Recommendations for an 11 year old
09-03-2015, 05:36 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: My Sewing Room
Posts: 1,180
Whatever you decide, just don't get her a toy machine. That would be enough to make her quit sewing before she really gets started! My DGD got a toy machine for Christmas and I tried to teach her to sew with it; it was a disaster. I ended up finding her a nice '80s Kenmore for $25.
09-03-2015, 06:32 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
Posts: 4,890
One advantage older machines have over newer ones for beginning sewers is the parts are easily seen and understood. Things like the take up arm and top tension are usually visible. You can see what's going on. The beginning sewer can see how the tension assembly works and how the thread must pass through the disks correctly to work. New machines tend to hide things inside the housing. You just pull the thread along a path. Another advantage is old machines need to be oiled and maintained. Why is that an advantage? It teaches young sewers how to care for a machine. It's a skill that applies to far more than just sewing.
From what I've seen of beginner level new machines one way the makers save money is they leave things out. Instead of variable stitch length and width, you have a limited choice of preset stitch lengths and widths. I don't know that it's critical but it's nice to have options.
Cost is another advantage. You get a lot of value for your money buying an old machine. They may not have all the features a higher end new model has but they're well built and with a little care will last another lifetime or longer.
I don't think the newer machines will age as gracefully as the old ones have.
Rodney
From what I've seen of beginner level new machines one way the makers save money is they leave things out. Instead of variable stitch length and width, you have a limited choice of preset stitch lengths and widths. I don't know that it's critical but it's nice to have options.
Cost is another advantage. You get a lot of value for your money buying an old machine. They may not have all the features a higher end new model has but they're well built and with a little care will last another lifetime or longer.
I don't think the newer machines will age as gracefully as the old ones have.
Rodney
But I won't.
09-03-2015, 05:40 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 851
hmm I'm partial to the 301 and featherweight but I have some 3/4 size kenmores(unfortunately I haven't made time to try them out enough to know if they're awesome but others have assured me they are..) the 1020, 1030 1040, 1045, 1050 that have the rose embossed cases? they do zig zag and different stitches built in -s omeone here I think said the bobbin winder is delicate though and hard to find replacement if it breaks
I predict that this Kenmore series will be the next "featherweight" machine of choice for quilters in the Know! They are a bit heavier than the featherweights but, in my case, tough enough to back up any of my other 11 machines if needed.
Last edited by mhollifiel; 09-03-2015 at 05:44 PM.
09-03-2015, 06:56 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 384
shopgoodwill has one of the rose case kenmores ..not sure which model it is but I think all of them do straight and zig zag and a couple more - just more stitches the higher up the model I think
glad you like yours Holli- I want to play around with mine some more- my retreat machine in July was a 301 I had just started piddling with July 4 - it was sewing good and I ended up leaving my other machine in the car and just used the 301. the 301 I'm fiddling with now isn't impressing me- I think it's the little foot 1/4 inch foot though- doesn't seem to be giving me a 1/4 inch..sigh...
glad you like yours Holli- I want to play around with mine some more- my retreat machine in July was a 301 I had just started piddling with July 4 - it was sewing good and I ended up leaving my other machine in the car and just used the 301. the 301 I'm fiddling with now isn't impressing me- I think it's the little foot 1/4 inch foot though- doesn't seem to be giving me a 1/4 inch..sigh...
09-04-2015, 05:09 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
Joe
09-04-2015, 05:26 AM
#29
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
One advantage older machines have over newer ones for beginning sewers is the parts are easily seen and understood. Things like the take up arm and top tension are usually visible. You can see what's going on. The beginning sewer can see how the tension assembly works and how the thread must pass through the disks correctly to work. New machines tend to hide things inside the housing. You just pull the thread along a path. Another advantage is old machines need to be oiled and maintained. Why is that an advantage? It teaches young sewers how to care for a machine. It's a skill that applies to far more than just sewing.
From what I've seen of beginner level new machines one way the makers save money is they leave things out. Instead of variable stitch length and width, you have a limited choice of preset stitch lengths and widths. I don't know that it's critical but it's nice to have options.
Cost is another advantage. You get a lot of value for your money buying an old machine. They may not have all the features a higher end new model has but they're well built and with a little care will last another lifetime or longer.
I don't think the newer machines will age as gracefully as the old ones have.
Rodney
From what I've seen of beginner level new machines one way the makers save money is they leave things out. Instead of variable stitch length and width, you have a limited choice of preset stitch lengths and widths. I don't know that it's critical but it's nice to have options.
Cost is another advantage. You get a lot of value for your money buying an old machine. They may not have all the features a higher end new model has but they're well built and with a little care will last another lifetime or longer.
I don't think the newer machines will age as gracefully as the old ones have.
Rodney
There are a lot of the younger people very aware of going 'green'
Some of them are buying used things and keeping things maintained.
Very good lessons - sew and maintain and keep our planet green by using the old already manufactured things.
The reason I say 'things' is because there are people rebuilding old appliances or old cars etc.
Last edited by miriam; 09-04-2015 at 05:30 AM.
09-05-2015, 11:32 AM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,585
I haven't taught any 11 year old's to sew, but I have a 403A and it's a terrific machine! It has a great straight stitch, as well as the decorative stitches when using the decorative cams. It's not difficult to use or thread, and it's simple to thread, oil and maintain!
Jeanette
Jeanette
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