ALL ABOUT SEWING MACHINES by Elissa

The most important thing to realize about a sewing machine is that it is the only appliance that you will own that has gears and timing just like a motorcycle. When I attended the major exhibit in the Guggenheim museum called "The Art Of The Motorcycle," I saw this quote written next to an old classic BMW: "This finely tuned motorcycle has the fine tuning of a good sewing machine."

When it comes to sewing machines many people are extremely brand loyal. If your mother had a Singer sewing machine you want one too. If your mom sewed on a Bernina, Elna, Sears Kennmore or Pfaff you figure that is the brand to buy. However, in today's world of sewing machines, being brand loyal is not always the way to go. It no longer is the guarantee of a quality product.

What it sews down to, is some models in a brand can be either really well made or just made with features to tempt you but not actually be a finely tuned machine. What really is important is which factory the machine was made in, whether the machine's design is engineered for all types of sewing, and whether or not quality control is part of making the machine. In today's world it does not matter where the factory is --- just whether the factory produces a good product or not.

All sewing machines have bobbin thread and a top thread, this enables the machine to sew a basic stitch called a "lock" stitch. Once you get into a price range of approx. $500. and up you get a machine with a very good bobbin system called a "Rotary Hook". In layman's terms, this means a machine that will not jam up and which will sew a better stitch formation. Any machine that you buy for less than $500. will probably have an "Oscillating Hook" and might jam more easily. Gone are the days of "Swiss Engineering".

All of the sewing machines that we sell have parts that are called "Generic"--- these parts can be ordered from the brand manufacturer or from one of the many distributors that carry machine parts. It is still possible to sometimes get parts for sewing machines that are 25 years old! Our repair man or any sewing machine repair person knows the distributors that carry the parts for all sewing machines. Remember: a sewing machine is the only appliance you will have that will last longer than any other appliance you ever owned --- provided you treat it properly.

Today's machines do not need to be oiled and definitely not nearly as much as your mother's machine did. But here are some maintenance tips:

1) Try changing your needle every once in a while. Sewing machine needles get dull after one or two projects.

2) If the machine is not sewing properly first check to see if you have threaded it properly. Check to see if your bobbin is in properly, Check to see if your bobbin wind is not still on. Check to make sure the presser foot lever is down when you start to sew.

We at Sew Fast Sew Easy are loyal to the best models at the best price points for our customers and students. We do a lot of research and look into what models are made well for each price point.

We don't recommend buying an old used sewing machine since the new ones are just a little more in price, light weight, and much more user-friendly. So check out our machines online in our store. We ship anywhere! If you're in the NYC area, come by SFSE® to buy a machine.

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Art direction by Elissa K. Pattern packaging and video production by Dominic Harris.