New Zigzaggers

Important link if you're shopping for a new machine

I'm so pleased that we're gathering a nice variety of new sewing machine reviews here at New Zigzaggers and I certainly think that this review format makes it easy to compare brands and models.

But seriously, if you've found this site because you're looking to buy a new sewing machine, you must also check out the reviews at an amazing website, PatternReview.com. If you register, you'll be able to search and read reviews of sewing machines of all ages, makes, and models for free -- the only catch is that you can only access the reviews that have been written over the past six months. Many, many people write reviews at PatternReview.com, however, so you'll still get an unbelievable amount of information.

And then, if you want more, you can upgrade your membership to "Friends of PR" for $30 for the whole year. This is a bargain, people, if you love sewing and do a lot of it -- once you have your machine, the fine seamsters and sewists at PatternReview will make your life many times easier and better by telling you which patterns work and which don't, and offering details about how they made adjustments for fit and function. I rarely tap into the wealth of articles and interviews that are posted on the home page, but I can while away hours gazing at other people's creations and reading the details of how they made their masterpieces.

(In the same vein, I must also mention the brilliant open-source sewing site Burdastyle, where amazing people create amazing clothes -- often with no pattern at all, or from patterns they share with fellow Burdastylers. There's no real sewing-machine component on Burdastyle, but it's a great site for inspiration and community once you get into the process of creating stuff!)

Huskystar C10

by Ayala Levinger, who blogs about her crafty projects here

Love it, hate it, or something in between? Love it! It is my second sewing machine. (My first sewing machine was also a new one -- a Toyota, which wasn't bad at all.)

When did you buy this sewing machine? January 2008.

When was it manufactured? I don't know, but it was new in the box when I bought it.

Where did you buy it? A sewing machine shop in eastern Netherlands. I bought the machine online (I live in western Netherlands).

How much did you pay for it? 345 euros.

How many projects have you done on this machine? Many -- I use it almost every day and I always have many projects going, all in different stages. I've made cushions and at least 2 quilts, 5 or 6 bags, and other little things such as gifts, scarves, pincushions, etc.

Describe the kind of work you've done with it. I make patchwork quilts. I use the quarter-inch foot and the needle position adjustment function in the sewing machine. I didn't have this function in my first sewing machine and it was difficult to sew the seam allowance accurately. I also quilt with the free-motion option and I make bags. I make wearable pieces with crazy quilt parts. Because these pieces should be washed sometimes, I crazy quilt with the machine. My machine has many decorative stitches and it is possible to use them in endless combinations! I love that and use it often.

What do you like and what do you hate about it?
The functions I like so far in this new machine:
    * The needle position adjustment is perfect for a special 1/4 inch foot for accurate patchwork seams.
    * Decorative stitches -- great for crazy quilting!
    * The speed-adjustment so I can sew really really fast or realllllly slow, (or in the middle, of course).
    * It is much quieter than the Toyota so I can sew when my son sleeps.
    * Because the thread spool lies down instead of standing up, it never continues to roll after I've been sewing fast (which did happen with the Toyota).
    * It is computerized and remembers things!
    * I can choose from the start to have the needle stay down whenever I stop sewing! And with one button it goes up again.
    * It has a little closet where I can put my bobbins, feet and -- most important -- the seam-ripper. The Toyota also had a closet but it was under this thing that you pull out when sewing sleeves. Now I can open it to find my stuff while sewing!
    * It is beautiful to look at.

I haven't found things I don't like about it yet.

Singer CG-550

by Jennifer Reece, who writes one of my favorite kinds of blogs at David and Daisy -- it's all about her day-to-day sewing projects

Love it, hate it, or something in between? Somewhere in between... it's a basic machine, nothing fancy -- no bells or whistles. I use it to sew straight and zig-zag stitches, put in zippers, and make buttonholes. There are settings to work with knits, and I'll be trying that out soon, but I haven't had the chance yet.

When did you buy this sewing machine? 2004

When was it manufactured? 2004

Where did you buy it? A Hancock Fabric store in Savannah, GA. Some Singer representatives were there, selling commercial grade machines.

How much did you pay for it? About $250, I think.

How many projects have you done on this machine? Too many to count - I use it for all my sewing. It's my only machine (besides my overlock machine).

Describe the kind of work you've done with it. I sew all types of things with this machine. I make pillows, curtains, bedding, and clothing. Pretty much everything.

What do you like and what do you hate about it? I love that it is really fast. I bought it because it has a commercial grade engine, so it runs up to 1100 stitches per minute. It really is a good, decent, standard machine. The only problem I have is that it runs so fast that it vibrates too much, and sometimes moves across the table! I've been trying to figure out how to stabilize it a bit more, but the only thing that works is for me to slow down. And I hate slowing down to sew, especially if I am sewing long seams in curtains, for example.