Is this you? You're ready to learn to sew. You've got dreams of handmade garments which fit your body, and your style, beautifully. But one big question holds you up from starting...
How do I pick the right sewing machine for me?
The answer is...it depends! Everyone's ideal machine, or even which are available, may look a little bit different depending on skills, types of sewing, and location. So, rather than providing a single answer, come along for a guide on the "hows" and "whys" of choosing a trouble-free sewing machine that meets your needs as you begin (or continue!) your learn-to-sew journey.
What do I need in a sewing machine?
Most sewing projects can be accomplished with even the most basic of options - truly, you can make anything with options for a straight and zigzag stitch, without all the bells and whistles. That said, there are some different options that can make sewing easier, or achieve some different features and finishes depending on what you want to make.
Three factors to consider when choosing a sewing machine
When you search "how to choose a sewing machine for beginners" online, you'll find yourself bludgeoned with lists of brands and models and more - but to help you sort through the suggestions, here are some things to consider before buying a sewing machine.
1.) Features: Some of the biggest differences you'll find between brands or price tiers of machines are the types of features they include. Some will be geared more towards garment sewists, with seam finish options, specialised stretch stitches, or features to help you accomplish couture techniques with ease. Others will be geared more towards quilting, with large platforms, free-motion settings, and decorative stitches. Still others will focus on power and strength for heavy-duty projects.
If you have a specific type of sewing you'd like to learn, it can help to familiarise yourself with what sorts of features will be helpful to accomplish what you'd like to do. You can consider making lists of "must-haves" and "nice-to-haves" which help you focus in while reading listings + reviews. (Want to hear some of the features that our community members have found most helpful on their machines? Come join us in the T+T Treehouse and ask!)
2.) Price: The sewing machine shops won't tell you this, but most sewists don't actually need to pay top-dollar to enjoy their sewing experience. Sure, there are some really nice options out there, which may be faster, more durable, quieter, or more versatile for those who use their machines extensively. But for the typical home hobby sewist, these differences may not be worth the hefty price tag, especially at first. This is where your "must-have" feature list will be helpful, in sorting out how much you need to spend to get the things that are vital to you.
That said, I generally recommend not getting the lowest-priced option in whichever brand or type of machine you are looking at. Most often, these "cheap" machines will cause frustrations that can turn many early sewists off of sewing, no matter what brand they are - these new sewists assume that they are doing something wrong, when it's not their fault at all. If you are buying a machine new, I recommend choosing at least the second pricing tier, as this will often get you into the range of good, reliable machines while still managing costs.
There are also lots of ways to control costs even further, if economy is a necessity for you - secondhand machines can be found in op shops, estate sales, charity shops, and thrift stores, or on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. If you are not yet familiar with how sewing machines work, it can be helpful to take along a friend who is, so they can make sure that things seem to be in working order. (Many shops will even let you plug machines in and test them out.) Oftentimes, all they need is a little oil to have them humming like new! Many sewing machine shops will often offer used or refurbished machines at a lower price point, with the added benefit of having been serviced or including service plans. Which brings me to the next thing to consider...
3.) Support: How you buy your sewing machine will make a big difference in the amount of support you will have available for it, and can be a big factor to consider if you don't know anyone who sews. Sourcing machines from a dealer may offer you the option for service plans, warranties, or maintenance classes which can be invaluable as you learn the workings of a machine. Online ordering + secondhand sourcing won't offer this kind of support, and you can expect to need to learn these skills on your own or pay for servicing over time.
Even if buying a machine outside of a dealer, though, it may be worth calling around to see what types of service are available in your area - some machines require brand-specific certified technicians, and if there isn't anyone around you, you may find yourself with even higher service bills + shipping. Choosing a machine which can be serviced close to home can help prevent lost sewing time tremendously (as can learning some basic service skills yourself).
Interested in sewing projects with thick layers or quilting, like Wings or Leaf Blankets? You may want to opt for a machine that rates well as "heavy duty", or that has handy features like a "needle down" or auto-cut setting.
What types of sewing machines are there?
Here's a compare/contrast look at a few different classifications of machines - this is by no means exhaustive or exclusive, but will familiarise you with a few of the different options and their pros and cons.
Mechanical vs Computerised
Mechanical sewing machines are relatively basic in their function - they don't rely on circuit boards or computerised parts to achieve what they do. Most vintage machines fall into this category, before the advent of computers, though there are some modern machines that are mechanical as well. You won't see screens or shallow buttons to change stitches, but rather dials, levers, or cams to instruct the machine what to do. They can be both electronic or manual (such as treadle or hand-crank machines).
Pros: easy to learn, easy/inexpensive to service, often more reliable and more durable
Cons: often fewer of the "nice-to-have" modern features
Computerised sewing machines, by contrast, tend to be much more prevalent in the modern day, and have a lot of different functions which rely on a small computer inside the machine to work. They tend to be quite sleek and have more available options.
