This video is super chatty but hopefully informative as well! I talk (and show) my three sewing machines in great detail. Including a singer 191D20, Heavy Duty 4423, and a vintage 15 30. Timestamps and more info below!

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Machines:

Singer 191D20 Industrial // 1:37

Brochure: http://www.sewinggold.com/BrochuresS...

For sale here (haven't used this site): https://goldstartool.com/SINGERINDUS...

Singer 1530 with Tiffany Gingerbread details (approx. 1910) // 11:04

Manual: http://www.singerco.com/uploads/downl...

Identifying vintage singers: http://www.needlebar.org/main/15chart...

Singer Heavy Duty 4423 // 16:45

Description: http://www.singerco.com/products/2122...

For sale here (this is an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...


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Others mentioned:

191D30 (sister machine to my industrial)
Juki machines in general as an alternative to singer industrial
Singer 4411 (heavy duty, cheaper model)
Singer 4452 (heavy duty, more expensive model)
Singer CG590 (classroom machine)
Janome machines, in general

My "dream machine", the Jones Serpantine : https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com...

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ADVICE FOR SEWING MACHINE SHOPPING THAT GOT EDITED OUT:

My biggest piece of advice for sewing machine shopping is to keep in mind that more doesn’t mean better. In fact more often means less focused, which leads to a lower quality machine overall. The vast majority of people do not need 90 decorative stitches, 18 different types of buttonhole stitches, a needle threader, 12 different feet, and LCD screen and extra bright light.

The money that goes into those additional features is usually means the durability and structural integrity of the machine suffers. And the majority of machines that boast about these things can not successfully do all of them. Either they don’t stitch densely enough, or they are too prone to tension problems.

All you really need is a straight stitch, stretch stitch, zig zag stitch, blind hemming stitch, and a buttonhole stitch. You’ll be hard pressed to find a commercial (or professionally made) garment that uses more than that. Decorative stitches are usually only found on children’s clothing, or quilts. If you focus on getting a machine that spends money on the frame rather than the bells and whistles, you’ll probably end up with a better (and cheaper!) sewing machine.

As far as price goes, I would encourage you to save up around $100150. Though there are cheaper machines, they are often made of such low quality parts that they perform more like a kids toy than a functional machine. They will be far more predisposed to jamming and tension problems, which are a very frustrating things to deal with regardless of your skill level. I think you are less likely to continue with sewing as a hobby when the machine itself is a cause of so many problems, which is why it’s worth saving up if it is something you want to pursue.

On the other side, you don’t have to spend a ridiculous amount. There are a lot of $1500$5000 machines out there, which might be nice to work on, but are highly unnecessary for most hobbyists (or even professionals). Unless you need an upper end embroidery, quilting, or industrial with some specific function, there isn’t a reason to spend more than $800.

My final bit of advice is to read reviews, but be wary of them. A lot of reviews (especially on amazon) are fake. And even more detailed reviews could be paid for. Negative reviews may belong to people who are using a sewing machine for the first time, since it’s very easy to blame tension problems or jamming on the machine when it could be user error. Try to find video or blogger reviews that go through all the pros in cons. 34 star reviews tend to be more trustworthy as well.


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If you are interested in seeing more of my work or contacting me, I'll leave links to my various sites below!

Instagram:   / angelacostumery  
FAQ:    • Frequently Asked Questions & A bit ab...  
Blog: https: http://angelacostumery.com
Portfolio: http://angelaclayton.crevado.com/
Email: [email protected] [serious inquires only please!]

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About me:

My name is Angela Clayton, I’m a twenty year old designer and seamstress who is currently living on Long Island, in NY.

I’ve been sewing for five years and focused on period costumes and original designs for the last three. I make costumes for fun and to expand my skill set so I can hopefully get a job in the industry someday.

Check out my FAQ linked about to hear more about me, and any of the other sites to see more of my work!

I can be contacted with inquires about paid work via the email above.

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