Attn: Crafters Please help me choose

I need help choosing a sewing machine. I've been thinking about getting a cheaper one (as in decent price) that I can teach myself to use. I need suggestions on which you like and which to stay away from. Also, if you have suggestions for books, please list those too.

Thanks in advance!

my advice is to go for a singer or white, for beginning, they are simple to operate but do so much! Itsalso easy to find accessories, replacement needles,etc

In the line of cheaper machines, Singer does all right. I don't recommend a cheap Brother. My very highest recommendations are Husqvarna Viking or Janome. Vikings are my personal favorite machines and, of course, is the one I use the most. They are likely to outlive their purchaser in most situations. My serger is a Janome and I love it. Mindy's machine is a Janome and it runs beautifully. Others to consider would be Pfaff and I've heard good things about Bernina but I have no personal experience with them.

One particularly important thing when looking at machines: You want a drop-in bobbin. The cheapest machines have a side or bottom loading bobbin. The drop-in feature may be a little more than the next cheaper model, but you will never, ever regret the few extra dollars spent for a drop-in bobbin.

I have to confess after learning on my mom's nice sewing machine mine is a mint green hello kitty (yes hello kitty) Janome that works quite well (and reviewed by others well) for a very low price.

My first was a Singer, and it worked well, but now I have a Pfaff and have had it over 20 years. It is not the most basic and doesn't have the drop in bobbin, but I just put it through a rough 2 months and it is doing fine. BTW I wouldn't mind a drop in bobbin.

I highly recommend subscribing to Consumer Reports. You can get a one month subscription which will allow you to read the reviews and repair records for different brands.

I inherited my mother-in-law's Sears maching and it still runs fine even though I do my best (or worst) to kill it.

I have a cheap Brother, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. It does what I need it to do, but the bobbin (which, as Lefty mentions, is not a drop-in bobbin) can be fussy to deal with.

My mom had a Husquvarna Viking for a long time ( maybe 30 years, and for at least some of that time, she was sewing professionally on it, so using it for hours every day), so I have a good opinion of that brand, as well.

At first I was thinking foggi was being rather mean to her brother, calling him cheap and all...

Well, that too. ;-)

Just kidding, Espy! (I probably shouldn't antagonize him, since he is my ride home from the airport this evening.)

I have a Viking, and swear by it...but they're cheapest model is about $600+...

Have you thought about using Craigslist or Ebay? You might find a nicer model in your price range to practice on and then possibly upgrade after you get your sewing machine footing, so to speak.

Well I purchased a Singer 2263. It's supposed to be for beginners, so now I just have to teach myself. Thanks for the suggestions guys. I didn't want to buy something completely worthless or too expensive while I learned.

#10 - If I were standing next to a Viking I'd probably swear too...

kirby, thats a nice looking machine!

14 > would they be 'cheap' shots?

Hee hee

I'd prefer Cheap Trick, myself.

My sowing machine is a MsDonna. But she is broke.

Well give her some money then. ;)