have me itching for an Elna Excellence 740. It is expensive, really expensive - $2400 expensive, so this may be the first and last machine I ever buy. Does anyone here have any experience with Elna machines?
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Feb 9, 2013 03:50
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I have a protip on sewing machines: Ask to see their trade-ins. You probably don't need this year's features, and buying a well-maintained 4-5 year old machine can save you big bux.
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Feb 9, 2013 19:08
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What issues were you running into with the Singer, and what about the Elna makes you willing to pay $2400 for it? Unless you're completely and utterly dead-set on it, I'm willing to bet folks in here can steer you in a comparable and cheaper direction if they know what you're looking for in a machine. I've never been in the market for a fancy computerized setup, but it seems like the software/hardware is going to get outdated and obsolete long before you get old and stop using it. I would therefore, personally, be hesitant to say it's the last machine I'll ever need. I could be way off base here, though. v  vContent: I bought a giant frumpy wool A-line skirt at the thrift shop a while back, and finally altered it into a bangin' pencil skirt! I think it won me a job! The lighting in my house is pretty awful, but the first image at least gives you an idea of the silhouette. it fits like a glove, but I think I need to make the kick pleat a little deeper, as climbing stairs is tricky.    Not any sort of major accomplishment or anything, but it's one of the first alteration pieces I've started and completed, including finishing, all in one go. Feels good. 
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Feb 9, 2013 20:33
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RE: Buying a new machine - Make a list of features you desire in a machine and compare multiple brands/models. Also keep in mind maintenance/support. I went with a Baby Lock for my last two machines because the Baby Lock dealer in my city is phenomenal and the Brother dealer is more of a car salesman. My machine-buying process was to go in, state that I wasn't looking to buy that day but wanted to know more about machines that could do x/y/z, and then jot down my notes to compare later before deciding which machine to purchase. The Brother dealer immediately took me to the fanciest machine he had and tried to pressure me into dropping cash that same day because "YOU WON'T FIND A BETTER DEAL THAN THIS, BOY". The Baby Lock dealer was super sweet and walked me through a demo on 4 or 5 different machines, before giving me her card and thanking me for stopping by that afternoon. I ended up going with the Baby Lock equivalent of the fancy Brother machine the 'car dealer' showed me, but only because I felt it was a good match and that I would have that sweet old lady there for support instead of the alternative dealer. Basically, don't feel pressured to buy something because a dealer said you need it. Look into machines according to features and also research user reviews. $2400 is a lot of money but can be worth it if you end up absolutely loving the machine down the line.
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Feb 11, 2013 21:38
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 Baby Lock talk. I'm a crazy 'Lock fangirl and will probably stipulate it be buried with me when I die. Seriously, though, what machine you choose should depend on the kind of sewing you do. If you're really into having that much stitch variety and all the automation, then go for it - but I'd advise trying to source a well-maintained used one to save a chunk of cash (unless you have the money to burn). Janome's a decent brand and it's not too hard to find techs that will work on them, but the computerization will definitely make repairs more expensive.
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Feb 11, 2013 21:58
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Thanks all. I really do want all of the fancy stitches, the free arm, the ability to sew through 9 layers of heavy denim and the ability to free motion quilt. And I really do hope this is a machine that I can pass on to my children. My mom is still using the one she bought when she was 18 and it's like part of the family now. And as nolen mentioned, there is a dealer super close to me that includes a lifetime warranty on motor and gears, 5 year warranty on electronics and 1 year on everything. They also provide unlimited free lessons on using my machine and the big piece of luggage for me to take it in. Oh and once a month they have a pot luck where about 40 ladies bring food and their latest sewing project to share. So I think the support will really be great. And the look on the sales lady's face when she was telling me about the lifetime warranty (thought lets be honest I'm not sure I can really count on a sewing machine place to be in business for the rest of my life) was priceless. She was so happy when she said "And because you are young the lifetime warranty actually means something to you! A lot of our older customers don't really care about the warranty because they are in their 70's and 80's".
