I have a good friend who would like to buy two small, kid friendly sewing machines for her dgds. Does anyone have a suggestion? What do you use with your favorite girls. The girls are both 8.
They are sure to be future quilters. They love fabric and any place that sells fabric.

Wow! I wish my dd had been interested in sewing!

The one I have seen recommended is the Hello Kitty by Janome. It's not a toy sewing machine, but rather a 3/4-size sewing machine. I think it would be perfect for interested 8yos! Here is a link to it:

http://www.american-sewing.com/janom...-3-4-size.html

There are other Hello Kitty machines; your friend needs to be sure it is the version made by Janome. The others are just toys.

An alternative to the Hello Kitty by Janome is one of the Janome Jem machines. These are also 3/4-size machines but made for serious sewers. It's an entire line, with the more expensive machines in the line having more features. Here is a link to one of the machines in the line:

http://www.sewvacdirect.com/janome660jem.html

These may not be the lowest prices you can find; I just did a quick Google for them. I think your friend will find that the reviews on these machines are very positive.

I agree, don't buy a toy. They are really harder to use and slip and slide . I had a toy as a child and it was a pain. I don't think I could even sew on it now, although I wish I had it now. It is a collectors item,a pretty little red metal job with a crank handle. I actually have a toy I bought recently for sewing on greeting cards, It sews a beautiful stitch,but if you try to sew cloth it is just too light .

I checked out that little Janome Hello Kitty 3/4. It looks like a gem to me. I also wanted to tell you the toys only have a straight stitch,none of the fun ones.

My 7 year old granddaughter made her first quilt on a $10.00 mini machine I bought at Rite Aid. It runs on batteries or electricity and we took it camping. It is just like this one

http://www.amazon.com/Michley-LSS-20...8065517&sr=1-6

I later got her a Janome sew mini Paid around $50.00 for it

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Janome-Mini-Compact

If I had it to do over I would have spent the money on an inexpensive full size machine from Walmart. If she continues to be interested she can always upgrade to what she wants.

I work at rite Aid . That's the same machine I bought for sewing on greeting cards.

I paid $10.00 half off for the first one just bought another one for $20.00 so she has one for camping. We don't have electricity where we camp and It sews so well for a super cheap machine. I have tried other ones that I have seen and they are junk! I will have to try it on cards!!

When my granddaughter got a toy sewing machine from her mother (a non-sewer) for Christmas, one year, I saw how frustrated she was getting with it. It didn't sew well at all. My mother and I chipped in together and got her a low priced one from Sears. I've never seen those small ones from Janome :D ....hmmmmm.... :wink: ...la la la....Santa Claus Is Coming to Town...la la la. :D

I bought my 10yo daughter a used sewing machine at a yard sale, and it does sew pretty well. BUT....she prefers to use my Bernina, and whines if I'm trying to sew at the same time she wants to. If you are going to get them something else to sew on, DON'T LET THEM SEW ON YOUR MACHINE OR YOU'LL NEVER GET TO USE IT YOURSELF! :lol: :lol:

I bought one of the mini sewing machine and threw it out. Too frustrating for any one to mess with. I bought my DGD the Hello Kitty, 3/4 size machine by Janome. She loves it. The 1/2 size Hello Kitty is a toy don't buy that one. Also Sears has a 3/4 portable model only not Hello Kitty color or as cute but very nice.

I started my DGD with one of those toy ones. It was a piece of junk. Didn't sew well and was a pain. When Hancock Fabrics ran their Janome Sew Mini on sale for $39 I got her one. She loves it and it sews great. It's a real sewing machine , bobbin and all. She loves it. She started out sewing on my dinning room table, but I moved her to her little table and it's much easier for her to sew. By the way she was 6 when I got it so it is kid friendly.

I'm looking to buy my 17 year old a sewing machine for Christmas. I started sewing not long ago and she has completely jumped into with me. But I really want to get her a machine of her own. She graduates high school this year and then it's off to college. I thought it would be a good hobby for her to continue since I can't keep her out of my fabric or off my machine. She made her first purse a couple of days ago and has made some coasters. Today she went nuts in the LQS. She also found glow-in-the-dark thread she just had to have :lol:

Any ideas for a 17 year old?

Yes, start her out with a mid range Bernina. It will last her for years and be a great back up machine for her in the future.

