Stitches and Tips for Buying a Sewing Machine

If you’ve recently taken up sewing as a serious hobby, buying your first sewing machine can pose a challenge – even the cheapest ones can have a dizzying list of features! Nothing may be more important than considering not just what you need right now but also in the future as your sewing progresses.

Of course, in the world of sewing machines, stitches are king. How many should you have on your machine? The key is not to be enticed by number of stitches. Instead, look for a machine with stitches you’ll use instead of being tempted by a large number of stitches.

For starters, there are only two stitches you’ll need to sew well: straight and zigzag. You can do pretty much all kinds of sewing with either or both. But there are a few other stitches or stitch features that can give you a bit nicer results.

Below is a guide for checking out different stitches you might find when you buy a sewing machine:

Straight

You have to be able to tweak the length of a straight stitch from 0mm – 5mm. At 5, you can baste and gather; 0 is for locking stitches. You will probably usually sew at 2.5mm, but having adjustable stitches offers more flexibility. In any case, buy a machine where stitch adjustments can be made easily.

Zigzag

Both the length and width of this stitch should be adjustable.

Buttonhole

Since a buttonhole stitch is no more than an automated version of a zigzag stitch, any machine that can make a zigzag stitch will most probably include a buttonhole feature too. Even the least expensive machines are made with some kind of buttonhole option. But if you can, try this one out before paying for a machine.

Stretch or Knit

Two types of stitches work best for sewing with knits. One resembles the appearance of a lightning symbol while the other is a triple stretch stitch. When stitched, knits will stretch without popping the threads. You can sew stretch fabrics nice using a zigzag stitch, but special knit stitches are still the best for the job.

Blind Hem

To make invisible hems on pants and skirts, you can count on blind hem stitches.

Utility

In most cases, sewing machines will have some utility stitches, which include knit/stretch. These work great for creating decorative stitches and of course for securing seams.

If you’ve been sewing for a while, you should already know which stitches you want to have. By then, a new sewing machine should be in order. Yes, there are other things to take into account prior to making that purchase. Budget, special features, attachments and feet, whether it’s manual or digital – all these are important, but stitches are, of course, special. After all, it’s stitches that will truly reflect the quality of your sewing once you’re done.
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