Best Sewing Machines for Beginners

If you are a beginner sewer looking for a brand new sewing machine, the process can be extremely daunting. Finding the best sewing machine to fit your beginner needs can prove to be quite the task. Whether you are interested in a sewing machine for quilting, dressmaking, or any other projects, any of the machines on our list will serve you well. All of our picks for sewing machines for beginners will serve you well!

Our Favourite: Brother FS100WT

Brother is known the world over for producing smartly designed and reliably made sewing machines for all types of sewers, from beginners to professionals. The Brother FS100WT is no exception to this notion, as it is a handy little computerised machine that will service you and your household for years and years to come. It is great for sewers of all skill levels, especially beginners.

The Brother FS100WT is a mid-range computerised sewing machine that features a set of 100 stitches, including eight buttonholes and even an alphabet set. This particular model is good for quilting and free motion embroidery, so you can be sure you will be able to use it for all of your future projects.

The design of the Brother FS100WT is very similar to other machines in the same range, and it has all of the same style. It is small and surprisingly lightweight, which means that you will be able to easily bring it to and from sewing classes without much of a struggle. This device comes with a total of eight presser feet including an all purpose foot, a zipper foot, an overcast stitch foot, a monogramming foot, a blind stitch foot, a buttonhole food, a button sewing foot, and a free motion embroidery foot. This selection is so extensive that you can be sure that you will not have to purchase additional presser feet for many many years to come.

One unique feature on the Brother FS100WT is its speed control slider. Having this feature means that you can operate the machine and adjust your sewing speed with this lever rather than using the foot pedal. This gives you much more control over sewing speed, which is great if you happen to be a beginner.

The Brother FS100WT has a top loading drop-in bobbin with a clear plastic cover, which is standard for newer machines such as this one. It also features an automatic needle threader, which makes things simple when setting up. Having an automatic needle threader on your sewing machine is a game changer as it will save you so much time.

All Brother FS machines have a clear and bright LCD screen. It is simple and easy to use, and even features an icon to tell you which presser foot you should be using. The more stitches you use with this machine, the more useful this screen becomes.

The Brother FS100WT comes with an extension table, which is a nice feature to have as it does not come with every sewing machine. In fact, the ‘WT’ in the name of this device stands for ‘wide table.’ This feature is especially useful if you plan to use your sewing machine for quilting.

Purchase of this particular model comes with a hard cover. It is not a super great fit, but it does the job.

Pros:

• This sewing machine provides the user with a huge array of stitches, which means that you will always have something new and different to try with every project.
• The speed control slider that is included on the Brother FS100WT is a great option for new sewers, as you do not have to depend on the foot pedal to adjust your sewing speed.

Cons:

• Even though this sewing machine comes with an alphabet set, it is a fixed size and all uppercase.
• The dust cover does not fit the sewing machine very well.

All in all, the Brother FS100WT is a handy, well designed machine that has plenty of options for new sewers. This sewing machine is especially perfect if you plan to do a lot of quilting or embroidery because of its included freehand embroidery foot and helpful extension table. It can sew soft, delicate fabrics like satin and heavy duty ones like canvas. The Brother FS100WT has all the bells and whistles that will satisfy any experienced sewer, but it is easy enough to operate for a beginner sewer as well.

For these reasons, the FS100WT is the best beginner sewing machine.

A Close Second: Janome GD8100

Janome is another brand that is well known in the sewing industry. They are well known for producing impeccably designed machines that are built to last. The Janome GD8100 is a great machine for sewers of all skill levels, from beginners to professionals.

With the Janome GD8100, you will be able to sew confidently with all types of fabrics including lightweight cottons and even heavy duty denims. It features 100 pre programmed stitches and even three different automatic buttonholes.

This particular model is fitted with an LCD screen display that makes it easy for the operator to see the stitch they are working with in addition to the stitch length and width. All of these features are entirely adjustable on the screen as well.

The Janome GD8100 features a jam proof, magnetic, top loading, and full rotary hook system that does away with the need for a renewable bobbin case. You can open the hook cover plate with the touch of a button.

This particular model features a seven piece feed mechanism, a drop feed facility, a sliding speed control, an automatic needle threader, and a soft cover.

Pros:

• This model comes with a whopping 100 stitches, which is more than enough to get started with for a beginner sewer.
• This machine is deceptively lightweight, which makes it easy to store away when it is not in use or to take back and forth to sewing classes.

Cons:

• This sewing machine is on the expensive side when it comes to machines for beginners.
• The directions that come included with purchase of the Janome GD8100 are not very easy to read.

Overall, the Janome GD8100 is an impressive machine that packs a punch for its size. It is easy to use and a joy to learn sewing on. It is even simple enough to use that children can sew on it.

Best for Garment Making: Jaguar Overlocker

If you are a beginner that is looking for a bit more of a challenge, perhaps the Jaguar Overlocker sewing machine will be the best choice for you. If you foresee yourself using your sewing machine for making clothing, then an overlocker sewing machine is a great choice. It allows you to easily hem otherwise tricky garments for a flawless finish.

