Singer 4423 Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Sewing Machine

2012/05/11 Singer
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Though the Singer 4423 Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Sewing Machine is an entry level sewing machine, surprisingly it’s as good as a workhorse.

One of the important reasons that enable this machine from Singer to qualify for that is the heavy duty metallic frame and it stainless steel bed plate coupled with a powerful motor that can make up to 1100stitchess per minute. Apart from that the Singer 4423 Heavy Duty sewing machine comes loaded with the usual features that often form part of any machine from this manufacturer. These include:

Top drop in bobbin
Automatic needle threader
Adjustable length and width of stitch
One step button holes
Singer’s well known drop feed for free motion sewing
23stitch patterns including basic, decorative and stretch, meaning you can use this machine for any type of sewing job, right from the very basic to the creative ones

What’s Not To Love?

The best thing about Singer’s 4423 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine is that its design allows you to mount it in a cabinet!
Like any other Singer machine, the 4423 Heavy Duty Sewing come with all the usual accessories like button sewing and making of button holes, quilting, different presser feet including zipper and stitch guide. You also get spool caps, power cord, lint brush, seam puller, screwdriver, needles and bobbins and of course an instruction manual.

If you make a living from sewing and have been using one of the lightweight computer- aided sewing machines, and are on the lookout of a dependable machine for long continued operations, you should not be overlooking this machine from Singer. Just a look at this machine and you’ll realize that it is made to last. Practical features like the provision of thread cutter on one side of the machine and your ability to see the bobbin while working make it a lovable machine. There are no plastic components used for making this machine, making it all the more durable. It’s a powerful machine designed to work at high speeds as per requirements.

You’ll find its grey paneling and red accents very inviting in case you are already bored of using old machines in white color. You may not find its looks very fancy but on the whole you’ll surely be impressed by the Singer 4423 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine.

3 Hand Held Sewing Machines To Choose From

2012/03/16 Handheld
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Any household certainly requires a handheld sewing machine for making small repairs at home. In the absence of such a machine, it’ll be too difficult to patch up drapes, clothes and other fabrics normally used at home.

A handheld sewing machine allows you to easily sew, stitch and repair textile without having to take out a bulky and heavy sewing machine.
This wonder tool in the form of a handheld sewing machine is ideal for prompt repair of items like cuffs, hems, slipcovers and drapes etc. Some models of such machines can be used for fixing or sewing zipper, making quick alterations and stitches and having double threaded sewing.

The Convenience Of A Handheld Sewing Machine

The design of handheld sewing machine allows you to conveniently pick it up to stitch and mend so many fabrics used at home.

Members of family, especially mothers, prefer to have one such machine at home. They find it more convenient than trying to stitch items manually which they find very irritating and often fail to apply the stitches in a neat manner.

This wonderful handheld machine is very convenient and comes handy for making a few stitches needed to make small repairs to dresses of members of family.

Handheld Sewing Machines are very versatile, easy to use and worth having around the house for doing any of these jobs:

* Making small changes or repairing clothes and other fabrics like:
Hem shorts, pants trousers or skirts.
* Fixing of loose or missing buttons
* Repairing of curtains, fabric blinds and loose cushions etc.
* Repair children’s dresses and other items like rag dolls and soft lavish toys.
* Craft work and textile items.

Not A Replacement For Domestic Sewing Machines

Handheld sewing machines are basically meant for repairing gadgets. They are not a substitute for domestic sewing machines or even mini sewing machines. These are good alternatives to hand stitching.

It saves a lot of time and effort to carry small repairs at home. Handheld sewing machines are a great option for sewing simple craft works at home. You can replace a small number of unraveled stitches.

3 Top Brands Of Hand Sewing Machines

You get many brands and different models of handheld sewing machine in the marketplace. Most of them come with money back guarantee.

Here are the most selling brands of hand sewing machines; each has its distinctive features. Keep in mind that these are meant for quick repairs at home only and solve their purpose very well. The first time user will find them quite handy, useful and versatile.

