With Mother's Day coming up there have been plenty of special deals advertised for sewing machines. The low prices combined with the recession trend towards frugality means quite a few women (and men) are considering buying one.
Having recently bought a new machine myself and talked to a number of shoppers, here are a few tips. They are in no particular order as different things are important for different people.
You get what you pay for
Kind of obvious really but it's worth thinking about how you are going to put your sewing machine to use. If it's just the odd bit of mending and moment of inspiration for a party costume then a pretty basic model is going to do the trick and you can consider machines in the $200 - $350 range. If you want to do any more than that, it's worth saving a few more pennies (or going in with a friend) and heading into the next price level if not higher.
The difference electronics make
The first sewing machine I bought (26 years ago this month!) had a 25 year guarentee. It was mechanical and the general rule was it would run better the more it was used. My mother's 45 year old earlier model is still going strong and had a lifetime guarentee for certain parts.
Then about 17 years ago I bought a secondhand (hardly used) early electronic machine. It is still going well although it has had a replacement motherboard ($400 was still cheaper than a new machine at that level) My wonder sewing machine repair man has taught me quite a bit in passing about machines over the years and there are some different things you need to consider.
Basically an electronic machine will not last as long as a mechanical machine - the components (like any computer) age. So save the investment into the super amazing one until you know you will have the time to use it - for instance I just bought a new middle range machine for the next 10 - 15 years and am planning on the wonder one for retirement.
Being electronic you need to get out of the habit of leaving your machine switched on when you aren't using it. Power equals heat and heat and electronics don't mix in the long term - so get into the habit of turning off your machine when you walk away for any length of time. Better still unplug it if you are leaving it out overnight.
Buy what you know
A couple of things here - many older women come in looking for a new machine because the machine they used a lot when their children were small needs replacing. They say they need something really basic because they wont be using it nearly as much. A great piece of advice I got when I was in the same position is to look for at least the same number and types of stitches your old machine has. You might think you wont use them but will get frustrated if they aren't there. This isn't that hard as even the most basic electronic machines have a pretty good range, but it is worth keeping in mind. For example I did used the alphabet function quite a bit on my old machine and that helped decide between similar options.
Brand loyalty is a big thing in sewing machines - having changed brands with my latest purchase I'm struggling a bit. My daughters love it and one of them might get lucky if I have sufficient cash to invest in my brand preference. So if you have sewn a lot/ grown up with a particular brand, start with that.
Trying it out
If your old machine had a front loading bobbin (and was mechanical or early electronic) the design and shape of many of the new machines with drop in bobbins can feel kind of odd. It's hard to describe and isn't confined to a particular brand but I have found the line of sight seems different. It's possibly due to the way top threading has been altered to make it easier. It can take a bit of getting used to.
I always like to check the buttonhole a machine sews, how easy it is and the general appearance. The bottom line machines aren't designed to deal with very heavy fabrics but anything up from that should sew that OK. If you are an experienced sewer (you probably wont be reading this!) you may need to take some fabric samples with you to test.
Last but not least one of the changes over time with electronics is that there is more scope for machines to specialise for different sewing requirements. Once you head over the $2000 mark the major brands tend to offer different versions for quilting or embroidery.
And don't forget that as well as a good machine you need good quality thread and the right needle for the job for sewing success.
Prices are in New Zealand dollars
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The art and science of housework
It is widely recognised that housework is a much maligned activity - very few people admit to liking it, and for most of us it is one of those chores that gets in the way of life.
I am certainly not a fan of housework (as my family can attest) and often pay someone to do it for me; but as I was vacuuming this morning it occurred to me that maybe, I was selling it short as a task of the nurturing economy.
For those of you who haven't heard me on this theme before - the nurturing economy is the work of being human, caring for others in all it's forms. This has traditionally been the work of women, and more frequently now the elderly, and is work that used to be unpaid and even now - where it is paid - is low paid. I have argued and continue to argue that in our drive for economic productivity - particularly the drive to have women returning to the work force - society has ignored the fundamental requirement of time such work takes. It would perhaps have been OK if an increase in the working hours of women had led to a corresponding decrease in the hours men worked so they could fill some of the gap. But no, men continue to work 50-60 hour weeks, and so do many women.
The obvious consequence of this is the rise in services to fill the gaps, early childhood services, before and after school care, cleaning and gardening. While acknowledging that not all families can afford such support, these services are not total solutions. And that's without touching on the hidden gaps of adults too tired to contribute to the vast array of voluntary services that enrich and support the life of our community.
Which brings me back to my starting point of my underestimation of housework in this equation. Over the 30 odd years that I have been responsible for the task for myself and others, there have been a number of highs and lows. In fact sometimes I think my rather slack approach has damaged my self image as a capable and competent person. It's as if when I hear congratulating me on a piece of work I have a mental tape playing reminding me of the state of the oven. My reflecting this morning started with a memory of a photocopy of an Australian Womens Weekly article from the mid 1970's, that was included in the resource material I acquired at an antenatal class with my eldest child. Basically it was a 45 minute routine that could be managed while the baby was napping that got your house in reasonable shape in case of unexpected visitors.
