[MR] sewing machine advice

[David Chessler]

I have read that really cheap machines use plastic gears and don't last long.
It's something you can ask about.

It is possible to get really cheap chinese-made industrial sewing machines.
But these don't have fancy stitches.
http://www.harborfreight.com/single-needle-industrial-sewing-machine-3914.html

My grandmother had an old treadle-powered singer, and it was only after she
died that we learned it was an industrial model. 

------ Original Message ------
Received: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 07:27:11 PM EST
From: William Faleston <faleston at gmail.com>
To: Merry rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Subject: [MR] sewing machine advice

> Greetings to the list,
> 
> My super-cool non-SCAdian grandmother is a seamstress, and at 84 is still
> sewing up a storm. She used a great old Singer for decades until it died.
> When she bought an inexpensive replacement a few years ago, she quickly
> realized how cheap modern sewing machines can be. It's already falling
> apart.
> 
> We're thinking about getting her a new one, and I was fishing for a bit of
> advice. I use an ancient Singer 237 and am happy with it, so I'm not much
> help with the newfangled machines. What would you garb gurus out there
> recommend? We probably want to stay light on the complex computer controls,
> but we want a good, solid, dependable, quality machine that will last. I
> want only the best for the woman who sewed my first garb!
> 
> Thanks for any advice you can give.
> 
> In service
> William de Faleston.
> ========================================================================
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