1) Mini Electric Handheld Cordless Sewing Machine

Price: $33.98

This tiny sewing machine can cut, sew and mend any kind of fabric. It’s an excellent machine to have at home for making quick alterations or minor repairing of clothes. It can be used for sewing and is capable of making firm stitches.

2) New Lil High Quality Lightweight Sew Lightweight Handheld Sewing Machine

Price: $15.30

It enables you to take care of minor flaws of household items made from a variety of fabrics. You’ll find it handy for making alterations or repairing of dresses. You can easily and quickly mend items like curtains, cushions and tablecloths.
It proves ideal for small clubhouses and motels or recreational places.

3) Mini Portable Handheld Cordless Sewing Machine

Price: $15.98

This is a cordless handheld portable machine that proves to be helpful at any place at anytime.

It’s compact and lightweight that can be used at home or office and can be stored in your car. It’s quite useful for students staying in dorms.

Like most hand sewing machines, it’s a versatile machine that’s fun to use.

A Quick Fix Cordless Sewing Machine

It’s good to have realistic expectations of the performance and efficiency of a cordless handheld sewing machine when considering having such a machine at home. It’s not difficult to understand that battery or power operated handheld machines make the best option. Such machines really offer the capacity to sew from the palm of your hand.

Though the machines needing manual power for their operation are cheaper, they often produce imperfect stitches. This variety of machines may have attractive and inviting looks but they invariably fail to give the desired results.

So, it’s recommendable to opt for handheld machines working on batteries or electricity. Hand operated sewing machine are unable to give firm and tight stitches like the ones delivered by operating on batteries or electricity.

A Quick Look On Brother PC 420 PRW Sewing Machine

2012/02/26 Brother
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Those looking for an advanced computerized sewing machine would do well to consider the PC-420 PRW Limited Edition Project Runway Sewing Machine. Its 294 built-in stitches allow you to demonstrate your creativity while designing your garments. It comes with a program “My Custom Stitch” that allows you to even design your personalized stitches. The program, available on the LCD panel, can be saved in the memory of the sewing machine. All other programs are easily accessible by the mere touch of a button. This machine from Brother also offers digital control of width and length of the stitch.

The Brother PC-420 PRW Sewing Machine comes with an advanced needle threading function, thus eliminating the need of threading the needle manually. Additionally, there’s provision for programmable thread trimmer that saves you time searching for your scissors.

In case of the Brother PC-420 PRW Sewing Machine you can raise the presser foot using a built-in knee lift so that you can easily reposition the fabric you are working on.

Positive features

* Advanced needle threading feature
* Computerized sewing machine
* 294 built-in stitches
* Built-in knee lift for presser foot control
* “My Custom Stitch” allows for designing your own stitches
* Pre-programmed stitches available via a simple touch of a button
* Push button stop/start sewing function
* Programmable thread trimmer
* Twin needle function
* The machine comes with walking foot and quilting foot
* Storage space for accessories in free arm
* Approximate size: 17.3” x 7.8” x 11.2”
* 25 year limited warranty

Negative Features

* Some users didn’t find the interior light to be bright enough.
* A handful of people reported that they would have liked more options for sizes of monogrammed letters instead of only the small and large as offered by this machine.

Brother XL 2610 Free Arm Sewing Machine Revealed

2012/02/10 Brother
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XL2610 Free-Arm Sewing Machine from Brother make a perfect entry level machine. It comes with 59 stitch functions and 25 built in stitches making it an equally good machine for both a novice and a seasoned sewer. It’s an excellent machine for making garments, decorative sewing and mending projects.

This manufacturer is reputed for offering 25 year limited warranty on their machines that goes to convey how confident they are of their product.

The Brother XL2610 Sewing Machine being lightweight offers portability and many other easy to use features. It’s designed to have an auto needle threader, meaning that you don’t have to thread the needle manually. Likewise, it also has a built-in thread cutter that saves you the bother of looking for scissors and saves your time while working on any project. It comes with a drop-in bobbin system and an easy control for adjusting tension of thread.
The range of built in stitches varies from garment construction stitches to decorative stitches and even a blind-hem stitch that makes hemming so easy. You’ll find the four step buttonhole feature of great help while making garments.

