Buying a sewing machine can be a daunting experience, as well as an exciting one, a little like buying a new car, remember you might be committing to spending a few hundred dollars and a sewing machine is something you are going to use a lot, you need to make sure that the one you spend your money on is really the right one for you.

So how do you make the decision on the sewing machine that is right for you? Well the first thing to do is decide what you need the sewing machine for, is it just some light repair work or something more complicated? Are you going to use it on just one type of material or many different fabrics? Is the brand you have at the moment the one you wish to purchase this time?

Are there certain functions on the sewing machine that you must have, list the features the machine needs in three categories, these should be features I must have on my sewing machine, features I would like to have and other features that would just be a bonus and might make you try something new with your sewing machine because they are there. When you do make a buying decision ensure that all the functions from your first list are available, as these are the ones you need and use, also ensure that most of your I would like to see features are also available as these are also the ones you would use most and do not get sold on features that are not on the first two lists as you will probably not use them.

Is there something about your current sewing machine you love, does it have that one killer function or is it easy to use for one reason that you would like to see in your new sewing machine. The oboist is also something you should be asking yourself about, is there something I hate about my old machine that I want to avoid with my new one?

Once you have thought through these questions and have answered them as fully as you can, you can start to look at and test the sewing machines in your stockists, please make sure that it is you who tests the sewing machines you are interested in, do not let the sales person demonstrate it for you, they will not be coming home with you when you make the purchase and it is you that needs to feel comfortable and confident in your new sewing machine, if you regularly use one type of material then take a piece with you to test the sewing machine on, the same is true if you use one function more than the others, please test it in the store before you consider making that purchase.

The final thing I would like to talk about is price, as I said earlier you might be paying hundreds of dollars for the sewing machine of your dreams, when you have found the make and model you are interested in make a note of the details, model numbers are great to use to search for on the internet and compare prices on line with those on the high street, you know you like the machine now you just have to find it at the best possible price

By: Sean Dominey -