Sainsbury's buying guide to sewing machines

Home sewing is a great way to save money and be sure that all your clothes are precisely the style and fabric you really want. It also allows you to embellish drab but comfortable or well cut outfits, repair or alter old favourites and make all manner of textiles for your home.
So how can you be sure you’re buying the right machine? A sewing machine can be a costly investment, and with the wide range of machines available, you need to be certain you’re buying one that suits all your needs.

What kind of sewing machine do I need?

The kind of sewing machine you decide to buy will depend mostly on a) your level of sewing expertise and b) your individual needs. If you’re just a beginner, you don’t need the most sophisticated gadget on the market, but rather a simple to use machine with enough basic functions to meet your requirements. If you’re a more advanced sewing aficionado, you’ll want something with a greater range of specialised features.

The three main types of sewing machines available on the market today are electronic, computerised and overlockers.

Electronic Sewing Machines

Electronic machines uses a foot pedal to work the needle, control the sewing speed and  feeding mechanism simultaneously, leaving your hands free for guiding the fabric. You can select your stitch length and type using a dial on the control panel.

Electronic machines are by far the most popular for home sewing because of their simplicity and the wide range of functions and stitches available. They tend to have time saving features as well, like single step buttonholing, drop feed and automatic threaders.

Computerised Sewing Machines

Computerised machines are for you if you’re more experienced at sewing and on the lookout for a more versatile machine. These use a number of motors to drive the various functions of the machine (as opposed to the electronic machine’s single motor that drives just the sewing mechanism).

Computerised machines

Extra functions make literally hundreds of different stitch types available, and some can download online patterns if connected to a PC. Some models have a memory function so that you can save previous projects and recall them for future use.

These models generally have a keypad for selecting stitch types and other functions, and an LCD screen.

Overlockers

Overlockers, or sergers, are finishing machines for professional looking hems and seams to prevent fraying – great for jobs like curtaining and taking up hems. Some have decorative stitching options as well. Overlockers use loopers for sewing stitches, unlike conventional sewing machines, and have a set of knives that trim as you sew.

These machines lack the versatility of a sewing machine – they can’t tackle jobs like buttonholes or zips, for which you will still need a standard sewing machine – but for simple jobs they are very useful, able to sew a seam, finish the edge and trim the fabric in a single step.

How many built-in stitches do I need?

This depends entirely on your needs and level of expertise. A standard sewing machine will offer straight stitches (like lockstitch and chainstitch), stretch stitches, zigzag and hem stitches. If you’re a beginner, or just want to do basic home sewing, like dressmaking, home furnishings, repairs and alterations, then this is all you’ll need most of the time. These stitches are sufficient for most basic sewing, including zips and buttonholes.
For more involved work, like quilting, embroidery and upholstery, you’ll need a greater range of stitches which are found on more sophisticated machines.

What about buttonholes?

Electronic sewing machines generally offer one step or four step buttonholes. One step buttonholes are simpler, since the machine is programmed to switch between stitches and manipulate the fabric itself. Four step buttonholes will take longer, because you’ll need to stop between steps to move the dial.
Computerised sewing machines usually have an automatic buttonhole function and can often be programmed using sample buttons to create identical buttonhole memory.

What other factors should I consider?

How frequently will you use the machine? If you don’t plan on using the machine very often, you probably won’t need a great variety of stitches. How much storage do you need? On board storage can be very useful and a number of machines offer storage space underneath for accessories and haberdashery.
Do you have a dedicated sewing area or will you need to pack the machine away after each use? A lightweight machine is a good idea if space is at a premium – you don’t want to be lifting a heavy machine all the time.

Glossary

Don’t be put off by the jargon associated with sewing – it’s all much simpler than it seems!

Bobbin: Sewing machines use two threads to form stitches. One thread is fed from the bobbin, the spool that holds the thread and sits beneath the needle plate; the other is fed from above via the needle. The two threads loop together to form stitches.

Built in needle threader:  As the name suggests, the threader uses a small hook behind the needle which feeds the thread through the eye of the needle. This feature is especially useful if you have less than perfect vision and find it hard to thread a needle.

Drop feed: Drop feed means simply that the feed dogs (see below) can be positioned, for automatic feed, or down, for free stitching. When the dogs are positioned up, they will feed the fabric through the machine in a straight line (for straight stitching or hemming), but down they release the fabric, allowing you to move it freely in any direction – for free stitching such as embroidery or appliqué.

Feed dog: The feed dogs are serrated teeth built into the machine that work alongside the needle, grabbing the fabric and feeding it through the machine against the presser foot as the needle stitches. Also see drop feed.

Free arm: A free arm is a common sewing machine Part, consisting of a cylinder on the bed of the machine that can convert the bed for sewing tricky items like sleeves or trouser hems.

Knee lifter: A knee lifter is a hands free lever that lifts the presser foot and drops the feed dogs. As the name suggests, it’s operated with your knee so you don’t have to let go of delicate work like quilting or appliqué.

Presser foot: The presser foot is the structure on either side of the needle that holds the fabric against the feed dog while you sew.

Stitch selector: The stitch selector allows you to choose your stitch type and length. On simpler machines, this is done by turning a dial, while computerised machines have buttons or touch pads to control stitches.