You can easily convert The Brother XL2610 from a flat-bed to a free-arm, making it convenient to sew large items and small items like sleeve cuffs.

There are many accessories and feet available with Brother XL2610 free-arm sewing machine that come handy for executing projects like insertion of zippers, sewing of buttonholes, sewing on buttons, quilting and darning. You’ll find the quick-change design of the Brother XL2610 allows you change its feet in a jiffy.

Plus Features

* Lightweight and portable
* Auto bobbin winder
* Auto needle threader
* Auto buttonholer
* Approximate size: 15.2” x 6.6” x 11.2
* Built-in thread cutter
* Built-in light
* Convertible from free-arm to flat-bed
* Drop-in bobbin
* 25 built-in stitches and 59 stitch functions
* Quick-change feet design
* Storage space for accessories in free-arm
* 25 year limited warranty

Negative Features

* Some users found the machine to be louder than expectations.
* A handful of people realized that being a lightweight machine it had a tendency to shift slightly while working with heavier fabrics.

Buying And Using Brother CS6000I

2011/06/11 Brother
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Anybody looking for a new sewing machine in the mid range, should definitely think about the Brother CS6000I. It sells for about $200, which is very reasonable, considering the host of features it offers, making its use very convenient and easy. If you have been out of touch with sewing or are new to it, you’ll find it especially helpful. That’s because adjustments are carried using push buttons, requiring no fiddling of knobs, which in any case add to the wear and tear of the machine.

The Brother CS6000I sewing machine is an electronic model. Though a foot pedal is there, you really don’t have to use it, unless of course, you want to experience the old feel of starting or stopping the machine, using your foot. Otherwise you can operate it using a Start/Stop push button. You’ll find it of great help, especially when you have children at home, who could interfere with the foot pedal or if you have any issues restricting the mobility of your feet.

The Brother CS6000I comes loaded with unbelievable 60 different stitches, some of which can be further adjusted to suit your specific requirement by just pushing a button. You can make buttonholes of seven different types. You also get nine options of presser feet enabling you to make buttonholes as per the size of the button. It also sews the buttons as per requirements. You can use needles of varying sizes and there is a drop in bobbin for automatic feed.

The Brother CS6000I is a lightweight machine and provided with a hardcover only, meaning there is no carrying case. It delivers stitches that are nice and even. That undoubtedly is the most important feature of any good sewing machine.

The limitation is that it doesn’t memorize your stitches. So, you have to write down the particular stitches that you used on a project in case you are going to reuse the same at a later date. Moreover, you can’t make embroidery stitches using this machine. Another limitation is the small size of the LCD screen that shows your stitches a bit too small and that could be a problem with certain users.

Repairing Your Sewing Machine At Home

2011/05/23 General
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With an increasing number of people beginning to opt to make their own clothes, sewing is getting popular and so is the requirement of people skilled in repairing sewing machines. Though sewing machine is a heavy-duty machine, which would offer trouble-free operation for years, small problems do come up from time to time.

Hiring the services of servicing personnel is an expensive affair. And, most of the problems are of very minor nature that you can easily take care of by having a little knowledge. It always helps to have basic knowledge of any machine that you are using frequently, and we know that any machine will eventually develop some snag or the other. So, it makes better sense to prepare yourself for handling minor problems.

It’s not difficult to repair a sewing machine, just understanding the basics will suffice to ensure its smooth operation. It’s only when the machine develops some serious problem that you need to send it to the manufacturers. Even trained technicians can help to some extent but have to send it back to the manufacturer for any major flaw.

Generally, there are small petty things causing malfunctioning of your machine. A very common reason for its erratic functioning is not cleaning it properly. It’s important to vacuum it regularly for its proper functioning.

