Recommendation needed for sewing machine

[tuxedosam]

Hi all, I am thinking of making my first ever Latin dress this summer and thinking of buying a user friendly, modest size and reasonably priced sewing machine. I have no prior experience in using a sewing machine before. I know how to do some sewing but hand sewing. So I am pretty much a sewing machine dummy :raisebro:.

Can you some help and recommendations here! Thanks!

[Chris Stratton]

The first thing to do is put the word out to extended family & friends. There are a lot of sewing machines forgotten in attics. Some of these won't work at all, some won't work on stretch fabrics, but free is still worth the chance.

Then look at the recent thread that was talking about stretch fabric concerns.

If you want a tough test, go to the store with some scraps of lycra and get them to demo the machines on that.

Incidentally, tolerable sergers start at about $300, so they really aren't more expensive than decent basic sewing machines. Unfortunately there are a few things you can't easily do on them, and tend to put you in the "throw it away as a learning experience and start over" situation with projects a little bit more than with normal machines. On anything simple in stretch fabrics I work direclty on the serger, though I do elastics with a normal machine, and if I were trying something more complicated I'd probably use it more - sergers pretty much will stick seperate pieces of fabric together, if you can start off one end and sew to off the other. Stopping in the middle of something is tricky, and shaping darts that taper to nothing are effectively impossible - they have to become entirely seperate panels.

[Joe]

I would buy a sewing machine before I bought a serger. The latter is useful only once you have mastered beyond-basic sewing techniques.

[danceislove]

I am in the same boat as well. I posted before, but didn't really get any specific advice and then the thread was high jacked.... :(
Any brand recommendations or certain features to look for?

[Phoenix]

Tuxedosam, my recommendation would be to go to a reputable sewing machine dealer in your area. Brand matters less than having a machine you are comfortable with, and a dealer who will provide the support you need as a new sewer. Often, they will include lessons on how to use the machine as part of the deal. In addition, some of them teach beginning sewing.

If you go to www.sewing.org (http://www.sewing.org) and click on Sewing Educator, you may be able find an instructor in your area. The HSA website also has some great information on learning to sew.

There may also be an American Sewing Guild chapter in your area (www.asg.org (http://www.asg.org)). Contact the chapter president, explain your situation, and see if she has any recommendations. ASG members are generous with their time and advice, especially to new sewers. Who knows, you may find your own mentor.

I don't want to discourage you, but taking on a stretch knit dress as your first sewing project sounds like a big leap. However, if it doesn't work out, you have nothing to lose but a few yards of fabric and a couple of hours. Best wishes - let us know how it turns out!

[Chris Stratton]

I don't want to discourage you, but taking on a stretch knit dress as your first sewing project sounds like a big leap.

I don't know that I'd agree - sure, it's tricky, but the issues presented are also substantially different, and some things like fitting vs. wearing ease are a bit easier.

I often feel like sewing stretch knits is to sewing wovens what dancing latin is to dancing standard...