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Feb 13, 2013 04:51
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Critical thing to do when test-driving: bring your own fabric samples. In particular, bring the stuff you really sew: silks, denim, canvas, quilting cotton, whatever. Sewing machine stores have special highly-starched fabric they use to demo machines, and it doesn't tell you how the machine will work in the real world. The reviews at patternreview.com are often useful. Registration is free, but the reviews tend to be written by actual sew-ers. Edit: You can free-motion quilt on any machine that lets you drop the feed dogs. The teacher who taught me to do free-motion quilting says that extra "free-motion" features can actually get in your way. You still have to learn to move the fabric at a steady speed.
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Feb 13, 2013 17:32
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Speaking of patternreview, does anyone have any sewing forums/blogs that they like to follow? The two sewing threads here in DIY don't seem to move fast enough for my interest sometimes.
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Feb 13, 2013 21:30
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I didn't know there were two! What the sewing community really needs is the equivalent of Ravelry, but that would be enormously difficult to create.
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Feb 13, 2013 23:23
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I've looked for some places myself but they're almost never about tailoring (well that's what I'm typically looking for, I'm not a quilter), if they are they're near dead, and about the only content is 'what am I doing on the internet when I could be sewing, tee hee'. Something that would be nice is a depository of online sewing shops that specialize in more tools of the trade. There's a huge glut of straight-up fabric stores online, but say I wanted like... interfacing that's not by Pellon, or a decent shoulder pad, or dang even just some decent drafting paper. Or maybe it's there and I just haven't hit the sweet spot on Google yet?
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Feb 13, 2013 23:42
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There was Greenberg and Hammer, but they died.  Fashion Sewing Supply is great for lightweight interfacings. https://www.fashionsewingsupply.com/
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Feb 13, 2013 23:47
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Arsenic Lupin posted:I didn't know there were two! What the sewing community really needs is the equivalent of Ravelry, but that would be enormously difficult to create. I think the second one Nolen is talking about is the one for plush (aka stuffed) creatures http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3299745
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Feb 14, 2013 01:46
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I've been debating getting into sewing for a limited bit of clothing type things for me. Specifically at the moment some Japanese style clothing (like a hakama that I'd add pockets to). Has anyone messed with this sort of thing, or would like to tell me I'm a fool for thinking of starting there? Do you think this would take a significant time investment (a reason I won't be getting into blacksmithing) or is this something I can do in a handful of hours a week style of hobby? I know some hobbies require significant time investment, and my only exposure to sewing is my daughter's quilting, but she's been doing that 2 hours a week and finished her first recently after about 3 months. Clothing sewing seems like it could be similar, or could require a great deal more to do anything one could wear. I have no reference point for that, sadly.
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Feb 15, 2013 06:07
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TodPunk posted:I've been debating getting into sewing for a limited bit of clothing type things for me. Specifically at the moment some Japanese style clothing (like a hakama that I'd add pockets to). Has anyone messed with this sort of thing, or would like to tell me I'm a fool for thinking of starting there? Do you think this would take a significant time investment (a reason I won't be getting into blacksmithing) or is this something I can do in a handful of hours a week style of hobby? I know some hobbies require significant time investment, and my only exposure to sewing is my daughter's quilting, but she's been doing that 2 hours a week and finished her first recently after about 3 months. Clothing sewing seems like it could be similar, or could require a great deal more to do anything one could wear. I have no reference point for that, sadly. Japanese clothing is nice because it's all straight seams. However, the word of mouth is that hakama are a royal pain in the rear end because of the large number of folds you have to sew through. Go to your library and get their copy of John Marshall's Make Your Own Japanese Clothes, which has great layouts and measurements. If you want to work from commercial patterns, Folkwear's Asian patterns are said to be really solid. http://www.folkwear.com
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Feb 16, 2013 00:17
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Arsenic Lupin posted:Japanese clothing is nice because it's all straight seams. However, the word of mouth is that hakama are a royal pain in the rear end because of the large number of folds you have to sew through. That's pretty much what I was thinking. One of the quickest sewing projects I ever did, aside from some simple 2-piece skirts, was a basic yukata (lightweight summer kimono) and obi. I was using a store-bought pattern so it may not have been the most traditional garment, but it was drat easy. Had it finished in one afternoon, and that included all of the cutting and piecing. Hakama might be a little trickier because of all the folding, but it's still basically just a giant rectangle of fabric.