Another important precaution is to lubricate the moving components as suggested by the manufacturer. The users’ manual that comes along with the machine points out all the points needing lubrication as also the basic maintenance you should undertake on your own. In case you frequently use your machine , it will be good to know the basic maintenance and repairs. That way you are not depending on others all the time and it also helps you to save money.

You can get any number of manuals that help you understand the working of a sewing machine. Don’t get scared of that. It’s really not so difficult if you can spare sometime for understanding the basics. Even, getting parts of sewing machine is not so difficult as you might imagine that to be.

It should come as a relief to you to learn that most manufacturers of sewing machines like Singer, Brother, Janome and others are indeed helpful in case you need to order any spare parts for your machine.

These are the tools often required for the purpose:

* Sewing Machine Oil: use the one recommended by the manufacturer and ensure that the moving parts are kept lubricated, otherwise they tend to slow down.
* Always keep one drive belt in stock. It’s a very frustrating experience if the belt gives way in the middle of your project, making you wait for the new one to come. Avoid that frustration and wastage of time by keeping one handy at home.

* Use crevice attachment while vacuuming. Hand vacuum works best here. Small pieces of cloth will certainly get jammed in the machine.

* White Lithium Grease (Grease is as necessary as oil)

* Tweezers. Have a full set of various types to reach all the small spaces.

* Small Screwdrivers.

Simple Clean and Oil Job

You should not be ignoring this basic maintenance . These basic things considerably affect the efficiency of any sewing machine. Overlooking basic maintenance amounts to paying massive bills in the long run.

Cleaning and oiling the machine

Remove the covers from the top and bottom and using a screwdriver remove the hand wheel too. Put aside the covers and the screws safely. Now, using your vacuum nozzle, clean it thoroughly. Check for any stuck-in thread and remove it using your tweezers.

Next, come to the teeth of the gears. Clean the dirt and remove old grease, sucking it out with vacuum. Having so cleaned, cover the gears with fresh grease and lubricate other moving components with oil.

Now, put back everything and start it over. You will realize it doesn’t take long really, but surely affects the performance of the machine. Doing it on a regular basis helps avoiding any major breakdown of your machine.

Finding And Buying Janome Sewing Machines On Sale

2011/05/04 General
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Anyone who likes to sew would love getting a Janome sewing machine at discounted price. That’s because of the quality and features of this machine. Its price is a limiting factor for many perspective buyers. Here you’ll find what makes the machines from this manufacturer so special and how to get one online at a discounted price:

What’s so special about Janome products?

Janome machines continue to enjoy a wide patronage from varied users, from beginners to this interesting craft of sewing to professional craftsmen and tailors, because of its easy handling and intrinsic design. These machines offer a near noiseless operation and are designed to stitch thru light and heavy fabrics without needing any adjustment of tension. Actually, even a lot of the low-end machines from this manufacturer make it easy for you to stitch six or more number of layers of heavy fabrics like denim.

You don’t have to fiddle with bobbin, presser feet or even scissors. Most of the models using latest technology allow to change feet and bobbins in mid-switch. Moreover, you can cut the thread by just pushing the button of the thread cutter.

Almost all the reviews on these machines mention these features:

* The machine is ready for operation within 20 minutes of opening the box
* It works quietly
* It offers fast operations
* It’s a workhorse
* Has better workmanship

All these features when added together make Janome a very favorite brand. Actually, these sewing machines are often noted for outperforming higher-end competitors of the kind of Husqvarna and Bernina!

Where do you find a great Janome sale?

There are many online vendors of Janome sewing machines. If you undertake a search under the term “Janome sale” you’ll see many websites coming up. Some vendors offer coupons and discounts or free shipping. You can also get used or refurbished machines. However there is an element of risk associated with buying used machines because you can’t be sure of what you are going to have in the absence of any warranty from the manufacturer.

Perhaps the best way will be to conduct your own research and look for someone who is already experienced on what coupons or sales are offering at present. Such a person can generally put you on the right track.

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