Here at Aurora Sewing Center, we hear it all when it comes to buying a new sewing machine. We came across this great article from Squiggly Twigs design about buying a new machine, and we thought it was great advice! Here is an excerpt from her article.

What so many of us have down in the basement..

“Where to I get a sewing machine?  What kind do I get?  Do I have to spend a lot?  Should I just get the $50 special at the super store?
First I’m going to address the super store question.  Honestly it’s the easiest.  No, No, No.  Do not buy an inexpensive machine from a chain store.  You can do better for the same or less money.  In all of the classes I’ve taught, these are the most problematic machines I’ve seen.  Not to say all of these machines cause problems, but many do.  Also…the higher end machines at the chain store can do a nice job…but I’m talking about spending a few hundred there, not the under $100 special.
Next.  Where do I get a machine?  The best answer, if you have $100 to spend. Is a dealer who will include free lessons.  You can get a nice and great working machine for $100 at a dealer.  The free lessons will be invaluable as you learn.  You should be able to negotiate the free lessons, if they are not already included.  The $100 dealer machine will be a simple mechanical (not computerized) machine.  It should do a zigzag stitch, have an adjustable stitch length, and have a reverse option (used to “knot” the ends of your seams).  This is all you “need” to sew basic things.
If you have an unlimited budget and have never sewn, the dealer is still a great place to go…free lessons.  Be careful that you don’t buy more machine than you can handle.  Don’t get overwhelmed with bells and whistles.  I’ve had my machine for 20 years.  It has a lot of stitches.  Most, I’ve never used.  Extras I like are the button hole stitches, a few small embroidery stitches, the triple zigzag, and the overcast stitch.  I paid a lot, but got a quality machine that has been a workhorse for 20 years.”

A great new option!

Check out her whole article here: http://squigglytwigs.blogspot.com/2011/03/tuesdays-tute-sewing-machineshow-what.html?spref=fb