I would go ahead and buy her a real machine, for one it would be money well spent and it would last her for quite some time.

If it was me I would buy a vintage machine just for the fact that you can get them fairly cheap and they are very well made.

I have a 1974 Kenmore 1320 with all of the accessories that was only used a few times in its life and only paid $15 for it and the pecan tri-fold cabinet. I sold the cabinet and put the machine in a portable case so I could use it for classes. For a full size machine it is very light and it would be a perfect beginner machine.

Billy

Maybe check a dealer on a used model, that way they could get some decorative stitches too and a machine that will last them into their teens and beyond....

littlehud: your granddaughter looks so happy in the 2nd picture--she's adorable :D

We got the girls each a Singer "Pixie" (sssshhhh don't tell em) for Christmas this year. They are "crafting and sewing" machines, small enough for little ones to use. They're cuter than all get out...purple and green. I haven't test driven them yet, but the lady at WalMart said her granddaughters love theirs. They were right around $40 each in the store. They're a bit more on the website...
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10992860

I gave my g-grandson who is 12 my old sewing machine that I bought in the '70s. It is a brother and a work horse. It has lots of decorative stitches and feed dog drops down so he will be able to do quilting on it when the time comes if he wants to.
I really prefer the older machine even though they are heavy. When you place them on a table they stay put.

Thanks everyone. I told her I would post the question when I got home from work yesterday and I would have some suggestions for her today. I know you would come through for her. If anyone else has any suggestions I will pass them along.

I'd probably get her a Janome Jem because it weighs only 12 lbs or so and is therefore very portable. I think the 3/4 size is great for dorm room storage too. Many quilters get one of these to take to classes. I love my vintage machines and my Bernina, but they are heavy. I think the Janome Jem is the modern equivalent of the old Singer Featherweight and Bernina Minimatic machines (the only two vintage machines I have that could be considered a practical portable for a high school graduate off to college; however, much harder to find and more expensive than the Janome Jem).

Thanks for the info. I'll check that out.

I bought a small Janome for 60.00 at Hancock Fabrics and it is light weight and perfect for grandkids. A starter machine. A little noisie but runs great. This way you can see if they really want to sew and maybe get a better one later on. Also check the comments when looking on the internet, The Singer had the worst review. :lol:

In NJ, a store named Boscov's has small, electric adult sewing machines, between $30-$50...even the drug stores(ie.Rite-Aid, Walgreen's,etc. carry them)...they'd be perfect for eight year olds.

For a 17 year old, the Singer 221 is great and portable. Many quilts remain in these machines. Just purchased a 1936 221, cleaned the dust bunnys out, oiled, lubed and she runs like new.....check www.livingwellforless.net for other good sewing buys

I'm in agreement with everybody here - don't get a toy machine. My feeling on the Hello Kitty machine is: even though I know women who have bought them to take to class and love them, let's face it, teens are very self-consious and when those 8 year olds get to be about 12 they're not going to want to sew on a Hello Kitty no matter how good it is. By the time they're 30, they won't care anymore but when they're teens it's not gonna be cool. I have 14 and 16 yo daughters and I know this. So either plan on replacing it with a "grown up" machine in a few years or get one of the Janome Jems. Or, if grandma would like the Hello Kitty to take to classes, buy that one now and trade with grandaughter for another machine in a few years. Then everybody goes home happy!

Sounds like you have almost heard enough on this subject but I have to weigh in. Let me first say that my sewing background is extensive and part of why I have such a strong opinion. Our High School sewing labs used Singers and Elnas and our Community Colleges and Universities used Berninas. The Singers were junk. The Elna's were good until I purchased one in 1994 and it was a lemon. I didn't think I could afford a Bernina, but could have paid for one I am sure with all the complications of an inferior machine. I finally purchased a Bernina 1260 QPE in 1997 and it is worth more than diamonds and gold to me. I am retired from teaching now, but work with a fantastic group of ladies doing Charity Quilting. "My" ladies have a variety of sewing machines (Janomes, Jems, Viking/Husqvarna sp?) and they are only adequate at best. Recently I helped two of these dear quilters each purchase Bernina's bottom of the line 1080 mechanical sewing machine (last of the cb hooks I think) and they have reached sewing nirvana. I believe the purchase price for the 1080 was $799. Note that for a quilter there are add-ons you won't be able to live without that I wish Bernina would just include. The Patchwork foot, free-motion foot, walking foot (pricey at $150) and extension table are must haves. I sew with people ages 10 to 85 years old and hands down they fight to sew on the Berninas I have in my studio. I would save for a Bernina before I wasted money on a sewing machine that will only serve to frustrate its user.