While some of the basic expectations of women have changed, the underlying principles are still incredibly practical and unconciously I had followed a similar pathway this morning. The focus is on the public face of the house and it identifies the key issues that tend to make us react with "not clean". Anyway from there my mind meandered to how hard it is to have a cleaner who cleans as well as you do, and the different feel when you have cleaned your house yourself. I am not surprised, but am comforted by the impact of order on the living in my house at the moment, simply because I currently have the luxury of time to sift through, de-clutter and organise while keeping the basics done.
I think one of the biggest differences between the cleaner, and someone with an emotional connection to the house doing the task, are the little finishing touches and extras that you do when it is your own space. It could be flowers, the sorting of craft materials and books into appropriate spaces rather than just stacking them, but the sense of making a home out of a house is an art and a skill which add to the quality of our lives in unexpected ways. And because it is such undervalued work, while uncomfortable in its absence, it is difficult to name and find the time to address.
I am certainly not a fan of housework (as my family can attest) and often pay someone to do it for me; but as I was vacuuming this morning it occurred to me that maybe, I was selling it short as a task of the nurturing economy.
For those of you who haven't heard me on this theme before - the nurturing economy is the work of being human, caring for others in all it's forms. This has traditionally been the work of women, and more frequently now the elderly, and is work that used to be unpaid and even now - where it is paid - is low paid. I have argued and continue to argue that in our drive for economic productivity - particularly the drive to have women returning to the work force - society has ignored the fundamental requirement of time such work takes. It would perhaps have been OK if an increase in the working hours of women had led to a corresponding decrease in the hours men worked so they could fill some of the gap. But no, men continue to work 50-60 hour weeks, and so do many women.
The obvious consequence of this is the rise in services to fill the gaps, early childhood services, before and after school care, cleaning and gardening. While acknowledging that not all families can afford such support, these services are not total solutions. And that's without touching on the hidden gaps of adults too tired to contribute to the vast array of voluntary services that enrich and support the life of our community.
Which brings me back to my starting point of my underestimation of housework in this equation. Over the 30 odd years that I have been responsible for the task for myself and others, there have been a number of highs and lows. In fact sometimes I think my rather slack approach has damaged my self image as a capable and competent person. It's as if when I hear congratulating me on a piece of work I have a mental tape playing reminding me of the state of the oven. My reflecting this morning started with a memory of a photocopy of an Australian Womens Weekly article from the mid 1970's, that was included in the resource material I acquired at an antenatal class with my eldest child. Basically it was a 45 minute routine that could be managed while the baby was napping that got your house in reasonable shape in case of unexpected visitors.
While some of the basic expectations of women have changed, the underlying principles are still incredibly practical and unconciously I had followed a similar pathway this morning. The focus is on the public face of the house and it identifies the key issues that tend to make us react with "not clean". Anyway from there my mind meandered to how hard it is to have a cleaner who cleans as well as you do, and the different feel when you have cleaned your house yourself. I am not surprised, but am comforted by the impact of order on the living in my house at the moment, simply because I currently have the luxury of time to sift through, de-clutter and organise while keeping the basics done.
I think one of the biggest differences between the cleaner, and someone with an emotional connection to the house doing the task, are the little finishing touches and extras that you do when it is your own space. It could be flowers, the sorting of craft materials and books into appropriate spaces rather than just stacking them, but the sense of making a home out of a house is an art and a skill which add to the quality of our lives in unexpected ways. And because it is such undervalued work, while uncomfortable in its absence, it is difficult to name and find the time to address.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Frugality
With all the talk about the credit crisis and money getting tighter I've been contemplating the concept of frugality. Obviously dropping our family down to one (albeit generous) income while I contemplate my next career steps has something to do with it too!
Anyway while it has been a while since I posted ideas for what I'd like on the new site have been perculoting away inspired by much that is going on around me. For instance when I was in internet silence at Arthur's Pass over early January I darned my socks. They are particularly lovely soft pink angora blend ones and they had developed annoying little holes on the toe - I noticed my mother had left some of her fine wool up there which was almost a perfect colour match so I decided to see how much of that heritage skill was left to me.
Now darning is not one of the things I would normally recommend as it is an incredibly fiddly, somewhat thankless task. But I must admit as I salvadged my quite expensive socks it crossed my mind that there was certainly a time and a place for the task - for instance Jon's wool school socks. I think that is the trick of it - choosing what it makes sense to darn rather than darning for it's own sake. Anyway it has inspired me to consider searching the web for good sock darning instructions that can be linked to from Wise Woman. And believe it or not it also inspired me to have a go at knitting a sock which is probably a story for another day.
Anyway while it has been a while since I posted ideas for what I'd like on the new site have been perculoting away inspired by much that is going on around me. For instance when I was in internet silence at Arthur's Pass over early January I darned my socks. They are particularly lovely soft pink angora blend ones and they had developed annoying little holes on the toe - I noticed my mother had left some of her fine wool up there which was almost a perfect colour match so I decided to see how much of that heritage skill was left to me.
Now darning is not one of the things I would normally recommend as it is an incredibly fiddly, somewhat thankless task. But I must admit as I salvadged my quite expensive socks it crossed my mind that there was certainly a time and a place for the task - for instance Jon's wool school socks. I think that is the trick of it - choosing what it makes sense to darn rather than darning for it's own sake. Anyway it has inspired me to consider searching the web for good sock darning instructions that can be linked to from Wise Woman. And believe it or not it also inspired me to have a go at knitting a sock which is probably a story for another day.
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