Frequently I get questions from customers and others about sewing machines. Here are some of the top questions and answers.
Question 1: How do you define a sewing machine?
Since the first sewing machine was patented in 1846, it has essentially been a mechanical appliance used to connect materials together using needle and thread. Today, we think of the sewing machine largely as an appliance to join fabrics.
Q2: What are the typical types of sewing machines today?
While many people think of sewing machines only in terms of their standard home sewing machine, there are hundreds of sewing machines intended for specific applications at home and in factories. Since sewing machine are either used in a home or factory setting we might say there are two broad kinds: Home and Commercial or Home and Industrial.
At home you will find the typical home sewing machine, a serger, an embroidery machine, an embellishing machine, quilting machines, a blind hemming machine, and sometimes a light industrial straight stitch or zig zag machine.
In industry, you will find much more rugged and faster sewing specialty machines often used for a single application. Here you can find walking foot machines, blind stitch machines, upholstery machines, leather machines, button machines, machines to make shoes, saddles, sails, and more.
Question Three: What different categories of home sewing machines are there?
When you think of the standard home sewing machines, you might think they are all pretty much alike. Wrong.
There are Mechanical sewing machines; Electronic sewing machines; And Computerized sewing machines.
Mechanicals use gears and levers driven by an AC motor.
Electronics use electronics to control the power and selection of stitches.
Computerized sewing machines use pulse motors, and advanced computer circuits to supply the user unrivaled control, convenience, and dependability.
A mechanical sewing machine is limited to a hand full of stitches and suffers from power issues including an annoying motor hum.
Computerized machines offer hundreds of stitches and loads of convenience features.
Question Four: Why do sewing machines span so much in price tag?
Prices vary greatly depending on the quality and features of the machines.
Under three hundred dollars, you usually have a rough operating, mechanical sewing machine, with very limited stitches and features.
At about $500, you can find a good solid machine with about 20 stitches.
Around a thousand, you get good quality, good features, good computer control, and dependability.
Over a thousand you find fully computerized sewing machine with hundreds of stitches, advanced convenience features, and built in embroidery.
Question 5: Why do you need a sewing machine?
The modern creativity machine is known as a sewing machine. This device opens up endless possibilities for turning inspiration into reality.
You can make your own fashions; embellish and embroider; decorate your home, make wall hangings and quilts; perform great crafts; literally transform your world. The sewing machine empowers you in ways no other device ever could.
Q6: How do you choose the best sewing machine for you?
When you think about getting a new home sewing machine, it is fundamental to explore your possibilities. What kind of projects would you like to do? What convenience features and machine capabilities do you want? How much can you afford?
Two things are important to keep in mind: One, go for quality and save yourself frustration. Two, make sure the machine will do what you want it to do.
Question Seven: What is the difference between a regular sewing machine, a serger, and an embroidery machine?
For general sewing you need your home sewing machine. For increased speed and improved quality, the home serger is a must. It overcasts the edge of the fabric, sews a seam, and trims the fabric all at one time at twice the speed of your home sewing machine. Beautiful pre-programmed designs can also be sewn if you have a home embroidery machine.
Question Eight: Where is the best place to get a sewing machine?
While you can buy sewing machines over the internet and in department stores, these merchants offer no support, instruction, or service. You may not need these with a simple microwave oven, but to get the most from your sewing machine, you need all three: support, instruction, and service.
Better quality sewing machines are only sold through authorized sewing machine dealers.
When you purchase a machine from one of these dealers, you receive much more than a machine in a box. You get expert advice and assistance. You get professional repair and maintenance service. And you get very helpful sewing machine instruction. To get the most from your sewing machine investment, find your trusted local sewing machine dealer.
Question 9: Where can I get my sewing machine fixed when needed.
With about ninety million sewing machines in America alone you can imaging how much demand there is for sewing machine repair. It is huge. Unfortunately, the average Joe is not a good bet to entrust your expensive sewing machine. You need a well trained sewing machine repair technician. You can find a capable technician through the yellow pages under sewing machine repair, through your local quilt guild, or by talking to other sewers.
Question 10: How can I learn to repair sewing machines myself?
You can buy a $60,000 sewing machine dealership and get trained on that current line of sewing machines. Or you can check out all of great resources and ecourses available at www.FixSewingMachines.com. Yes, Dr. Trumble will teach you the secrets of sewing machine repair through his extensive sewing machine manuals and training videos.
Find out more about sewing machine repair with Dr. David Trumble's complete Sewing Machine Manuals. Check out his free beginner's course.
