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So I want to be able to sew on cards and scrapbook pages. I haven't sewn since junior high. I would like to find a small battery operated sewing machine that I can use for this.....that's pretty simple to figure out. I found this one Impressrubberstamps
I have had the opportunity to try many small machines and I agree with Julie. They just don't work well. I bought different needles to use with my cards when using my daughters (inexpensive) standard sewing machine.
__________________ Darla
Cinderella is proof that shoes can change a girl's life!
The Stone Age didn't end because they ran out of stones.
I have one also and have set it on the shelf. I had such high hopes but it just doesn't perform well. It makes a chain stitch on the back and it catch at all when you try to make a corner. My mom found me a used Singer at a garage sale for $10 bucks and I went online and found the instruction manual that I could downline for $5.00. I would highly suggest begging for one from someone that doesn't use theirs anymore or save up the $100-150 and buy one at Walmart, Target, etc. They surprisingly have a lot of functions and can be fairly inexpensive as far as sewing machines go. Sewing on the cards is quite fun though, I have to admit. My mom's given me the basic lessons.....now heaven help me if I have to change a bobbin or the needle breaks though!
I got one for christmas last year, and it didn't work worth a darn! I thought it would be the niffyist thing - but it wasn't. It's the one from Michaels that costs about $12.00. Ive seen a better model at Archiver's (A local Scrap / Stamp Store) and wondered if it'd be any better. But it soulds like it doesn't matter how much you spend on them, they aren't really worth it? I have a regualar sized one that I need to have checked over - it was given to me by my MIL and hasn't been used in about 20 years. (great shape, she bought a different one and gave me this one a few years ago.)
Jen
__________________ Jen
Phillipians 4:6-7
a little bit of Sarainty.
I agree totally with you all. My upline bought one of those small ones and ended up taking it back!! I had such high hopes for those!.My MIL bought me a singer for Christmas and I was very intimidated at first, But We are becoming better friends all the time :lol: I am the Queen of NOT SEWING! I have my mom sew my DD girl scout patches on :oops: . So anyway besides being able to sew on cards now, which can I just say looks so pretty, I made one of those sheer canopies for her bed!! I am so proud of it!
I just wanted to mention that the one I bought on QVC is the exact one shown at Impress's site (see 1st post). I CANNOT get it to thread right in the bobbin and it jams after a few stitches. Useless. I decided before I throw it away, however, I'm going to use it WITHOUT thread at all, just to make the hole patterns.
My standard machine is down in a storage unit, and the reason I don't want to drag it out is that it's heavy and takes up too much space.
I wish someone would develop a little machine that really does work. I even bought that darn Handy-Stitch hand-held one at Michael's with a 40% off coupon; also a piece o' CRAP! Glad it only cost me about $5-6 . . .
sigh . . .
They need to make a version that works like those latch hook rug thingies where you just press it down and it hooks under the surface and then you pull it back up??????
Hey, why don't I just invent one and make a million dollars and retire . . .
:shock: LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL! Fat chance of that ever happening.
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Unfortunately, I have to agree with everyone else...those little sewing machines are a piece of junk. I have handed mine over to my 13 yr old and she plays aroud with it (without much success either - she just thinks it's "cool"). I have finally unburied the "real" machine and I have to admit that I LOVE sewing on my cards now. I have a very simple machine that cost me about $150 a few years ago, but it does a great job on all sorts of cardstock. Yesterday I went to Jo Ann's and purchased a sewing kit that had 32 different colors of thread and it had the corresponding bobbins in the same color already wound! It's the coolest kit I've seen. It sells for $9.99 but with the coupon it was a deal for $6.00 I've been able to match at least a dozen of the SU colors with the thread.
So, for those of you reluctant to get those "real" sewing machines out - DO IT! You'll love the results.
I got to try out 2 different ones at local craft stores. They know me so well I can play with new products. That is not a good thing. Anyway those battery machines aren't worth your stamping money. Look around for a used basic sewing machine. Call any sewing machine store or sew and vacuum stores to see if they have any used or rebuilt for sale.
