what kind of sewing machine is good for a beginner? i don't want to invest too too much until i stick with it for a while but i'd like a decent one to learn with. also, is it a good idea to take classes or is just sitting down and figuring it out just as goog? my goal is to be able to make pillows, drapes, maybe simple clothes and kids' stuff. advice for a newbie???

Why don't you find a basic mechanical from a thrift store or even better a garage sale. You can usually find a good basic machine that will get you started for a wee bit of money. I found a great kenmore in a cabinet for $10 and it takes low shank feet so it's super easy to accessorize. All it needed was a good cleaning and oiling and it was good to go! Good luck in the hunt.

I received a Brother Sewing Machine for Christmas a couple years ago and I love it. I know my hubby only paid around $70 for it at Target. I love that machine and would never give it up.

Check out your local sewing machine sales and repair center. I was able to get a nice Pfaff basic sewing machine for about $100 off the list price. It was a demo model and the new models were coming out soon. My machine also came with some basic lessons on how to use my machine and what made that nice was that we actually used my machine, not a store model. Also, at my store you could sign up for a newsletter and get lists of classes that were being taught at the store each quarter.

I was directed away from the ones that you by at Walmart, Target etc. because even if they are well known brands, Singer etc, the parts in the lower cost machines were more likely to be plastic and wouldn't hold up well in the long run. JMO...:wink

Good luck in finding a sewing machine that is right for you. :thumb

My mom bought me a Brother from Wal Mart and I like it very much, simple yet hardworking. Cost around $90.

The $10 garage sale machine is often the best value for the money, but you'll want someone who sews to just check it out and make sure the tension, etc is good. The problem with old mechanical machines is that you just don't know what kind of shape they'll be in. They can almost always be fixed if they're not working right, but it will cost anywhere from $20 - 100.

If you have a little more money, I'd really second a computerized Brother machine. Mine, about $140 from Costco, came with all the feet and attachments I've needed, and that's the sort of little add-on that will drive up the price fast with other machines. Also, it's got great little features like a visible bobbin and a needle threader, which after I've had one I would pay $50 extra for, any day. And a true one-step buttonholer. And a detailed manual and starter dvd. But it's not complicated to use, at all.

My usual machine is my grandmother's mechanical $1000 Bernina (very nice, think the Volvo of the sewing world) but I have to say that for most things, the little cheapie computerized Brother machine is easier and more fun.

Personally, I wouldn't do real classes - they're expensive and usually are tied to only one type of machine, and if they're cheap, they're trying to sell you all kinds of stuff you don't need. I would figure out what it is you want to make, and track down an older lady in the community to give you personal tutorials. Ask around at church, or put up a notice on the bulletin board at a retirement center, that kind of thing. One-on-one is much more fun, and much more amenable to barter. If you can have someone to help you through a pattern that you want to make, it's a much more efficent of use of time, and you'll realize that patterns are almost all very straightforward.

If you want a tough machine that will sew on a wider range of fabrics and do simple stitches really well definitly get an older machine. 15 or more years ago things like preasure on the presser foot could always be adjusted now it's only on higher end machines.
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OTOH if you want a machine that is light, very easy to learn to use and comes with bells and whistles get a new one. A new machine will have more decorative stitches and most things just come preset.
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As for classes I learned 90% of what I know about sewing watching PBS show like "Sewing With Nancey." Your library might have some good videos.

I learned on a cheap ($100) Singer and although I am far from good at it, it served my purpose very well. I've done a lot of crazy things on it, like reupholstering a couch and making outerwear for DS, and it's been fine. I do know that it cannot handle 4 layers of heavy fabric but 2 is okay.

I bought one of those little itty bitty as-seen-on-tv ones. :lol It was $20 and great! It had 2 speeds (slow or fast) and 2 stitches (short or long). It was fun to just get the hang of it and play around with some remnants I picked up.

I was worried that I couldnt do it or hated it so I realllly didnt want to spend any money before hand. I'm glad I did! I gave it to my dd afterward. But she got bored pretty quick and now just uses my real one. :)

So, I say, get one of those. Or those ones for girls! Cheap way to test out.
:)

I also want to learn how to sew... I'm looking for a class by me. God, why didn't I pay attention in home ec... when I was 12.

I don't think you necessarily need a class. I am the kind of person who tends to get really interested in a craft thing, and then drops it just as quickly. So, when I wanted to learn how to sew, I just got one of those "as seen on TV" mini sewing machines for $19.99. I figured, if I got bored of it, it would only be 20 dollars down.

I basically just began with the simplest sewing projects available, and went up from there. My first few attempts were pretty bad. But, once you do a few projects and read some sewing books from the library ... you pretty much have the basics down and can go from there.

3 years later, lo and behold, I'm actually not bored of it. I love sewing - it's truly an art! My second sewing machine was a Singer that my great grandmother used to use. Now, I'm saving up my money for a really good machine.

It's really a lot of fun once you get into it; I actually find sewing kind of addicting.