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Feb 16, 2013 01:50
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So room is probably an issue at the moment which I feel silly for not having thought about yet. I suppose I'll have to have a chat with the misses about the prospect. Thank you for the folkwear link! I had previously just been looking on Amazon, and they seemed to have very little. (Finding a lacking in Amazon's catalog makes me feel I've lost some innocence.) It looks like I'll want to start on something without all the folds. Adding pockets seems like it should be a relatively simple affair from what I've found in searches. Is that a terrible assumption I'm making? I typically wear cargo pants to hold devices (I work with tablets a lot) so it's a must, at least transitionally.
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Feb 16, 2013 02:45
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Hakama have those two big open gaps at the sides that are normally covered by the gi. The Folkwear pattern includes modesty panels to cover those gaps if you're not doing martial arts. Putting pockets on those modesty panels would be easy-peasy.
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Feb 16, 2013 04:30
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nolen posted:Speaking of patternreview, does anyone have any sewing forums/blogs that they like to follow? The two sewing threads here in DIY don't seem to move fast enough for my interest sometimes. I follow a couple of blogs. Forums tend to drive me a bit mad. I've also added a few new blogs into my rotation that have had good tutorials. New Yorker guy that sews men's and women's clothing. Uses mostly vintage patterns. http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/ New one i've been looking into. She has some really good tutorials. http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/ Gretchen started as a blogger and now is a book/pattern author. Her posts haven't been as good recently but she does have some good tutorials as well. http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/ Collette patterns has a nice blog. They do some good links and also talk about good sewing habits and the idea of creative inspiration. http://www.coletterie.com/
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Feb 17, 2013 07:14
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Thanks for those links! Very useful!
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Feb 17, 2013 22:01
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Here is another blogger that I sometimes check out. She does historical costuming and is good about detail photos. http://www.festiveattyre.com/ Thinking about doing some blog stuff myself. First one will probably be about the Trophy costume I made in October for El Gar. It is my highest profile commission to date and I'm really proud of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e5QQhqE248
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Feb 18, 2013 21:19
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I'm about to buy a sewing machine off of craigslist so I can try making some basic stuff and then eventually a backpack. Will any sewing machine sew canvas and thin leather?
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Feb 26, 2013 02:55
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Nope. How much money do you have to spend? You're actually better off with an older machine from a reputable brand than with a brand-new machine. A 10-year-old, 20-year-old top-of-the-line machine is going to be sturdier. Brands to watch for include Bernina, Elna, Brother. Avoid Singers newer than 1970 or so. Patternreview.com has really great sewing machine reviews, including older models. e: Here are some of the machines I'd buy on my local Craigslist, to give you an idea. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/atq/3581049214.html Singer Style-O-Matic. Early zigzag machine. Very difficult to break. You should be able to find a local repairman. At $95, a steal. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/3645242474.html 1950s Singer Featherweight, $100. An insane steal; these usually go for $400 and up. Will sew anything, forever. Lightweight enough to carry to classes. The catch: No zigzag. There's a zigzag attachment, but eeh. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/hsh/3626772599.html Quilter's Bernette, $80 I don't know anything about the Bernette 330, but Bernina is a reliable manufacturer. If you find something you like, post it here and we'll have opinions. Arsenic Lupin fucked around with this message at 18:54 on Feb 28, 2013 |
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Feb 28, 2013 18:42
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Hello sewing goons! I recently came into possession of a F+R Model 45 Mk 2, it was going to be thrown out after sitting in a church cupboard for god knows how long and it looked far too good to just skip so I rescued it. Now I know nothing about sewing machines, but I did a little research and it seems to be about 1970's and quite heavy duty (it weights a bloody ton!), boating the ability to go through 6 layers of denim (I have no idea if that's good or not). The whole things cast iron and I cant see any rust/wear on it, though I haven't opened it up yet. It SEEMS to be in working order except it has no power cable or foot pedal and the manual I found online doesn't tell me what kind of plug it uses, could anyone identify what plug it is? I've been told they are pretty universal, but I have no clue.   
