Sewing machines?

[flatbutt]

I would like to get a simple machine to use for sewing pant hems, mending tears and fun stuff like patches and appliques for the g'daughter.

Any recos? I do not need an industrial strength beast.

[island911]

singer featherweight

Built in the 50's these are purely mechanical (other than a tough motor) and last generations.

Also take up very little space.

[Scott Douglas]

I second that recommendation of the Singer Featherweight.
Look for them on the Goodwill Auction site.

Edit: Here you go...https://shopgoodwill.com/item/154423913
Edit #2: Newer models of the Featherweight go for considerably more money: https://shopgoodwill.com/item/154535225
Edit #3: Hmmm, here's one I could pickup since it's at the OC site: https://shopgoodwill.com/item/154361070
Edit #4: This is the site you want for parts etc for the Featherweight: https://singer-featherweight.com/

Another, more modern all mechanical machine would be a Pfaff Grand Quilter.

Either one won't be all that cheap, initially, but, it should last a life time.

[island911]

Or, go really basic.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by island911

Or, go really basic.

I think FB may not have as easy a time doing it that way due to issues with one hand/arm. But I may be wrong.

[Bill Douglas]

Singer and Bernina seem to have the home market fairly much sewn up.

GF bought a new Bernina and says it's fabby. So must be good. I have very kindly offered to buy her a special foot (?) for it so it can saw vinyl and leather. You know the sorta stuff they recover porsche seats in.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by masraum

I think FB may not have as easy a time doing it that way due to issues with one hand/arm. But I may be wrong.

Precisely. I'm rather tired of fighting with simple mending chores.

[island911]

I thought this machine was for the grand daughter.

If you are fixing stuff for her I expect she's old enough to start fixing her own stuff. (learn to sew)

edit: a stitching awl may be a good place to start.

[pksystems]

Check FB Marketplace or Kijiji .... etc... Mine was free.

[Steve Carlton]

My mom used to have a Husqvarna Viking. I thought that was pretty cool.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by island911

I thought this machine was for the grand daughter.

If you are fixing stuff for her I expect she's old enough to start fixing her own stuff. (learn to sew)

edit: a stitching awl may be a good place to start.

My bad, poor wording on my part. Sometimes I keep her so active that I need to repair stuff. She's only 6. Plus I have my stuff to repair as well.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

My mom used to have a Husqvarna Viking. I thought that was pretty cool.

Mine used to have a Singer. The sewing machine variety.

[Steve Carlton]

My mom drove a Plymouth Scamp. Red with a 318. Not too cool.

[Scott Douglas]

My mom had an old Singer that was in a wooden case. Then she got her Bernina.

My wife used to have a Husqvarna Viking. I think she had that after her Elna Airelectronic which I got her as a wedding present.

She still has her Featherweight, which used to be her grandmother's I think, I know it wasn't her mom's as her sister got that one.
She's sewn on a lot of different machines. Right now she has four main ones that she uses. Two computer controlled and two purely mechanical.

[mjohnson]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Singer and Bernina seem to have the home market fairly much sewn up.

GF bought a new Bernina and says it's fabby. So must be good. I have very kindly offered to buy her a special foot (?) for it so it can saw vinyl and leather. You know the sorta stuff they recover porsche seats in.

Wife bought a fully mechanical Bernina 1008 in 1999 - we could see the future coming as most of the "fancy" machines had floppy drives and computers. That 1008 is a future-proof beast! There's an electronic 1008 too but I'm sure the old-school ones are available used, and the "sewing repair/vacuum centers" (why always the two together ike pool tables and hot tubs?) give really good support. There's a "we'll support these until the sun dies" vibe, like Merc and Porsche used to be.

[Bill Douglas]

Sounds good.

GF's is a Bernina 325 which is the base model of the fancy ones. Does more fancy stiches than she needs. She's pleased with it.

[stevej37]

There are many different hand-held sewing machines available.

This is one from Singer.
https://www.amazon.com/SINGER-Stitch-Portable-Mending-Machine/dp/B003BS34FG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1423LZO4H7K6S&keywords=hand+held+sewing+device&qid=1667857778&sprefix=hand-held+sew%2Caps%2C266&sr=8-5

[wdfifteen]

This is from my wife, who has a Featherweight she uses every day, (plus a Bernina, an Elna, a Juki, a spare Featherweight, and a 12 foot Innova long arm quilting machine).
Singer Feather Weight will only do straight stitches on fairly thin fabric. Eighty year old Featherweights cost a lot because what they do, they do VERY well. But for your needs a new Singer Heavy Duty would cost less and do more along the lines of what you say you need. The prices are all over the map depending on features. A basic one that will do half a dozen different stitches is less than $200. You can get them at Walmart.
If you buy an old Featherweight you will have to have it tuned up at a minimum, so plan on paying $50 to $100 over the purchase price and finding a place that will tune it up.

[charlesbahn]

Pfaff, the Porsche of sewing machines (I like the older machines).

[sc_rufctr]

Try Facebook Market Place. Lots of really expensive sewing machines are bought with good intentions but then end up being stored in a cupboard unused for decades.

I've always been into sewing machines and I have what I would call a small but practical collection.

I repaired this one recently for a friend. "Janome Memory Craft 5700" - Even second hand these are serious $$$.





My most used Sewing Machine... "Juki DU-1181N" Stepper foot industrial and 100% mechanical.
(I built the table from scratch - The foot pedal is from a drum kit.)