This was a dilemma we faced recently when we had to decide which new machines we would have in our studio as the current ones were going to be discontinued.

With hundreds of machines out there to buy where do you start when choosing the one that’s right for you? After all not only can it be an expensive investment, but it’s something that will offer you hours and hours of sewing pleasure. But if it’s not right for you it could end up being an expensive mistake that just sits in the cupboard.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

What level of sewing do you do?
Are you a complete beginner, looking to improve your technical skills and sewing projects? Or maybe you have been sewing for ages and now want to treat yourself to something superduper with all the bells and lights and more embroidery stitches than you can count!

What do you want to sew?
Are you just looking for an all round machine that can cope with a bit of dressmaking soft furnishings and maybe some decorative stitches? Will you be mainly making curtains or soft furnishings with a few alterations thrown in. Or are you more of a quilter that needs a large throat on a machine for bigger quilting projects?

There will be a lot of crossover here as many machines do similar stuff allowing you to both quilt and dressmake for example. But it is worth considering what YOU will want a machine to do for YOU.

Where do you want to sew?
If you have a sewing space at home and you don’t need to pack your machine away every time you use it then it doesn’t necessarily matter how heavy your machine is. On the other hand if you are going to a regular sewing group or you need to pack your machine away frequently you may want to consider a lighter weight machine that you can mange more easily.

What to look for…

ABSOLUTE BEGINNER LEVEL (£50- £200)
Start simple! But go for the best you can afford. (If you decide you really don’t like sewing – unlikely I know – but then your machine will have a better resale value if you decide to get rid of it). Buying a cheap and cheerful machine can seem like a good idea at the time but could be a false economy if you really get into sewing. You could also look at getting a reconditioned one that has been serviced by a professional. If you are very new to sewing or will only use it occasionally then we suggest a basic electric machine that does the following:

• Basic range of stitches – stright, zigzag and buttonhole
• Top-loading (less chance of threads getting tangled)
• Foot pedal for sewing at your own pace

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (£250- £800)
Once you’ve got the hang of this sewing thing and you know what it is that you love to sew it’s time to get a bit fancier with your machine. A computerised machine may look scary but it actually far easier to use. One thing that I really looked for when choosing a new machine after using one at my sewing class was whether it had a needle up/ down button (a machine that has an up/down needle feature means that when you stop the machine the needle stays up or stays down in the fabric- you can determine which position it stays in and makes pivoting around corners quicker). We suggest a machine that does the following:

• Wider range of stitches – including an overlocker stitch to neaten raw edges and a stretch stitch for knit fabrics
• Wider range of machine feet including automatic buttonhole foot, blind hem foot, free motion embroidery foot (also called a darning foot) and a stitch in the ditch
• Extra accessories like an extension table as this gives you more flat space to sew on and a presser foot knee lift to leave your hands free.
• Wider range of features like the needle up/down button, the auto lock button, the auto thread cutter button and being able to lower the feed dogs

ADVANCED LEVEL (£800 plus)
If you sew often and are serious about it you will want a machine that has all the tricks. Depending on what you are sewing we suggest a machine that does the following:

• Stronger motor that will allow you to sew heavier and thicker layers of fabrics. But this is likely to be heavier machine.
• Semi industrial machine if you are using your sewing machine for business. But these do not tend to have many, if any decorative stitches.
• Specialist embroidery machine which has pre-programmed patterns

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

The best thing to do when you want to buy a machine is go and test them out. Department and specialist stores will expect you to want to have a fiddle to see if a machine is right for you. Also visiting large scale events such as the Sewing for Pleasure Show at the NEC in March or the Knitting & Stitching Shows at Olympia, Alexandra Palace and Harrogate will mean you can chat through with all the major brand names and find out exactly what their machines can offer you.

Happy Sewing Machine shopping!