Thank you for such a helpful website! Although it is still difficult for me to determine which sewing machine to purchase. I want a sewing machine that is capable of handling thicker fabrics like leather and denim. I used the search tool to help me narrow down my choices. The Brother XL2600i seems to stand out the most to me, especially with the many reviews.

Joann’s is having a sale on the Singer 2277 Traditional machine (http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat2097&PRODID=zprd_10855880a). I’ve searched for more reviews, but haven’t been able to find any great ones. Would you happen to know anything about this machine?

Walmart also has a computerized Singer machine (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Singer-Computerized-Sewing-Machine/17353003#Product+Reviews
). I’ve been recommended computerized machines for their ease.

Any opinions or recommendations on these machines? Any help is much appreciated!

Thank you,
Jaley

With so many choices, finding your blog is a really great help! Very informative and easy to understand for beginner like me..
Well, I just did it!..Finally, I bought my first sewing machine : [Brother CP 7500]!!! She will be my new baby

Can’t wait to make many projects with it Once again..thank you so much!

PS: Is there any chance that you make reviews by video too?

When you bring up that page, scroll down and tick all the options that match your needs. Then click the “Go” button. You’ll see a list of all the sewing machines I’ve reviewed that match your needs. Then select up to 3 to compare them side by side. This will help you narrow down your list. I don’t think it gets used very much because. I’ve tested a few ways to make it stand out as a tool on the front page but haven’t found one that’s very effective yet. Let me know if that helps.

Depending on your price range, the Brother XL2600i or the Brother CP-7500 are probably the best starter sewing machines for you to consider for your daughter.

Hope that gets you pointed in the right direction.

Sincerely,

Erin

While the comparisons charts are wonderful, I have no idea what to compare! Our daughter is learning to sew this year (and hopefully me too!), but we need a machine. One was given to us, but it is old and there is no book telling us how to use it. We want to get a good starter machine, reasonably priced. What would you suggest?

Thanks!

One is mechanical and the other is computerized. I personally think that computerized is easier but I’m a gadget girl and I love buttons and screens and codes and beeping noises. The benefit of computerized machines is that you can usually have more stitch variety. The drawback is that there are more internal parts that can develop a problem and require a repair. There’s no guarantee that a mechanical machine will have fewer issues, it’s just that there are fewer complex components inside so the ODDS are that these should have fewer issues. If your daughter is not enamored with buttons and gadgets, she may find the mechanical machine much simpler to operate but she’ll not have the same variety of decorative stitches. She’ll have all the utility stitches she’d need to do almost any kind of sewing she’d want but she wouldn’t have pretty vines or hearts, for example.

The mechanical choice that comes to mind is the Janome Magnolia 7318. It’s right at the $200 price mark which makes it more expensive than the computerized option I’ll discuss next and it has fewer stitches but it should hold up for a very long time. Janome’s are very powerful, very forgiving, produce beautiful stitches, and are usually set so well that the fabric moves straight through the machine with almost no guidance at all. It should just go and go and go.

The computerized recommendation is the Brother CP-7500. I truly think that will be the most purchased sewing machine for this upcoming Christmas. It’s identical to the Brother CS6000i which has over a thousand consumer reviews online, but was revived with pink trim and 10 additional built in stitches. It’s the best deal under $200 and has excellent ratings in its own right. You get 70 built in stitches, an extension table, and some great features for beginners like the ability to sew with either the foot pedal or with the push of a button and a speed control slider so you can cap the max speed. This prevents the machine from going faster than you want when you’re new or when you’re working on something delicate. Like I said, more options but this might also introduce more frustration for your daughter.

Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Erin

My 11 year old daughter wants to begin sewing. She has low tolerance for frustration and I need the easiest sewing machine available!! Under 200? Any suggestions? And, is computerized easier or will this cause more difficulty? I’m not concerned about having to upgrade later. If it can last her through her teens, I will be happy. I just want her to be successful and be able to work independently as soon as possible. Your website is really great but there are so many considerations and I don’t know anything about sewing! Thank you!