In my last post I talked about the creative ways people are repurposing other furniture to be used as a sewing cabinet or table. Lots of pieces that are designed for something else – like crafting, drafting or writing – can be used to meet your needs.

Think computer desks, folding tables, and cocktail tables.

There are also lots of second hand pieces, too – real cabinets as well as furniture that would do just as well (or better) – that can be had for a bargain price.

The less you want to spend, the harder you might have to look but in just a few short minutes online, I found two perfect options in my area. One was a wood table that looked to be in good shape with a single, padded chair for $75. The second was a FREE used desk as long as I picked it up. Admittedly, that freebie would need a coat of paint but we’re talking a free table. Get a bit crafty, fix something up and you could get years of use out of it.
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I started out researching how you get a cabinet that perfectly fits your machine and pretty quickly realized there was so much to cover when it comes to creating your work space that one post wasn’t going to cut it. So, this is part 2 in a series around this topic.

My mom has a great craft room with a large work table that has tons of drawers, shelves for her books, and bins for fabric.
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You’ve purchased your first machine and it is unboxed and sitting all shiny and new on your kitchen table. You’ve practiced threading it, loaded a bobbin, and you’ve ripped up an old shirt so you could play with the different stitches. You might even have created your first buttonhole.

Come dinner time, though, your spouse or partner starts eying the table and murmurs of a growling tummy are heard across the room. Family members are suspiciously eying your goods wondering if they’ve permanently taken over the space or if you’ll have it moved in time to make room for their next meal.
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As soon as I saw the Janome 15822 Hello Kitty sewing machine, I wanted it. The fact that I’ve edged into my 40s didn’t stop me one bit. I try not to have a thing for “cute” but it can’t be helped. It’s in my blood.

Fortunately, this is also a real – as I can use it to do all kinds of things and it will hold up for ages – machine. You’ll be amazed at how much this little thing can do. It might look like a toy but don’t let that fool you.

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One day, you’re sewing along just fine on the old hand me down machine you received years ago from a family member. Suddenly, in the middle of your project, the machine dies. Kaput. You sigh, maybe throw out a few choice words, and – after a bowl of caramel pecan ice cream (maybe that’s just me) – decide it’s finally time for you to splurge on a new one.
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The Michley LSS-505 Lil’ Sew & Sew sewing machine is a popular, lightweight model that serves a specific purpose. It’s distributed by Tivax, a company in California that produces a number of portable electronics like television sets and converter boxes in addition to the Michley line.

If you read the reviews on this one, they’re all over the board. I decided to jump in and figure out why that might be the case. It appears it’s all about expectations. This machine is great for a certain set of circumstances. If you buy it for one of those circumstances, you’ll be thrilled. If you buy it for some other purpose, you might be highly disappointed.

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I had put off writing a review of the Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine only because it had so many stitches and features that I thought it might intimidate beginners. Then I noticed the price.

There are many sewing machines with fewer options than this one that cost the same (or more!). This presents a great opportunity for even the most novice sewer to invest in a machine that will truly serve them for years.

Read the rest of the review here:

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For me, a website grows like a child. It starts out as a tiny thing with wiggly arms and chubby, little legs. Slowly, it learns to crawl and walk and eventually it’s a teenager popping earphones in their ears and only pretending to listen to you. (Guess who has two teenagers and an 8 year old who thinks he’s a teen?)

Of course, if this site were really a child, we’d all be in trouble because there are times where I’ve not been able to focus on it as I’d like. However, it’s never far from my mind and I check in every day.

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While comparing the Janome DC4030 sewing machine stitches to those of the Janome DC2012, I found the graphic showing the number and type for the DC4030 and thought it might be handy to have for future reference. Questions about stitches on a machine come up fairly often.

The DC4030 has a total of 24 built in stitches. Six of them are buttonholes, eight are satin stitches, 1 mending stitch, and 9 utility stitches. Because of the number of buttonhole stitches, this machine would be well suited towards those who really need a good machine for making clothes.

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Wow! The end of the year is racing towards us and I’ve hardly had time to answer the comments and questions from the influx of visitors I’ve had to the site. I’m trying to carve out some time in the next few days to get to everyone but until then, I’ve put together this quick list of the most popular sewing machines for Christmas 2011.

This is certainly not very scientific but is based on the activity seen on the posts and sewing machine reviews on this site. Daily traffic is pretty heavy so the rankings are at least a decent, representative sample. In order based on this month’s activity, these are the top 10 sewing machines for holiday shoppers:
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