cutter – havingyour threads cut at the
touch of a button isn’t
necessary, but it is
certainly very nice.
Free arm – incredibly useful in
bag making. It makes sewing
narrow fabric tubes (such as
sleeves) and small- to medium-
sized purses much easier.
Powerful motor – a must for coping with all of those fabric
(and interfacing) layers.
Good stability – when sewing at breakneck speeds or
working with thick layers, the last thing you want is your
machine to shake and judder. Choose a machine that has
a good weight and a wide, stable base. Ask to see or test
the machine in action at maximum speed.
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Build quality – how solid does the machine feel? I prefer
heavy machines (the more metal the better) because they
will last longer (with fewer machine services) and they
will vibrate less.
Instruction manual – I am a stickler for a good manual
because no matter how experienced you are there will be
plenty of occasions when you’ll need to turn to it for help.
Don’t be shy in the shop – ask to have a flick through the
machine manual. Also look on the internet for support and
user manuals for your machine.
Bobbin winding system – different sewing machines have
different systems for bobbin winding. While in the shop,
ask to see how the bobbin is wound and check you are
happy with the method.
Dual feed system – this is a feature on some sewing
machines that makes working with several and/or thick
layers much easier because this system feeds the layers
through the machine evenly and at the same speed. In
normal sewing, the bottom layer gets fed through the
machine just before the top layer and this results in the
top layer creeping forwards, which can be a real pain.
Variable speed selector – this is different
from the speed controlled by a foot pedal; it
overrides the pedal by setting the maximum
speed of the machine.
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Long arm – gives
you extra table
space to the right
of the needle, great
for when you are
sewing large or
bulky bags as there
are times when
you don’t want to
scrunch up your
bag to fit it under
the machine.
Getting Started
Machine feet
There are various feet required for different kinds of stitches and applications, so
you need to think about the stitches you want to use and research to see which
types of feet are appropriate for your needs. If you are about to purchase a sewing
machine, see which feet are supplied with the machine, then ask the dealer if they
will throw in some extra feet for free (and ask about any other freebies too!).
Standard presser foot – this is the foot that you will
make the most use of. With this versatile foot you can
sew straight and zigzag stitch, and the majority of the
more decorative stitches too.
Clear presser foot – this is a standard presser foot,
but instead of being metal, it’s made from transparent
plastic, which makes seeing things like notches and
markings on your fabric so much easier.
Piping foot – if you’re going to sew with any amount
of piping, a piping foot is a must.
Zipper foot – makes sewing very close to the edge of an
item much easier, and is also essential for sewing zips.
Non-stick foot – this foot is brilliant for ‘sticky’ fabric
such as laminated cotton, oilcloth, vinyl and leather.
Seam allowance guide – this is not a foot, but is a
handy metal edge that screws to the bed of the machine
and is very useful for professional-looking topstitching.
Set your desired seam allowance on the guide, then butt
the edge of your work to the seam allowance guide and
away you go.
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