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Let me start this review by saying that most sewing machines typically drive me to the brink of insanity, where I end up preferring to do my sewing by hand than to wrangle with an uncooperative machine. My pile of mends and hems was reaching skyscraper status, so I went into the MAKE and CRAFT Lab here at headquarters and asked our interns if they could recommend one of the machines for me to borrow. They sent me home with the Singer Curvy.
I set up my workspace, and settled in with my pile. From winding the bobbin to threading the machine to sewing with various stitches and on various fabrics, the Curvy was my BFF. It was the most user-friendly machine I've ever tried. I worked through my pile of mends and hems with ease. I used regular thread as well as invisible thread, and I worked on fabrics including denim, velour, cotton, and corduroy (did I mention how high my pile was?) without a hitch.
It's not like I expect my sewing machine to do backflips and make me coffee; I just really need it to be easy to use and not problematic. No tangles, no hassles is what I got with the Curvy. I know how to use a sewing machine but I'm no expert, and the Curvy was very intuitive. I liked the work space that it offered (great lighting too) and the smooth feed and presser foot. It also has cool little helpful touches like beeping when your needle is no longer threaded. My pile of mending is complete, I feel like I have a new wardrobe, and I spent no time being frustrated. Awesome.
I had a 3 year old Kenmore sewing machine that I got from a lady on Craigslist. It drove me bonkers!
A month later, my BF went out and bought a brand new Singer Curvy. I am in love. Compared to the Kenmore, it is a LOT easier to use. I've used a few fancy stitches while sewing hems on the dresses I've made. It work well with elastic thread as well! And the best part, the bobbin is drop-in! (Unlike the front loading one I was dealing with that ALWAYS got tangled)
The self-threading mechanism is nice, but I've not had problems hand-threading as long as the end isn't frayed.
Haven't tried it with quilting, but I will be using sheers and lace next week when I make a few more dresses for a wedding.
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I admit that I am a bit of a sewing machine snob, but if you're a serious quilter, I would definitely stay away from Singers. You'd be best off with a Bernina, a Pfaff or a Husqvarna. All of these are foreign made, really good machines. You get a lot more precision in your stitches, great versatility and a solid machine that doesn't "get hot." Plus, it will last forever. Yes, you pay for it in the short run, but these machines will not give you problems down the line like the newer Singers will. You can get used models at sewing centers, or online.
Good luck with your quilting!
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Is there a trove of sewing-machine reviews available from CRAFT? I have a Touch & Sew, 1964, generally awesome - but she's showing her age. :( I may be in the market for a new machine sooner than I'd like to be, but I don't know where to start other than super-high-end quilting machines. Would love some direction.
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Hi Christie,
We have a number of reviews on Craftzine. Here's a listing for you: http://bit.ly/K21Nw
Enjoy and good luck!
Cheers,
Goli
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I agree! I love my Curvy! I had an old Singer Touch & Sew inherited from my mother-in-law. It drove me crazy! Singer Curvy is a dream! So easy to use on everything. I've bought accessories to do "free-hand" embroidery. I can even do some quilting occasionally. It truly sews anything without missing a beat. If you hate sewing because of your machine, trade it in for this one.
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Has anyone tried this machine for quilting? I am using my mom's 30-some year old Singer for quilting and love it but it gets tempermental and hot.
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