this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2025
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I’m not sure I’m quite there yet but I’m on my way: my sewing machine.
I sew clothes for me and my husband. I sew my kids’ Halloween costumes. I sew bags; my last two purses have been made by me. One is still in great shape aside from the handles; my kiddo said I should get (or sew) a new purse and I replied, nah, just need to re-sew the handles, no biggie.
The only reason I don’t think it’s paid for itself quite yet is because I bought a pricey machine in 2021 after struggling with a hand-me-down for a while.
Oh yeah, I bought a cheap machine pre-2000 and it's paid for itself several times over just making boat canvas and doing sail repairs.
What was your hand-me-down? I'm working with a 1950s machine, and it seems to work great for me, but i have to admit I haven't used a machine built in the past 20 years, so idk what I'm missing.
It was a 1971(? I think) Kenmore of all things. I had no idea Kenmore even made sewing machines, but apparently they did. I still have it. I couldn’t get the zipper foot to work and the proverbial straw was that not only could I find no help online, but the guy at the repair shop said “Why are you bothering?” Although that did rub me the wrong way, admittedly. I took it to a different shop and they said essentially the same thing but in a much kinder and gentler way. (I bought a new machine from them instead of the first guy.) I decided I wanted something I could at least find help for on YouTube, and in fact I have watched videos a few times when I couldn’t figure something out… or whenever I want to do a blind hem because I can never remember how to do it.
Ah, I wonder if it was new enough to not be dead simple, but not new enough to not have any documentation or spare parts?
I didn't even know what a zipper foot is, but it turns out I have one, lol. That shows what I know.
I'm toying with the idea of getting a sewing machine.
Hand sewing bores the tits off me but I want to be able to fix/adjust/create my clothes
Most modern sewing machines have capability to do so much more than you probably really need.
Personally, all I really need is a machine that can do straight stitches with adjustable stitch length and reversing. I have a 1950s machine that does that, and it was free to me, and there's attachments for zigzagging if I want.
If you are just patching and altering clothes, that's probably all you need, too.
Yep, definitely.
No need to spunk loads of money on something I'll not use to its full capacity...
A second hand simple model will be sufficient.
The most exciting thing I'll end up making is probably pillowcases/cushion covers.
Or that dress from IASIP
I recently picked up a sewing machine at a garage sale for $40 and it has been a game changer for me and has really upped my look. All my clothes are now tailored to fit my body, and it makes a huge difference. I'm a middle-age man, but am very fit. However, most off the rack clothing is cut for the average American male physique, which means that shirts that fit me in the shoulders generally have tons of extra fabric around the mid section. Now, every short sleeve shirt I buy gets "the treatment". I take up the sleeves to mid-bicep (because showing bicep is the male equivalent to showing cleavage), take them in to hug my biceps, and then taper the shirt to the waist to show off my trim waistline and emphasize my shoulder to waist ratio. Quite honestly, it's amazing how much more attention I get based upon that one simple change.
lol I agree! Hand sewing is so slow. I only do it when I absolutely must.
As a kid I liked cross stitch, and I think I still might (I’m also a knitter so slow processes are fine) but I don’t enjoy the end product so I never do it.
Cross stitch looks like fun, but I don't want any cross stitched stuff afterwards, I guess.