The Jaguar Overlocker is a favourite among sewers of all skill levels. It has many more capabilities than a regular sewing machine does. Both front doors open, making threading the needles extremely easy. There are so many additional features like lay in tensions with tension release for easy looper threading. The knobs and threading components are also colour coded for added ease of use.

You can trim fabric while you sew or hem with the Jaguar Overlocker as it features a detachable knife. Purchase of this model also comes with a stitch finger, needle set, brush, machine cover, screwdriver, oiler, spanner, tweezers, thread net, accessories bag, foot control, an instruction manual.

Pros:

• The Jaguar Overlocker actually arrives threaded in the box, so you can start sewing straight away.
• Especially for an overlocker sewing machine, this model is incredibly affordable.

Cons:

• This model is definitely on the heavier side when compared to other beginner sewing machines, so it is difficult to bring to and from sewing classes.
• Overlocker sewing machines in general are more finicky than regular sewing machines for beginners are.

If you plan to dive into sewing your own clothing, then the Jaguar Overlocker is definitely a great purchase for you. It has a learning curve to overcome, but once you grow comfortable operating this device, you will be more than please with what you can make.

Most Affordable: Signstek Sewing Machine

If you are sewing on a budget, then the Signstek sewing machine is the perfect purchase for you. It offers the bare minimum when it comes to sewing machines, but it does the job. If you have limited money to spend and you do not foresee yourself using your new sewing machine everyday, then this is a great starter device.

The Signstek sewing machine has been crafted with a compact and lightweight design that allows for easy transport and handling by the user. If you are taking sewing classes, this is a fantastic machine to have in your arsenal as it can easily be taken back and forth to class. This sewing machine for beginners has a maximum speed of 650 stitches per minute and a large knob and clear display for simple operation.

Another great feature of this sewing machine is that it can either be powered with an electric cable or by four AA batteries. This only adds to its ease of transport. You can sew anywhere with the Signstek sewing machine!

This particular model has all of the stitches you need to become proficient at sewing. It has 12 useful stitches and a four step buttonhole.

Pros:

• You will not be able to find a better sewing machine for a cheaper price.
• The Signstek is small but mighty; it can even handle thick, heavy duty fabrics like denim.

Cons:

• This sewing machine is designed for people who are completely new to the craft. It may not have enough bells and whistles on it if you are already proficient in the basics.
• The manual only comes written in Danish.

If you are a complete newbie when it comes to the world of sewing, the perhaps consider buying the Signstek sewing machine. It is a wonderful beginner sewing machine to learn the art on and is incredibly affordable too.

Uten Computerised Sewing Machine

Almost all new sewing machines today are computerised. They take the guess work out of sewing, as the user can always know exactly which settings they are sewing with at all times.

The Uten Computerised sewing machine is a joy to sew with and a great machine to learn the craft on. This sewing machine for beginners has 200 unique built in stitches that will always have you sewing confidently. With this many stitches, you will never get bored of sewing with the Uten Computerised sewing machine.

The display on the Uten Computerised sewing machine is a backlit LCD screen with easy to understand navigation buttons. Stitch length and width are adjustable here, among other settings. This sewing machine also includes a built in easy needle threader, a quick set drop in top loading bobbin, an automatic bobbin system, and a free arm for sewing cuffs and sleeves.

The Uten Computerised sewing machine is built for convenience. It has features like a drop feed for free motion embellishing. It also comes comes complete with five presser feet including a zig zag foot, a zipper foot, a button foot, a blind stitch foot, and a buttonhole foot. These presser feet are more than enough to get you started on your beginner sewing journey. You surely will not have to buy additional presser feet for a long while.

Pros:

• As far as beginner sewing machines go, the Uten Computerised sewing machine is a dream. It is extremely easy to use and the LCD screen puts all of the pertinent information right in front of the operator at all times.
• Having so many stitches can seem daunting at first, but this huge selection will allow you to customise every unique project to your liking.

Cons:

• Some customers have complained that the instruction manual that comes with the Uten Computerised sewing machine is not very easy to understand.
• The customer support from Uten is not the best as noted by some online reviewers.

All in all, the Uten Computerised sewing machine is one of the best sewing machines for beginners. It is very easy to learn to sew with this machine and it comes with everything you need. From presser feet to additional sewing accessories, this device has you covered.

The Final Verdict

Overall, our best beginner sewing machine is the Brother FS100WT. There is a reason that Brother makes lists for producing the best sewing machines time and time again.f While it is by no means the most budget friendly machine on our list, it is the best sewing machine for beginners that really want to throw themselves into the art. Sewers of all skill levels will be able to use this sewing machine, from beginners to experts. From its automatic needle threader to its numerous presser feet to its collection of stitches, the Brother FS100WT will service your household for years and years to come.