Sewing Machines-- New and Old
Sunday December 28, 2008
Many people receive sewing machines as a holiday gift... or money to pick out and buy a sewing machine. No one wants to wait for lessons. Everyone wants to dive in and sew. My first suggestion is to take the time to read the manual... and try everything with the manual before you actually start to sew a project. Then dive in! Make simple projects to get comfortable with the machine and build up your self confidence.
Comments
I agree with reading the sewing machine manual. In addition, if lessons are given with the purchase of the machine, one definitely should attend and learn all that is possible regarding the use of the machine.
I know that Bernina offers an excellent series of lessons with their machines. It amazes me to hear dealers say some customers never take the lessons of other brands as well. Why would one spend so much money and refuse to take complimentary lessons?
Even more amazing to me are the Bernina dealers who don’t offer all of the lessons that are available by the company. Money is spent developing these lessons, yet dealers choose not to spend the time or money having them presented to customers!
For many years, I have purchased machines from a dealer who gives all of the lessons available as they believe in educating their customers. I as well as other customers have driven as long as two hours one way to take these lessons because we feel they are valuable when spending a few or several thousand dollars for a sewing/embroidery machine. No matter how many lessons, there is always something to learn regarding a new machine.
Unfortunately, some customers do not want to take the time, yet they will ask questions on the Internet that would have been answered within the lessons given on the machine. Or to save money, they purchase from other than a reputable dealer and have no way of learning the use of the machine! I have found that a reputable dealer is worth a great deal when making such a purchase.
A relative purchased a sewing/embroidery machine from a store that didn’t give any lessons. Apparently, she didn’t think she needed any lessons as she had worked on Industrial embroidery machines. I asked her how she was enjoying her machine embroidery? She wasn’t as she didn’t know how to use the machine and no dealer to help her. The machine for the home operated differently from the Industrial machine! What a waste of money!
By all means, take those lessons!
Hi Jackie,
I am one of those people who bought a wonderful and expensive machine from a reputable dealer and didn’t take the lessons offered. I work about 70 hours a week and the lessons don’t fit in with my schedule. It’s still a great machine and I still enjoy discovering all the amazing things it can do. If my circumstances were different, I’d have taken the lessons.
Like Elizabeth, taking the classes wasn’t an option for me due to time constraints. I ended up giving the machine to a friend who did have the time.
I’m kicking myself now, of course, I wish those classes were online!
I’m not able to buy another machine like it now, so my little Wal-Mart Singer and I are muddling along, and I do hand embroidery when I want something special.
I was forever loosing my sewing machine manual and wasting a lot of time trying to find it. Finally, I made copies and put them in a caddy next to the machine. I scanned the manual to my computer as well. I keep the original manual in the bookcase with all my other sewing books. This has helped me to save lots of time and aggravation.
Reading the manual is tedious (mine is very poorly laid out) but essential. I’ve read it through several times and then had to return to specific sections as needed.
Scanning it to the computer is a great idea. Thanks for reminding me. It’s not always possible to order extra copies or to find them online.
It’s great to take lessons if you have the time. Not everyone does. Thank heavens for the web.
I agree that exercising your option to take the classes is very invaluable. Unfortunately, the dealer I purchased my machine from moved to another state so I was left clueless the first few months but reading the manual and joining on-line groups helped alot.
I NEED A PART FOR WHITE SEWING MACHINE MODEL 935 SERIAL NO.07831 NEED A FEED DOG.
For Ralph…
White Sewing machine information can be found at http://www.whitesewing.com/ You can also go to any local sewing machine dealer… most will be able to get parts for any machine.