Buttons & Other Adventures: Why do you need three sewing machines?

Thursday, 30 June 2011

Why do you need three sewing machines?

I was very excited to get a brand, shiny new sewing machine for Christmas last year. Whenever I told any of my friends about this (which was often as I was very excited) the general response was "Why, you've already got one?"

To this I'd say "I know, but this one does different things to my other ones."

The response was then usually "Well why can't they make one that does everything?"

Which is a good question, although when you look at the differences in my sewing machines, straight away, there are obvious differences which would make combining them into one very difficult.

So the main point of this post really, is to explain to my friends, and anyone else who is interested, why I need to have 3 sewing machines, and what I can make with them.

So my first sewing machine...bought by my lovely parents for Christmas just after I had started my degree in Fashion Design. We went on a very exciting trip to a sewing machine shop in Bedminster in Bristol, and because my machine was 6 months old, it was amazingly good value, and in pretty much brand new condition.

Then in my third year of uni, after much fighting for my turn on the uni overlockers, my new house mate, the lovely Louise said that her Nan had an almost brand new overlocker that she couldn't use any more and wanted it to go to a good home...which it most certainly has done!

So then when my parents offered to buy me a sewing machine for Christmas, I was desperate for a coverstitch machine, and it seemed only logical to go for Janome as I've been so happy with my other 2 machines, and plus it's the same one we had at uni so at least I'd had some practice at threading it.

Machine one has 1 needle and 1 underneath thread.

Machine two has 2 needles, 2 underneath threads and a cutting knife to cut the fabric before it finishes it.

Machine three has 3 needles and 1 underneath thread, although it can also have 2 needles and 1 underneath thread or 1 needle and 1 underneath thread.

So you can see why it would be very difficult to combine them into one machine.

Sorry if that was all incredibly boring...hopefully here is the more exciting part, what I've made with them. I've been ridiculously busy since I came back after Christmas and hasn't had a chance to properly use my new sewing machine, so on Monday I made sure I sat down and made a pretty dress.