The Sewing Machine

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen…

To date I have bought my essential bits for my sewing tool kit and now my attention turns to the main item – the sewing machine. Sewing machines were first patented in the 1790s and Mr Singer commercialised the sewing machine in the 1850s giving everyone the opportunity to sew and stitch at home and now there are many different brands covering a wide range of functions and prices. This was my first hurdle as I did not appreciate there was such a variety - all targeted at different skill level and functionality – I thought it was one size fits all. In some ways I was pleased so I did not have to get an all singing all dancing machine that would leave me in a mess and not continue 

with my goal.

A good friend of mine, who is a stitching wizz, said as long as it has 10 or so stitches and can do some button holes it will be a good beginning machine. With this sound advice (and advice from my sewing book and the Thrifty Stitcher website) I looked extensively over the World Wide Web at Singer, Berina, Brother, Janome and other brands. I started to get overwhelmed at the possibility and found a few I thought would fit the stitch. But then I thought - how large are they and what do they actually feel like? So with list in hand I went to John Lewis on Oxford Street. Here they offer a great range of sewing machines (including their own brand) and I was able to touch and caress the machines there. I like square machines over rounded (this principle also applies to cars – especially old Fords – but I digress) and I liked the fact that the ones I viewed were not that heavy and also not too expensive. With this in mind I was a bit blinkered to the task at hand and not focusing on the functionality. Then the sewing machine which I had researched was there and in my grasp and it was the……

Singer 2250

It was like love at first glance – I knew this would suit my capabilities to the ground (which are basic in sewing), matched my price tag (always a good thing to keep the husbandy happy), did not weigh a tonne (so I did not incur an injury getting it home), small enough to fit in the space allocated at home (although now I have made my favourite shoes homeless).

When I got the Singer 2250 home I took it out of the box and made sure all the items were there (which they were plus an extra bobbin) and read the manual…. I wanted to thread it and get cracking but it was getting late, I had no scrap material to test on and other general life things needed to be done – boo.

So now I am all set to go… sewing tool box and sewing machine. I just need to cut up on old bed sheet and start practicing…. Oh I can’t wait!!