UPDATE:
I’ve been sewing on BabyLock machines for about 6 years now and have loved them (I have 3 of their machines, and 1 serger).
My favorite machines are in their Genuine Series, which you can read more about on the Baby Lock site.
These are entry level machines that have a broad price range, so if you’re not sure how deep you want to go on sewing haha, these are awesome. I have the Brilliant and Joy machines from this series. These are what I sew with in all of my videos.
You can purchase and read some reviews HERE.
And here’s info about my other Baby Lock called Lyric, which is fantastic too.
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11/2014:
Guess what…
I have a new sewing machine!
And I love it.
Sorry for all the exclamation points.
It’s just really exciting to get a new toy.
And this little baby (heh, heh, baby).….is called Lyric, by Baby Lock.
Have you ever walked up to your front door and seen a pile like this??
Okay. You probably have.
But if your pile is filled with sewing machines?? rather than diapers and mulch for the front yard??….then jump up and down and start (carefully) ripping those boxes open!
Yay for Baby Lock!
I’m so happy I get to partner with them.
They’ve let me try out the Lyric machine, which just became available in retail shops. Of course Baby Lock offers many wonderful sewing machines so you should also check out the Katherine, Rachel, Molly, and Amelia machines.
Over the years you guys have asked me for a recommendation on sewing machines.
Maybe you’re even asking Santa for one for Christmas??
So here are my thoughts on selecting a new machine….
When it comes to picking any kind of sewing machine, I think two things are important:
1 – Quality
2 – the Basics
A good quality sewing machine can make the difference between really enjoying sewing, and being frustrated by it. And no one wants to be frustrated with a new hobby. Of course those decisions are hard to make if you’re just starting out—it’s hard to know how committed you are to it. But if you think sewing is more than just a passing interest for you, I would definitely recommend getting a quality machine. It will truly make a difference, especially when sewing with knits.
I love that Baby Lock offers a wide range of sewing machines for all skill levels.
If you’re new to sewing there’s a whole series of machines with cute names like Molly, Rachel, and Anna. Elizabeth. Isn’t that adorable? And if you’re a high-tech gal, you can jump up to the Destiny II and Unity and do some top-of-the line fancy stitching.
So I would go for the best quality machine your budget allows.
Now,”quality” doesn’t have to mean that it can do 400 different things…..because I really believe that if you have a quality machine, then all you ultimately need are the basics—a straight stitch, a zigzag stitch, and a button holer. And you’re set. That’s all that I’ve used for years.
Now that being said….
I really do love all the extra things my machine can do, cause they make the process a whole lot more fun and more efficient! And many Baby Lock machines offer similar features as well.
So let me give you a little tour of Lyric….
I’ve never had a machine with so many stitches! I think there are over 250?
I know I will never use that many, since I’m not into embroidery and stuff like that. But what I do love is that it offers multiple “overcasting” stitches which are meant to stretch with your fabric, so they’re fantastic with knits. It doesn’t replace the overcast stitch that a serger machine can do (I’ll have to talk about sergers in another post) but it’s fun to play around with all the different stitches to see what they can do. I’ll be showing you the overcast stitch in some upcoming videos.
Okay. Next happy-dance feature: Automatic Needle Threader!
Ummmmm. Where have I been??? This function alone has changed my sewing life.
I thread my machine like normal, following the little guides. And when I get to the needle, I just push that level on the side, and boom! The machine threads the needle for me! It’s such a time (and sanity) saver.
Okay: Speed Control
Are you a fast sewer?
Me too. I sew like I talk.
And sometimes it gets me in trouble because I really just need to slow down and take my time around the curves. So the speed control helps me do that—kind of like setting the cruise control on your car. You just set the speed where you’d like and it will control how fast the foot pedal can go. Then you’re always IN control. I never knew I would appreciate such a function.
But I definitely knew I would love this feature—the Thread Cutter!
Oh wow.
This little button makes me a much faster sewer. Haah. Weren’t we just talking about slowing down?
What I meant to say is that it makes me a more efficient sewer. When I’m done sewing I just push the little scissors function and it cuts the thread for me! I don’t even need my real scissors around.
Game changer. For sure.
And finally…this machine is digital.
I know many of you have been sewing on digital for years. But I’ve always been a little old school, turning knobs and clanking along (which believe me, works really great). So it’s pretty spiffy to have a nice digital display with menus and info to keep me organized.
And there are so many more things I could tell you about this machine, like the knee lift (which lifts the presser foot), the extension table, the programming features….but I’ll have to show you that in future posts.
Let’s just say:
Okay.
One last thing to address before buying a new machine….
Where DO you buy a machine?
Well you can buy them online, in fabric stores, on craigslist, all over!
And when you buy Baby Lock machines (and other comparable brands) you buy them from a retail store that’s certified to sell them, with experts who help you get to know your machine right there in the store (click here to find a retailer).
Sometimes they even offer a few free lessons with the purchase of your machine so you feel comfortable sewing with it. This is how it was when I bought my serger years ago. And it was wonderful!….because that step always feels intimidating, especially if you’re new to sewing. For some reason you’re scared to pull it out the box and thread it for the first time—worried that you might do something wrong?! Which of course is a bit silly, but we’ve all been there. So don’t worry! Those store experts are there to help you get started.
And of course I am too.
This is why I love blogging and sharing and helping where I can and asking for your advice in return!
So there you go.
Those are my tips for picking a new sewing machine!
I’m excited to see what you decide!
Happy shopping.
