What kind of sewing machine should I buy?

dont ever go with singer, thats you worst choice besides mini machines that appear cute but are horrible, i bought one. i am in kinda the same problem, except i am in jr. high, i have been sewing for almost 2 years and i bought a singer for about 90$ at walmart, dont ever do that! my machines jams every time i use, i learned being the machine brand longest around doesnt mean a thing, ever! i knew i was going to upgrade in a couple years, so i bought a cheap one, if you plan on never upgrading, go with bernina, jarnamo, (spell erroe sry) pfaff,elna, i learned on a pfaff at my school, i loved it, never problems, except it doesnt offer many decorative stiches, dont go with brother unless you know someone who loves it , i mean loves it, those run on the cheap side. if you sew for a hobby like me, and you are short on time, forget about the money and buy a machine that wont waist your precious time. i am going to make my b day wish list soon for my parents, and i am looking at pfaff and bernina and elna, pfaff and elna are the two really nice ones, bernina is more for beginners and is really nice, the elna i looked up is kinda not appealing but i hear people luv them, i know i didnt anser your question, no one can, i no this because i have been asking forever, i dont know what machine to get either, i reccomend asking a sewing teacher, a dealer, a relative, friend, or keep doing what your doing, i would reccomend narrowing down the question to 3 machines and ask people what they think on yahoo answers, if you ask soon ill take a look, luv bb, i dont know about you other questions, except 1 step button hole and a make sure you get the type of bobbin setup you want i prefer the way when the boobin is standing, if you have no idea what i mean, talk to people and research.

If there were any must-haves in a machine, I would say it would be a one-step buttonholer (perfect even buttonholes withouth fuss), top drop-in bobbin (less tension and timing problems), and a DC motor (I am not mechanical but the serviceman in the store I work states it is stronger and lasts longer). As a sewer, the DC motor also means speed control on the machine so that you can put your foot flat on the floor, so to speak, and slow down the speed of the machine with a dial. With the choices that you have, Sears would probably be your easiest/best choice without travel. Your best bet would be a sewing machine shop, even if it means an annual or biannual trip to another center to get your machine serviced. Sears quality can be good but it depends on the year, so who is producing the machine for them that year, but they no longer have specialized service techs anymore. The guy who looks at your sewing machine may be the same guy who knows the most about lawnmowers. Bernina is great but can be expensive. Babylock has an excellent service record in our shop and is the one that we recommend the most to people who live far from us (Brother, which looks the same, has a poor record). Elna(Janome) machines, once you get into the top loading bobbins, are good, solid machines and can offer nice options, just like Babylock. The Viking Emerald 183 is a very good starter machine but the Sapphiere series is much better, with options to let you 'grow' into your machine.

http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm There is no "best", only machines that are good for different purposes with different users. The machines I'd point you at if you tell me you want to sew denim and boat canvas are different than the ones I'd point you at if you told me you also wanted to sew crepe de chine. If at all possible, I'd really send you to a sewing machine shop where you can try various machines and talk over pros and cons with a knowledgeable staff. If that's absolutely impossible, then Sears would be my choice, as they sell Janomes, which are probably about the best of the low end machines in my experience.

Walmart has Brother and Sears has Kenmore. I know Kenmore is a reliable machine and other posters on here have recommended Brother. I have a Bernina but they are very expensive. I inherited it from my mother. The only feature it doesn't have that I would like is a one-step buttonholer. The four-step works, but it is difficult to get them all a uniform size. Even if you think you won't need this feature, the time will come as you progress with sewing that you will want to have it. Here is a link to check out . You don't need to buy a machine that does more than you will use.