How to buy a sewing machine

A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric or other material together with thread.Sewing machines have come a long way since the early prototypes and are extremely flexible in their usage, from the home user right up to commercial manufacturers. There are three types of sewing machines below.

Electronic sewing machines
The machine needle works when an electric impulse shoots through it while a traditional foot pedal allows the sewer to vary the pressure and control the speed of the needle and the rate at which the fabric is fed through.

These models allow for a reasonable range and size of stitches which are selected by turning a dial. They are much faster and more accurate than old-fashioned manual models.

Computerised sewing machines
These machines do everything that ordinary electronic machines do plus an awful lot more. The machines are controlled by computerised chips with stitch style, tension, length and width programmed in by the manufacturer.

They are operated using a touchpad and computer screen, and you can download programs from your PC. The machine can memorise past work and will also store hundreds of different stitches for you to choose from.

Overlocker machines
Overlocker machines are used to stop fraying and give a professional finish to the seams of a garment. You can use an ordinary machine to neaten an edge but you have to cut the fabric yourself, then set the machine to zig zag stitch, which all takes time and does create a slight ridge.

You can buy an overlocker in addition to your sewing machine but you can’t use an overlocker on its own as it's limited in what it's able to do.