When picking sewing machines for beginners, it can be difficult in understanding what to go looking for. As an amateur sewist, you would only need the fundamentals to start, but might like extra options in the event your interest continued and more complicated projects could be taken on.

Step One

The more cost effective light weight amateur sewing machines are fine for regular sewing like clothes and home goods. However, quilting needs a heavier machine due to the bulk and size. So, having some idea of what you want to use it for is the first step. Examples of basic sewing would be:

• Simple garments (vests, skirts)
• Household projects (pillow cases, curtains, cloth napkins)
• Craft projects (sachets, kindle or ipad cover)
• Gifts (all of the above)

Step Two

The second step is determining what your budget is. Even if you wanted a top notch machine like a Bernina (thousands of dollars), if your position does not make allowance for such cost you will need to look at other cheaper priced brands. The best news is that you do not have to lay out a lot for a good machine that can last for years with proper maintenance.

Step Three (The most important step)

The third step is to get online and start researching reviews on sewing machines for beginners. Sewing machine reviews are the best way to garner information on the pros and cons of a particular machine and whether or not it would be the right one for you.

Take your time with this as you want to make sure you are comfortable with what you are buying. There is nothing worse than getting the wrong thing and having to send it back. Brother and Singer have excellent sewing machines for beginners and these are the suggested brands to start out with.

If you have your selection narrowed down to a couple of machines and can’t decide which one to choose - go for appearance. If one machine looks snazzier than the other, then pick that one. It will make you happier in the long run and you’ll probably enjoy working with it more.

Upgrade Later

In other words, don’t over-buy. Most sewing machines for beginners have enough options to satisfy the casual hobbyist and you may never need anything more than that.

However, if your interest does develop into other areas such as machine embroidery or creating large quilts, then an upgrade to a more sophisticated machine would be appropriate. Use the same 3 steps suggested in this article to locate a sewing machine that will accommodate your new interest.