Pros: more customisable, versatile stitch options, helpful features like "needle-down" functions, more adjustability
Cons: more prone to parts failing, harder to service or repair at home, more expensive to service
Modern vs Vintage
In the sewing world, you'll find lots of makers will have very strong opinions about sewing machine age, both for the better and not. You can liken the difference to modern vs vintage cars - technology has changed!
Modern machines are those made in the last couple of decades - they will, of course, not have had as long to experience wear-and-tear as vintage machines, and will have a wider variety of fancy features included on them. They may be mechanical or computerised. Finding parts is generally not a problem because they are still being manufactured. It is during this time, though, that sewing machines became more of a hobby item, and so they often aren't built with quite the same quality. Plastic parts and finicky computer chips have largely replaced all-metal parts and simple machines.
Vintage machines, on the other hand, were created when a sewing machine was a home appliance, vital to nearly every household to keep family members clothed. As such, they were made with the quality (and price tag) you might expect for something more like an oven or refrigerator today. (As they often say...they just don't make them like they used to!) That quality, though, helps them stand the test of time beautifully, with many available at vintage resalers that still work like the day they were first bought. Their relative simplicity often makes it achievable to complete sewing machine service at home, with just online resources to guide you - but finding parts is becoming more and more challenging, and they don't have some of the features that modern-day sewists find themselves wishing for.
Interested in sewing lightweight fabrics like chiffons? You may like looking for features like a narrow throat plate, and the option for a rolled hem foot.
Sewing Machines vs Sergers/Overlockers, Coverstitch, and Embroidery Machines
Many beginning sewists see options like sergers/overlockers, coverstitchers, and embroidery machines, and think that sewing requires putting out the money and space for all these different things. The reality is, while they can be nice to have and achieve some really specialised functions, most home sewists do not truly need them. You can sew anything you want with a good, basic sewing machine - but there are very few things you can accomplish completely with only these other machines.
For those who are curious about them, though, here is a look at what these different machines can accomplish.
A "sewing machine" is the typical machine you have probably seen in your home or others for decades. They are named such because they were the original machines for sewing, designed to be able to both construct and finish garments in a variety of ways. While it may not achieve some specialised stitches, you can do nearly anything with any fabric on them, and they are vital to a sewing practice unless you intend to hand-sew the majority of your pieces. If you only buy one machine type - this is the one you need.
A serger/overlocker is a machine that uses 3-5 threads, and is intended mainly to finish the edge of a seam. It can be used to construct knit-fabric garments with a stretchy seam, but on woven materials, can be used only as a seam finish - you must still construct your item on a regular sewing machine. It also can't do any sort of topstitching or hemming.
An example of a serged/overlocked seam finish
A coverstitch machine is designed only for topstitching - it uses 4 threads to create a double-row topstitch that maintains its stretch, like you see in modern knit and active-wear. While a lovely finish, it can't be used for any garment construction, and so is quite limiting.
An embroidery machine is made specifically to create stitched designs on fabric with dense, colourful stitches, like you might expect to see on an embroidered work shirt or shop-bought patch. While useful for decorative motifs on items or limited finishing on small pieces, they don't tend to be useful for sewing construction.
(Of course, you know we love hand embroidery here at Twig + Tale too - no machine can quite match its charm and texture!)
There are also combination machines available, such as a serger/coverstitch combo, or a sewing machine/embroidery machine combo. While boasting two-in-one functionality, they often carry a hefty price tag, and many sewists find these machines tend to be a bit clunky to switch over, and often don't accomplish each of their intended functions as well as standalone machines. So, if considering something like this, you may want to try it out first, to see if it will be practical for your sewing practice.
Projects like dolls can be aided by machines that offer variable stitching speed and shortened stitch length, to help you navigate curves with ease.
Domestic vs Industrial
Domestic and industrial machines are created for different use cases - domestic machines are intended to be all-around successful, versatile, affordable machines for home use. As such, they are the ones you are most accustomed to seeing used by home sewists. Industrial machines, alternatively, are designed for the high-volume, high-speed work of factory or production sewists. They are often larger, incorporated into furniture, and have limited functions based on what they are designed to do. They are also much pricier. While you may occasionally see them secondhand for an attainable asking price, most machines you find will be domestic ones.
Wherever you are in growing your sewing skillset, we hope you have found this look at sewing machines informative and insightful. It can feel like a big decision picking out a first machine, or even upgrading to a new one, but rest assured that there are a tremendous number of high-quality machines available, for almost any budget, when you know what to look for. If you want more information about what sewing machines experienced makers like, or anything else as you learn to sew, come join us in the free T+T Treehouse community - we're always happy to chat!