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Mar 4, 2013 18:46
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Looks like you got quite the prize, hold onto it. You'll want to get it serviced so it can be cleaned out if its been sitting around that long. You can find a manual for it here: http://sewingonline.co.uk/library/FRISTER-ROSSMANN-45-MARKII.html Its 4.95 (british pounds). Possibly you can find it online, the actual maker name is Frister & Rossmann if you want to google about for it. Here is a site that claims to sell compatible plugs for the brand among other parts, I'd also check ebay.
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Mar 4, 2013 19:29
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Is it a gooden then? I was looking at the YDK plugs, but they only have 3 pins, while the machine has 4, I have no idea if there is a difference between solid and hollow or if they're compatable, looking at other plugs it seems like both would fit? Yeti Fiasco fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Mar 4, 2013 |
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Mar 4, 2013 20:05
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Just saw one selling for 90 pounds on some ebay site and its lauded as an all-iron workhorse, so yeah I'd say its a goodun. Call and ask, is my best guess, or find a similar machine on ebay and take a gander at/ask the seller to take a picture of the plug.
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Mar 4, 2013 20:11
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Well I got tired of stalking craigslist and thrift stores, plus I had some Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket. So I just went ahead and found the cleanest one on eBay I could find: Oh yeah. The world of decorative stitches and knit fabrics has now been opened up to me. Twin needle capability, even. Full box of stitch cams. I need to look up how to recalibrate the tension knob, I have to crank it to 8 to get a decent stitch but other than that it's in really nice shape. No paint chips, no missing parts, practically new condition. Though, for straight stitch purposes I'll probably be sticking with my Singer 99 - it's much quieter and operates so very smoothly. But this is going to be fun. Lots of fun. BTW, what's the purpose of the left-center-right needle positioning?
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Mar 5, 2013 01:50
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Stultus Maximus posted:
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Mar 5, 2013 03:39
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Stultus Maximus posted:Well I got tired of stalking craigslist and thrift stores, plus I had some Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket. So I just went ahead and found the cleanest one on eBay I could find: For a lot of decorator stitches, you want to be able to stitch on the edge of the fabric, so you want the needle far to the left or far to the right depending on which side the seam is on.
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Mar 5, 2013 06:27
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Stultus Maximus posted:BTW, what's the purpose of the left-center-right needle positioning? I almost always stitch left of center and end up using the right side of my presser foot as my seam allowance guide.
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Mar 5, 2013 15:42
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Google isn't helping me. Does anyone know if the needle tension knob on that 503A is fundamentally the same as on a 66 class? I have an exploded diagram for the 66 but I can't find one for the 503.
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Mar 9, 2013 06:09
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Stultus Maximus posted:Google isn't helping me. Does anyone know if the needle tension knob on that 503A is fundamentally the same as on a 66 class? I have an exploded diagram for the 66 but I can't find one for the 503. Yes It looks like it.
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Mar 9, 2013 06:27
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I've got a White Speedylock 1500 and I can't figure out how to disengage the blades. The manual is useless. I can see a screw, it looks like I can take the top blade off ... any ideas?
