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You have finally come to the conclusion that you need or want a sewing machine. Now, what is on the market and how do you make the right decision?
There are many brands of machines out there and everyone boasts different features. Some machines appeal to quilters, others want you to embroider everything including the toilet seat and the shower curtain. Searching for the right machine is going to take some time.
Shopping for a new machine can make your head spin. The girls on my boards discuss which machine is best every time someone needs a new one. We all know the name brands but I am not going to suggest one, that decision is yours. It's a personal one and an important one. I will, however give you a few basic questions you should ask yourself.
1. What type of sewing do you plan to do?
- clothing
- crafts
- repairs and alterations
- home decorating
2. Where will you sew?
- sewing room
- kitchen table
- integrated into other family living area
3. How will your machine be stored?
- in its own cabinet
- in a closet hiding behind the coats
- leave it out to sew every spare moment
4. Consider your budget and buying habits? How long will you keep this machine?
- 6 months
- a few years
- forever and a day
When you answer these questions, you are on your way to making the right decision. Obviously if you are going to sew from the kitchen table, you don't want a machine with lots of accessories or add-ons that will take up too much room. If you are doing repairs and alterations, you don't want a machine that duplicates the quilting stitch. If you have small children around, your machine needs to be tucked away safely. Just a few things to think about.
Research is the name of the game here. Check out the latest consumer reports. Visit the forum discussions on sew-whats-new.com and see what the girls are using. They will gladly tell you what works and what doesn't. Another source is the well known sewing magazines. Sew News and Threads do comparison studies all the time.
If you are lucky enough to have local dealers, pay them all a visit. Test drive all their machines and ask lots and lots of questions. Take fabric with you that you use and test out things like stitch length, reverse and some of the different presser feet. Find out about lessons. Lots of dealers will give you a few free lessons to get you acquainted with your machine. Above all, take your time. I cannot stress this enough. Don't let anyone rush you thru the process. Leave the kids at home so you have no distractions. While you are in the shop asking questions, you can see how the staff relate to customers and if they have the answers to all your questions. If they seem impatient or brusque, imagine how they might be after the sale. If they are not helpful now at the prospect of a sale, they probably won't be later if you need help.
On the other hand, a strong sales pitch can also steer you in the wrong direction. Paying for a top of the line model doesn't mean you are getting the machine you will be happiest with. You must resist the urge for that impulse buy. Go home and talk to someone who sews. Find out their experiences and listen to what they have to say. Again, take your time with this decision.
If you have visited all the dealers, and test driven their machines visit them all again. Visit again when you are rested and can make a clear decision. Go back and take a second look at those machines. You are looking at them with new eyes now. Maybe there are a few things you never noticed the first time that stand out now. What about that foot pedal, is it comfortable? Do you want the even feed feature? Does the machine run smoothly and quietly? Are there more programmes than you will ever use? If so, make a mental note and you can scale down your possible choices. This second visit will tell you more than you expect.
Ask about the warranty that comes with each machine. Be sure you know who is responsible for standing behind it, your dealer or the manufacturer. Are repairs made locally or will you have to pack everything up and send it away.
Be very sure you understand what is included with the sewing machine. Which feet, how many bobbins and what about a manual. The manual is very important. You will refer to the manual time after time so it should be a good reference guide to all the accessories and stitch designs along with any other functions. The manual should be full of pictures and diagrams for the basic sewing as well as clear directions. If your manual isn't helpful, do you want to go searching out the answers every time you have a problem. I wish I had a penny for every time someone has emailed me with a problem that their manual doesn't answer.
Be sure you get your sales agreement in writing and keep your copy in a safe place. Nothing less will do.
The bottom line is you m ...