dont go with the toy sewing machine i bought 2 of my grands one for Christmas and they were a pain in the but!! i would spend a little more and get a good starter sewing machine i have 2 in my sewing room one for me and the other for the girls to use it is for both but stays at gramma s house !!!!!! that way they are busy and so am i we sew together

I have granddaughters ages 9 & 12 and for Christmas I am giving them each a baby lock sewing machine. They are having a sale through Dec. 31 and the machines are $99.00 and originally sell for $249. I believe. If you don't have a baby lock dealer in your area try the brother machine.

I bought my college bound g'daughter a Janome Jem Gold for her dorm. She's in love with it. It was also my first machine for carrying to quilting workshops and I loved it too. It's the least expensive of the Janomes and sometimes you can catch a sale. It's a real work horse, I've been using mine steadily for so many years, in fact since the year it first came on the market. You can't go wrong with it. 8)

My grandaugther is 12 and she wanted the Hello Kitty! She has a Janome Gem to use but the Hello Kitty is the have to have machine for her and her friends. :D

I almost bought a Janome Hello Kitty one for my DD's 6th birthday (a year and a half ago). I decided to go with a cheaper machine. Boy did I make a huge mistake. I just got a piece of junk that is hard to sew on.
If I had it to do over again, I'd put some more money with it and buy a "real" machine. I may do that for Christmas because, although this little junky thing is light and runs off of batteries or electric, it doesn't perform well.

If weight is not an issue (will she be lugging it to classes?) I would look into some of the vintage Singers. they are simple, good stitching, cheap and she will enjoy sewing on them. I am thinking of the vintage Spartan, 99's, 15-91s, etc. My GD learned on my 221 and loves it. elaine

I'm surprised that noone has suggested the obvious - let them have your machine when you upgrade!

My granddaughter started sewing at about 4 on a little Singer Featherweight that her mom had. She made an apron and won a purple ribbon at the fair. This year she made a little quilt and when it was time to quilt she used her mom's Janome with a walking foot. Again she got a purple ribbon. I would go to a local sewing machine store and look for a good used machine. There are many out there that were traded in for an upgrade. Those inexpensive machines can be very frustrating.

Kenmore (sold by Sears) has some smaller machines that are under $100, and I was told by the salesperson that they are now made by Janome.

I wouldn't buy a toy...get a inexpensive real machine. If you can, find a machine with a speed regulator. This way, even if she has put the pedal all the way to the floor, the speed will not be too fast. Viking has a nice machine with the speed regulator for under $300. I think it is the #118???
Otherwise, a nice used machine. :D

I am totally in agreement, buy her a real sewing machine, and I also agree with the Bernina. I bought my first sewing machine when I was a new wife (1967) and then sold it to buy a new singer 648 (1971) and I STILL have it in the cabinet and I still use it, even though I do have a newer Bernina, a new Pfaff and two older Pfaff. I have found my two Pfaffs on Craigs list for a very low price, and I take them in, have them cleaned and checked out, and they are FANTASTIC...hence, the new one. A real machine will last indefinitely, until they decide to get a newer model on their own.

I bought our gd a Mini sew Janome and it sews great. It was $39. and worth every dime. Would recommend it for an basic machine for anyone who needs one just for repair work.

If you are going to make the investment in a machine, make a good investment. Bernina has come out with a machine that is very light weight (great for classes) offers 6 stitches and is only $149 with a 10 year warranty.

I have a 640 and a 153 but am saving up to get this new one for retreats and classes. Way easier to lug around.

I have one of those Janome's that were on sale for $79 dollars for my niece, who never came back to sew with me...still IN the box, never opened, and now I am saving it for my 3 year old granddaughter..hope hope hope hope....would love to see one of the girls in my family quilt.
I have 2 Bernina's, and don't know which one I love the most...oh...both of them! I bought my 1010 off Ebay, it was a school sewing machine, and it was used but in good condition. Sews like a champ