As someone who enjoys crafting, you will have probably thought about investing in a sewing machine to help you achieve greater results.
However, you may be wondering where to start or what exactly it is that you need to look for. It can be a little overwhelming, to begin with, as there are so many options.
Within this article, we will go over some great options for a sewing machine that can suit a crafters needs, along with what you should be looking out for when considering a machine to purchase.
If you are keen to expand your sewing knowledge then why not check out our complete guide to sewing?
Top 5 Sewing Machines for Crafters
5. Most Popular
4. Budget Option
3. Fan Favorite
2.Editor’s Choice
1. Must-Have Option
Buyer’s Guide: Sewing Machines for Crafters
How much will a sewing machine cost?
The price of a sewing machine can vary greatly depending on your needs and therefore what features you require from your machine.
Features such as additional features, computerization, or wider table can all affect the pricing of a product and so you should really consider what you need from your machine.
Most crafters will be looking at machines that are around $150-200 in price and for this, you will get a machine that is capable and can have some interesting features to help you in your crafting.
If you foresee yourself sewing very often then you might also want to consider spending a little extra to get a sewing machine with more features that will make the machine more appealing for long-term use.
What should crafters look for in a sewing machine?
There are quite a few things that crafters should take notice of if they want to get the most out of their sewing machine.
Many features that are offered by sewing machines could be of great use to crafters and help either speed up the process of crafting or provide the opportunity for greater detail or complexity within your crafting work.
What follows are a few features to consider when looking for your sewing machine and why these could prove useful to you.
Is stitch length important?
Stitch length can provide you with a few different things. For example, a greater length of the stitch to provide you with a different aesthetic as a greater the length of the stitch will display the stitch as more spread out.
Another reason for wanting a different stitch length could be that you want a shorter stitch length to provide whatever product you’re crafting with greater integrity.
A shorter stitch length will provide you with more points of contact and therefore give your crafted product more strength, whereas a longer stitch will be weaker.
Of course, if the strength of the product is not a concern then choosing a stitch length that looks nicer may be more important to you.
Can I change the stitch length?
The ability to change the length of the stitch can be a great feature to have and can really allow you to have more control over how you make your products.
Most sewing machines will have options for you to be able to change the stitch length with the machine itself. This is a much better option than doing it by hand as it will help remove some of the human error.
Of course, if you have to do this by hand then of course be careful not the injure yourself and take care that you don’t ruin your work by rushing it.
Will I be able to change the type of stitch?
Another feature that can really open up your options creatively, is for the machine to include multiple stitches out of the box.
Having many different stitches to choose from will allow you to choose an option that will provide you with the integrity you need as well as a good looking design that can take your product up to the next level aesthetically.
Zigzag, straight, rolled edge, stretch and many more are all kinds of stitches you can choose to use and there is such a wide variety to choose from.
Take a look at what the sewing machine you have chosen can offer you in terms of stitches and if this is right for you to make sure you get the most out of your machine.
Should I get a Computerized or Manual Sewing Machine?
Computerized
A computerized sewing machine is simply a sewing machine that has some form of computer onboard that can offer you some extra functionality from your machine.
One way in which this can be used in some software that can allow you to add custom stitches to all your projects. One use of this is to add embroidered initials to your work that are added automatically by the machine.
If you make a lot of the same products often, you can also use the machine to do some of the most common lines of stitches for you and save you some time in the process.
Manual
A manual sewing machine is the usual type of machine in which the machine doesn’t take care of things like custom embroidery automatically.
Instead on a manual machine, you would add this embroidery yourself each time by hand. This is not to say that these machines do not have useful features.
Most manual machines will offer you a variety of stitches, pedals, and speeds to choose from. The lack of computerization just means that you won’t be able to let the machine carry out tasks for you.
So which is best for me?
In the end, if you feel like you would benefit from some of the time-saving features of a computerized machine, then you should consider purchasing one.
However, if you feel like you can work just fine with a manual machine then there are plenty to choose from and both kinds come in a variety of shapes and sizes with specializations for certain tasks.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, there are a whole host of sewing machines that would make a great choice for crafters.
With plenty of variety in features, build quality, and different ways to save you time, there is an ample range of choices for you to choose from to make sure you get the most for your money.
