Sewing machines for beginners

I want to learn how to sew Can anyone give me some advice or point me in the direction of a good machine for a beginner? What should i be looking for?

Ideally i want an affordable machine to get to grip with the basics, but i dont want to buy something too cheap and basic that i would have to replace if i got the hang of it.

Thankyou in advance for your help

<Lurking nosily.......>

sorry wouldnt advise getting a cheap one - theyre not up to doing multiple layers - i'd say £150 to £200

im quite happy with mine it was a very good price has a variety of functions such as overlock stitch etc (no pretty stitches)and can cope with making nappies as well as normal sewing, but now im sewing alot I will one day upgrade but this has been great to get back into sewing, or I would reccomend loaning one or getting second hand
it's a own brand machine from COOPERS,
will look for link and be back,

I'm going to get one soon too. I'm going to get a secondhand one off ebay rather than go for a new cheaper one I think. ems is the sewing machine expert, I'm sure she'll be along with a couple of links soon.

Great to see more members taking up sewing

I have a Toshiba, it was £130 new 13 years ago (although i only started using it last year ) and it's fantastic. I'd definitely agree that it's better to go for a reputable brand secondhand than a cheap new one.

I think ideally im looking to get a good a machine as i can for £120-150. I had wanted to get one this month but dh buggered up his sums so i had to help him out but come payday i will be on the lookout.

you should be ok with that budget for a good start up machine, I was able to test mine for 30 days without buying
it's deciding what you want to sew that helps i got mine to sew nappies etc but I prefer making clothes now so want one that I can do freehand embroidary with etc and a few pretty stitches and a seperate one for overlocking and nappies but thats just being greedy
but Ems is the lady who knows

I would look on ebay for those machines ppl buy.. or husbands buy for them and then they dont use them! Which that budget, you could get a very very good machine that could have been 4-600 new. My personal favouites with machines are bernina pfaff and husquvarna, not saying that no other brand is any good, they are just the ones I personally prefer the machines that I use day in day out are a 30 yr old pfaff, a 17 yr old pfaff, and a brand new bernina. My two pfaffs are lovely, they have been loyal friends the first one since I was nine. Nothing has ever gone wrong with them. Older and new machines, especially German and Swiss machines just seem to have been on the top of the machine leaderboard for years and years. New cheaper machines, well the gears are plastic, the motor wont be as strong, so not quite as much "punch" as a more expensive machine. Secondhand more expensive machines are like cars, as soon as you take them out of the shop they lose money. But, the cheaper the machine was in the first place the more it will lose. A more expensive machine, people know will last them, and the people that buy them look after them generally, better than the cheaper ones. You could get a 4-7 yr modern bernina for the budget your talking about, and it will last you a lifetime and may become your best buddy


I did have a thread going with good ebay finds( ie machines!)... in all budgets.. I'll go have a looky tonight and update it and put the link for it in here after the fluff hunt though!!!!!