I teach sewing lessons to children and adults here in Fort Lauderdale. I am often asked which sewing machines and sergers they should buy for their personal use. So I decided to write this post with helpful links for anyone who is interested in purchasing one. There are MANY different options to choose from, and quite a few types. For basic home sewing machines I prefer Brother brand. This machine is one of my favorites, and one I currently am using for some of my alterations work. I use this sewing machine when I need something more detailed like buttonholes and simple stitched lettering that my industrial machine can't do. It is the Brother XR3340. It is a great machine for the newbie and the professional alike. You can definitely get by with a machine with less options but for the price this will fill a newbies needs well into the future as they become more skilled. It has an automatic buttonhole which I always suggest as a must for anyone. It has many utility and decorative stitches, a speed control (which is great for kids learning) and lots of useful presser feet.
If you are looking to sew a lot of knit fabrics (think stretchy) you will definitely want to invest in a serger. While you can use a regular machines for knits, I don’t recommend it on a regular basis because it will cause you a lot of unnecessary heartache. A serger uses 3 or more threads and feeds the fabric from the feed dogs and the presser foot similar to a walking foot sewing machine which helps to make a super stretchy stitch that won’t break and help your knits not to curl and stretch while stitching. For a basic serger this Juki MO 644 D is fantastic. I have 2 that I use for my students and plan to get an additional one for my work to use as a dedicated serger. What I like about this juki better than the slightly cheaper brother sergers is that it is simpler to thread and has a built in rolled hem, so no changing parts constantly.
If you are looking for a serger coverstitch machine. The juki mo-735, is great. I use this one on a regular basis for my work alterations. it switches from regular serger to coverstitch. It is slightly complicated to switch but if you are looking for 1 machine to serge and coverstitch this is a great option. It is a lot more pricey and a bit more complicated for someone who is just looking for a serger, but if you dream of mainly sewing knit clothing and things like swimsuits then you may want to invest for the future.
And for those more experienced sewers who may sew for income and need a heavy duty industrial walking foot sewing machine I recommend the Consew 206 RB5. I added this sewing machine to my arsenal 2 years ago and I am not sure how I functioned without it. I use this for all my leather work as well as all my marine canvas work. A walking foot with power like this is a must for this type of work and is versatile for making outdoor cushions, heavy duty leather luggage and so much more.