patchsamkim

I was taught early on to not sew over pins...with any machine. I have heard of many people who's machines have come out of alignment and worse because of sewing over (or into!) pins, just not a good idea. One person I know needed to get a whole new needle take up bar because of sewing into a pin. SO, if you fix the machine you have, or get a new one, please stop sewing over pins!

Tothill

Janome has some great lower priced machines (they used to make the Kenmores). If you are just looking for a back up machine.

My Janome made Kenmore is 25+ years old and still sews well.

If you are comfortable buying a used machine, you can probably find a good solid used machine online or at a Thrift shop for $50.00 or less.

catmcclure

I don't have a suggestion about a machine - except maybe for an older 301A. I have one and it works beautifully.

My suggestion regarding sewing over pins is to sew very slowly. I've found that putting the machine on the slowest speed helps with hitting the pins. That, and I also pin my fabric pieces parallel to the seam allowance instead of across it.

sewdamncute

May I gently suggest you go to a sewing machine shop and get off the car lot!

bearisgray

Leaving a pin in the seam line is fine - as long as the needle doesn't hit the pin.

I've also had a needle break on a pin while sewing a seam - and the broken part flew in my face.
It also roughs up the needle or can bend the needle if the needle doesn't break.

If this is an AGAIN situation - maybe sewing technique/method should be changed?

A really really drastic solution for holding some things together - is hand basting! It does work! It does take a few minutes and it does require getting out a hand sewing needle, thread, and possibly a thimble. But for some situations, it really is an effective way of temporarily holding layers together until one can machine sew it. And there is no goop or glop to clean up later, either. And hand basting can be removed much faster than a machine stitched seam that is wrong.

Gabrielle's Mimi

Berninausa are excellent, but a little pricey. Buy a "previously loved" Bernina to get the most bang for your buck. You'll never regret buying quality!

QultingaddictUK

WOW what a coincidence, I have this last month treated myself to a £1100 elna 720 and this evening, still learning about it I broke a needle and had a heck of job getting it out, I found 2 broken bits of but not the larger part. OMG when as is my norm I removed the stitch plate to explore I found that the last piece had dropped into the bobbin holder, not the bobbin but in-between the bobbin and it's holder. Now if I hadn't persevered to find that last bit I could have wrecked the timing which would have destroyed the machine, phew am I pleased that I take so much care of my machine.

I am so picky with sort of things that my machines are in great order and I have passed them onto other people in priistine condition, my advice NEVER EVER sew over pins and always make sure you have found ALL the pieces of a brokent needle.

One of the best tools I have is a long tweezer, not the eyebrow type something similar to these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Nonmagne...item2a143442e1 Most of the modern machines you can't use anything magnetic on them and these really do the job without hassle or danger to the machine, just hide them from the men folk as they have so many uses for them

k9dancer

Get yourself a good old Singer 15 or a Japanese made 15 clone. And it's always a good idea to remove the pins, although I was taught to sew over them in the 60's when learning to sew garments. Still way too easy to break something (like yourself).

twoxover

i bought the viking 140c--which is essentially a rebadged saphire 855. cost me 1200-. the 835 is just under 1000-. so far, VERY pleased with the 140c. and i admit to sewing over a pin or twelve <g>

Carol34446

I have a Kenmore bought new in 80's. mechanical and all metal and I always sewed clothes and over pins, no problem. I know the newer computerized machines while they sew good and have lots of stitches are not as tough as the older ones, like Grama's 201-3. Look for a good mechanical, like 201 which sews leather and drapery material really easy, even if it only sews straight forward and backward, how it sews.