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[jlkz]

Didn't inherit the sewing gene that my mom had.  She even sent me to Singer's for a sewing class where you made one dress for a project. I was 16 and of course, the pattern I chose was complicated...dropped waist with a contrasting fabric with perky bow.  After  hearing my scary vocabulary while working on the dress, she decided no more sewing for me.

Just this week I finished converting a king size set of pillow shams to fit my very small bed pillows.  Yes, I must have really liked the shams because I did it all BY HAND.  me and machines just don't mix.  ( It took quite a while to figure out exactly where and how to pin the silky fabric and how to fold it so the finished product would be close to perfect .)

[151949]

When we moved to Florida my DH sold my 50 year old Kenmore machine that went forward and backward and zig zagged only. He got a whopping $5 for it. I now have a 25 year old Singer 20 stitch that I love. She and I have a relationship! No one else can sew on her but me , however she operates perfectly for me. She's just testy with strangers. I think Singers are fine machines. I also have a White serger.

[CelticCrafter]

@151949 I had a neighbor get really, really ticked off at me when I told her no, she may not borrow my machine for some project she wanted to work on!  

[Hooty]

I took Home Ec. in the 8th grade, but only really learned the basics of sewing, but one summer my Grandmother taught me to sew on a basic back & forth & zig zag portable sewing machine, I believe it was a White, it was in the 60's!  A few years later I bought me a Singer cabinet style and for much of the early 70's made most of my clothing!  I am a big fan of the Singer machine!  As for JoAnn's, I think they give sewing lessons as well with the machine purchases!

[wildcat fan]

I got my first sewing machine about 15 years ago after seeing a newspaper ad from Big Lots.  They had a close-out lot from Singer.  These were made specifically for school home ec classrooms and came with an instructional video demonstrating how to perform various stitches.  I especially appreciated the segment about button holes.  😊 It's a simple and sturdy machine and a great one to have learned on.  

I would also like to see some more crafting shows on QVC.

[151949]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

@151949 I had a neighbor get really, really ticked off at me when I told her no, she may not borrow my machine for some project she wanted to work on!  

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I've loaned mine but it has quickly been returned as way too tempermental - I don't find that to be true but then I have had her for 25 years and , like I said, we have a relationship. Believe me - I have looked at new computerized machines but I can do all I want on my Singer, and she was a gift to me from my DH so I am emotionally bound to her too, I do enjoy a day just spent in my sewing room with the door closed, undisturbed. 

[151949]

@CelticCrafter Like you, if I were to buy a new machine it would most likely be a Brother.

[Ane1Care]

😊 Thank you all for the suggestions! I adore your stores. I settled on a Janome 2212. It seemed to have just what I need at the moment, and was on sale for the 4th. From what I understand, it's one of the best entry level machines out there that is inexpensive, right now. 

I do hope, and pray, I can find a knack for sewing. I don't plan to make everything, just some things here and there. I want to really invest in a good one eventually, so your suggestions are very valuable. A serger is my next venture, should this pan out. 

I took HE in middle school. Due to low funding, we mainly focused on keeping a house afloat, cooking, lanyard braiding, string art....you punched holes on a piece of card stock, numbered them on the back, , then followed a pattern, going from number to number. The result was just like string  art on wood with nails...., sewing was only for a week. Mainly stitching without string on lines drawn on a paper handout, but there was only one machine that wasn't threaded...she had two total I believe...so it took forever for a 15 kid class to get through. So, I decided to sit in the dark corner behind the machines and punch holess in my paper with a needle. I was, "hand stitching" 😂. 

My grand mother had a Singer cabinet style that used a cast iron foot peddle. I loved laying under it listening to the hummimg. No electricity, just foot power. She made many an outfit for me on it. 

[riley1]

@Ane1Care - Here's a tip to keep the "teeth" from pulling your fabrics in. Put a piece of scrap of fabric under the presser foot and start sewing on this, sew right onto your fabric (chain piece style) and you should not have the problem. The feed dogs pull the fabric through and they need something to grab onto. HTH 

[Ane1Care]

@riley1

Thanks, I'll try that!  I never thought to do it.