By Alan Bamber – Bamber Sewing Machines
It’s always encouraging when a national newspaper gives sewing the attention it deserves.
Recently, Annie Phillips, winner of The Great British Sewing Bee, shared her favourite sewing machines for different abilities in The Telegraph. Any article that inspires more people to discover sewing can only be good news for our industry.
After all, every new sewer becomes tomorrow’s dressmaker, quilter, embroiderer or textile artist.
As a family business that has been selling, servicing and repairing sewing machines since 1946, we read Annie’s recommendations with genuine interest.
Not because we expected to agree with every choice.
But because we would inevitably see them through rather different eyes.
There are many ways to judge a sewing machine
If you’ve won The Great British Sewing Bee, you’ll naturally look at a machine through the eyes of someone who loves sewing.
Does it sew beautifully?
Is it enjoyable to use?
Does it make you want to create?
Those are excellent questions.
We ask a few more.
How will this machine perform after five years?
Will spare parts still be available?
How often do we see this model in our workshop?
Does it continue to delight its owner long after the excitement of buying it has faded?
Those are questions you can only answer after decades of working with sewing machines rather than simply reviewing them.
Annie’s recommendations
We were pleased to see several excellent machines included.
Brother Innov-is A65
Annie chose the Brother Innov-is A65 as her Best Buy.
It’s easy to understand why.
The A65 is intuitive, well specified and capable of producing lovely results across a wide range of sewing projects.
If you’d like to know more, we’ve written a detailed guide to the Brother Innov-is A65 here.
Bernina 335
The Bernina 335 has long been admired for its engineering and stitch quality.
For the right customer it can be a wonderful companion for many years.
Juki HZL-DX7
Juki’s industrial heritage shines through in many of their domestic machines.
The DX7 has earned a loyal following amongst experienced sewists.
Singer Heavy Duty 4423
Perhaps no sewing machine creates more discussion than the Singer Heavy Duty.
It has introduced thousands of people to sewing.
One small observation from our workshop…
The phrase “Heavy Duty” understandably creates certain expectations.
Like every domestic sewing machine, it has strengths and limitations.
Understanding those before you buy is far more important than the name printed on the front.
Singer Heavy Duty 4423
One thing every review can never tell you
Every review tells you how a machine performs when it’s new.
Very few can tell you what happens after years of ownership.
That’s where an independent sewing machine dealer has something rather special to offer.
We’ve watched machines grow old.
We’ve serviced them.
Adjusted them.
Repaired them.
Looked after families who have owned them for decades.
There is no substitute for that experience.
The most important decision isn’t always the machine
It might be…
Who you buy it from.
A sewing machine isn’t simply another electrical appliance.
It’s a precision instrument.
Sometimes you’ll need advice.
Occasionally, you’ll need servicing.
Every now and then, you’ll need reassurance.
That’s difficult to download.
Our congratulations
We’d like to congratulate Annie Phillips and The Telegraph for bringing sewing into the national conversation.
If even a few thousand more people discover the pleasure of making something with their own hands, everybody in our industry benefits.
And if, having read Annie’s excellent article, you’d like another opinion…
The kettle is always on in Eccles.
We’ll happily talk sewing machines.
No pressure.
Just honest advice.