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Mar 13, 2013 01:04
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So, I've been potentially hired to sew a metric shitton of lycra for an art project. I'm not terribly familiar with stretch fabric, thought I've turned out a number of cotton jersey t-shirts using just straight and zigzag stitches on my old 60s-era workhorse just fine. The lycra stuff doesn't have to be precise, but I'm wondering if I should get a special needle or a walking foot or something, or some kind of magical spray, or if there are specific problems to look out for while working with lycra. Any advice?
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Mar 22, 2013 03:11
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Bean posted:I've got a White Speedylock 1500 and I can't figure out how to disengage the blades. The manual is useless. I can see a screw, it looks like I can take the top blade off ... any ideas? On my little guy, you could push it and rotate it up out of the way. Can you post a picture of the blade area?
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Mar 22, 2013 07:54
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I'm new to sewing and I have just started taking a class where I rent a Brother CS6000I machine. However, I do want to get my own machine in the near future. After talking to the sewing instructor, I was considering getting either the Brother CS6000I or the SINGER 7258. However, the first post in the thread made me reconsider. I guess I'm having trouble figuring out what sewing machine I would get, especially considering how I don't want to spend too much on my first machine. I would love to get a machine for free to start learning and figuring out what kind of sewing projects I would take on, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to get a free machine. My local Craig's List ads don't have anything for less than $50. At that point, I feel like I should just buy a new machine. I guess I can't figure out how to find a free machine and I don't know what would be considered a good amount to spend on your first machine, used or new.
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Mar 22, 2013 09:16
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I have a CS6000I and it works fine. I basically only use straight, triple straight, and zigzag though. It was a bridal shower gift from my mother to my wife several years ago, and sat unused for a while before I started messing around with it. It is fairly idiot proof and easy to use I think, which is good if you are just starting. (But then again you might get that with any halfway decent sewing machine.) I guess I am saying - I have one and it works just fine for my purposes, but it has tons of stitches I will never use and would not pay extra for if I were looking to buy a machine for myself.
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Mar 22, 2013 12:37
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If you want a free machine you should be looking at Freecycle, not Craigslist. Also, is your sewing class being taught by somebody who works for a sewing machine store? If so, the teacher is going to be recommending only the models sold by that store -- even if she isn't teaching at the store itself. Before answering "what should you spend?" we need to know what you are planning to sew. Quilting? Art? Stuffed toys? Home decor? Stretch fabrics? Woven fabrics? Embroidery? The answer to that is going to rule in some machines and rule out others. My personal bias is not to buy a new sewing machine. Sewing machines are like cars: they lose a lot of their value the instant you walk out the door. Furthermore, a maintained sewing machine by a good manufacturer will last forever. My pride and joy was made in 1945 and is running like a top. (To be fair, I own two machines, one modern and one Singer Featherweight.) Like car owners, many serious sewers will trade in their current machine regularly to get the top of the line. Five years' ago's top of the line will set you back a lot less than this year's middle of the line.
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Mar 22, 2013 17:46
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I just came into two professionally made costumes from the San Francisco Opera Company that were made for a show back in '89. They are made out of yards and yards of silk dupioni, silk velvet, and silk satin. I don't really want to take them apart to salvage the fabric because they are extremely well-made, and I don't have room to keep them. Do you think they would sell? Is this something that people might be interested in? Any ideas on a fair price? I ask in here because I figure sewing goons will know more about the value and possible sell-ability of such things compared to my "I bought most of my fabric in the early 2000s at the $1 a yard table" crap sewing experience. Is there somewhere else I might want to crosspost this? My apartment has terrible lighting, but if pictures might help, I can do my best.
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Mar 23, 2013 19:14
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They wouldn't sell for much; opera and theater companies sell off their used costumes all the time. The thing about a used opera costume is that it is made for a very specific body type (singers are barrel-chested). Historic reenactors won't be crazy about it unless it's period-accurate and fits. People who just want something for a party will rent. My guess would be less than $100 each, probably less than $50.
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Mar 23, 2013 19:41
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