I embroider on cardstock with my embroidery machine and I go through needle fast.
If you are doing thicker threads, not just basic sewing or quilting thread, check for large eye needles also.
I could not find my price list so I emailed them for a new one. I will edit and post it as soon as I have it.
What I would do is go to a fabric store or sewing machine shop and look at their used machines. I'll bet you could pick one up for less than $50, especially if all you need it to do is a straight stitch and a zig zag.
Signed someone who would love a big, bad expensive embroidery machine, but will settle for one that goes through 5 layers of fabric and doesn't jam.
I love my little machine! I have the little provo craft one and it works great. There is definately a trick to getting your paper out of it though. I had to reread the directions about 10 times. DH and I thought I broke it the first time I used it. It doesn't sew like a sewing machine since it only uses 1 thread source not 2 so it takes some getting used to. But as I said, I guess I'm in the minority cause I love it, LOL. I only paid 3.99 for it at Michaels.
Hey I tried the sewing thing too and now I just "pretend sew" with my pen. I recently did a santa with a "zig zag stitch" that was so easy and you can't tell its not sewn until you look really close. I will be posting it as soon as Daven is able to solve our gallery woes.
I sew on my scrapbook pages *all* of the time...and I *love* it!!! I've got about 35 different stitches, though I most usually just play with zig-zag and chain stitch. I think that the small machines are a bust because they can't compress all of the moving parts into such a small package. Wish they could, but I just don't trust it. ~ Kaylyn
__________________ Hi...My Name is Kaylyn...I'm An Alphaholic.
[B]
I totally argree with everone on them being a piece of junk! I have the Euro-Pro Dressmaker that I purchased from HSN and what a mistake that was. I paid $30 for it and when it came the light bulb was busted so I called them up to have them send me a new one and was told to go throught the company. Well long story short it ended up costing me probably double that by the time I made phone calls. I was having a hard time getting through on the 800 # so asked for a different #. They failed to tell me that it was in Canada so one phone call I made to them cost me $25 for about 20 min. which prob. 15 min. was on hold. I still haven't been able to figure out the piece of crap! Sorry for the vent, it makes me so mad everytime I think about it.
I personally wouldn't bother with the cheap ones....I firmly believe in the old adage that you "get what you pay for".
I liked the suggestion of getting a good "old" machine, cheap, especially if all you're sewing is cardstock. DH is going to kill me, but the Janome he bought me last year (which has less than about 1/2 the thread gone!) is going to get used for stamping more than sewing..... ....I'm prepared for the lecture (I've been dreading it, that's why I haven't used it yet).
My mom said "just mark one needle for paper.....it won't hurt your machine at all". So that's what I'm gonna do!
__________________ ~Debbi~
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~Author Unknown
Hi - bought my small one right when they first came out and it has never worked for me. There was a piece of material in it to show that it "works" and those are the ONLY stitches I have ever seen come out of that machine! Go for full-sized garage sale buy - you'll be better off!!
ok I'm most definatley in the minority. I have the little machine from provo craft, and I think it works fine. there is a trick to getting the paper out, but it's all in the instructions. granted I'd never sew a prom dress with it, but it's so quick and easy, and portable. I think it was worth the $7 I paid for it, and it came with like 20 or so colors already wound on the bobbins.
I know it doesn't do zig zag stitches, but I figure it's only being used on paper. I don't need it to be fancy. JMO
Michelle
I also own a regular sewing machine, a Whites Jeans machine. I only bought the small one so I didn't have to drag out my big one. My little one also came with a small piece of fabric in it to show that I worked but as 3kiddos said it was the only stitches that have came out of it.
I recently bought a sewing genie on clearance from Target, and it seems to work alright. It will occassionally skip a stitch if I get too impatient and try to go very fast. It was only $15. I haven't used it much yet, but just practiced on a couple pieces of scrap stock and it seems to work alright. It only does straight stiches though, but it does have a top and bottom bobbin and you can use full spools of thread instead of the top bobbin if you want.
Sewing machines.....any ideas?