Author: Mary Wilkins
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Timely help for free quilting patterns
About Quilting The Antique Tile quilt block pattern is an easy block to cut and sew, with patch edges that are all cut on the fabric's straight grain. The instructions show you how to strip piece two of the units, but include cutting specs for those of you who prefer to make the block one piece at a time. Antique Tile Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Saturday, May 19th, 2012 at 21:20:26. Permalink | Comment | Email this Album Star Quilt Block Pattern Album Star was one of the patchwork quilt blocks used in the Scrap Happy Sampler quilt. I love the many possibilities this design offers for color placement, and more importantly, color value variations. I've included a 'blank' schematic of the block on page 3 of the pattern, so if you aren't sure which colors and values you'll like best, print it out and play around with the layout. You might even end up making an entire batch of these blocks. Album Star Quilt Block Pattern Album Star Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 06:00:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this Picnic Time Quilt Block Pattern Picnic Time is based on a traditional quilt block that's very pretty, but has lots of set-in seams that make it more suitable for hand piecing than for assembly with rotary cutting techniques. I divided a couple of the original block's patchwork areas to make this new version a cinch to sew. You can dramatically change the looks of this quilt block by altering color value within its patches. It's a good choice for a scrap quilt, but works as well when all blocks are identical. If you don't want to make a large quilt, try using Picnic Time to sew a table runner and sew them in pairs to create placemats. The block finishes at 14" x 14". Picnic Time Quilt Block Pattern Janet Wickell Picnic Time Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 07:30:38. Permalink | Comment | Email this Patchwork Table Runner Pattern This colorful table runner is made from four 10" square blocks placed on point and surrounded by setting and corner triangles. Two borders finish the layout, one cut from narrow green strips and the other from wider pieces of a floral -- both areas repeat fabrics used in the quilt blocks. The runner finishes at about 22-1/2" x 65", but you can easily change its length or width. The table runner shown was designed with a Christmas theme -- just choose different fabrics to change its appearance. © Janet Wickell Patchwork Table Runner Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 at 06:00:36. Permalink | Comment | Email this Flying Dutchman Quilt Block with No-Waste Flying Geese Make the Flying Dutchman quilt block with any combination of fabrics you desire. Try holiday prints, and sew a group of four or six blocks to make a wallhanging. Or sew a string of them together to create a quick table runner. We'll use a simple no-waste Flying Geese method to construct the block. Flying Dutchman Quilt Block with No-Waste Flying Geese originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 08:48:46. Permalink | Comment | Email this Which Way Do We Go? a Strippy Set Quilt Pattern I designed this quilt to work with a brightly colored Alexander Henry border print that was passed along to me after the death of my sister, Carol. It took me awhile to decide how to use the print, but this strippy-set quilt seemed to do the trick -- and it's a quilt that most everyone has enjoyed. Read through the pattern a few times before you begin making the quilt, just to make sure you understand the steps, and assemble a few of the Winged Square blocks before you make the units for all of them -- in case you need to make sewing adjustments... Which Way Do We Go? pattern PS - If you like the Winged Square blocks used in the quilt, be sure to take a look at one of my Table Runner patterns. It's made with a larger version of the same block. Photo © Janet Wickell Which Way Do We Go? a Strippy Set Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 05:00:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this Missouri Puzzle Quilt Pattern I'm from Missouri, so I wanted to write a pattern that shows off one of the blocks named to commemorate the state. The Missouri Puzzle quilt is square, with sashing and cornerstones between blocks. The blocks finish at 11-1/4" square and the quilt itself is about 66" x 66". Change the layout to suit your needs by making more quilt blocks or turning the layout into a rectangle. Or how about putting four blocks together for a matching throw pillow cover? Missouri Puzzle Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 at 07:46:25. Permalink | Comment | Email this Twinkling Star Quilt Block Pattern The Twinkling Star quilt block finishes at 12-inches square. There are lots and lots of little half square triangle units in the design -- just take it slowly and follow my advice on assembling them oversize and then cutting back to the exact dimensions. The little units provide the perfect opportunity to use your smaller leftover pieces of fabric (and for going super scrappy with this quilt block). The block was one of twelve used in the Scrap Happy Sampler quilt. Twinkling Star Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 05:00:58. Permalink | Comment | Email this Watercolor Quilt Pattern The three kitty cats in this quilt are peering through watercolor-style floral windows, and you can bet they're keeping an eye on the butterflies flying around the garden. This quilt pattern has been a popular pattern with readers, and although it does have set-in seams at the mitered frames, it is not difficult to assemble. If you're not a feline fan, place something else on the windowsills. Photo © Janet Wickell Watercolor Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 05:00:04. Permalink | Comment | Email this Floral Snowballs Quilt Pattern Spring has definitely arrived in our part of the United States, even though a brief cold snap made it feel like winter had returned. Flowers are in bloom here, and stitching a batch of these 6" Snowball quilt blocks filled with a scrappy assortment of floral fabrics are a nice way to bring the blooms inside. Janet Wickell Floral Snowballs Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 09:45:15. Permalink | Comment | Email this Newsfeed display by CaRP |
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