Sewing guides
Sewing machines for beginners, clothing and heavy fabrics, compared by model.
The best heavy duty sewing machine for denim, canvas and leather'Heavy duty' is a marketing label. What actually gets a needle through eight layers of denim is piercing power, presser foot lift and an even feed. Here are seven machines whose listings back the label up.
The best sewing machine for beginners, picked from what new sewists actually buyAn automatic needle threader, a drop-in bobbin and a one-step buttonhole matter more than 200 stitches. Here are seven machines that make learning easy, from about the price of a mini machine upward.
The best sewing machine for making clothes, from first T-shirt to tailored jacketGarment sewing asks for a few specific things: good buttonholes, a free arm for sleeves, stretch stitches for knits and control at slow speed. Seven machines that do them well.
Is Singer a good sewing machine brand? Yes, with one clear specialtySinger's Heavy Duty machines are among the most-rated sewing machines on Amazon, and their specs back up the name. Here's where Singer shines, where Brother is the better buy, and which Heavy Duty model to choose.
Sewing machine needle sizes chart: which needle for which fabricTwo numbers and one point type solve most stitching problems. Here's how to read a needle pack, a chart by fabric, and the packs worth keeping in your sewing drawer.