fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2354 ]

[ SECRET POST #2354 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2354 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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02.

[Kodomo no Jikan]

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03.

[figure skating/Brian Joubert]

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[Stargate: Atlantis/ Sesame Street]

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[K project]

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[Teen Wolf]

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[Married...With Children]

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08.

[Homestuck]

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[One Piece]

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[Game of Thrones]

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[Pokémon Black & White]

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[Phantom of the Opera 2004]

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[Iron Man 3]

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[Neverwinter Nights 2]

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[Almost Human/Total Recall 2077]

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[Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer]

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[Fire Emblem: Awakening]

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[A Bag of Hammers]

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[Without a Trace]

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[Big Bang Theory]

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[The Three Investigators]

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[Team Fortress 2]

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 043 secrets from Secret Submission Post #336.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ], [ 1 - personal attack ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So I'm looking to do some DIY projects this summer to keep me busy, and what better way for a poor college student to save money than to make clothes instead of buying them? And since I'm strapped for cash, I'm looking for an inexpensive sewing machine on amazon. The cheapest one with the most positive reviews was "Michley LSS-202 Lil' Sew & Sew Mini 2-Speed Sewing Machine" for ~$20 American. Does anyone have any experience with the machine or possibly have one they would recommend? I'm looking to not go over $30/$40 on one. Thanks!

I might be shattering a few illusions here...

1) This isn't from firsthand experience, but I've heard the cheap sewing machines tend to be crap. The one you cited looks like a couple notches above a toy; it's not meant for heavy duty sewing like what you're planning. Chances are good you'll end up with a cheap hunk of plastic junk with cheap parts. Buying a decent sewing machine for $40 or less is probably not realistic unless you get really, really lucky at a yard sale or something.

2) Saving money by making your own clothes might also be unrealistic. Making your own clothes is difficult, and even if you find cheap/free patterns, the fabric is NOT cheap.

Honestly, you'd be better off hitting thrift stores to save money on clothes. But if you want to do it for fun, then go for it. I'd start small and simple, though.

Or--you might want to look into altering clothing rather than making it from scratch.

Is there anywhere nearby you can look for used sewing machines? You might get a better deal.

Sometimes craft stores might sell refurbished sewing machines. Sometimes the older ones are better made than new, but they weigh a fuckton.

Yeah, this. A sewing machine that will likely last more than a year or two is probably going to cost over $100 unless you get really lucky and find one used that someone REALLY wants to get rid of. Fabric that is actually remotely comfortable to wear (and not so thin as to be transparent) is generally not cheap, though you can sometimes find decent deals - and if you have Jo-Ann Fabrics where you are, you'll never have to pay full price for anything if you sign up for their email and snail mail fliers. But then there's the thread, buttons, zippers, snaps, elastic, interfacing, etc... If you're good at math and measuring, you don't need patterns (I've bought about two in my entire life, and none in the last ten years), but they're often the cheapest part of the whole sewing process anyway.

Meanwhile stores like Walmart and such sell articles of clothing for under $20 not because they're marked up, but because they're made in bulk, most often by people in foreign nations working for way less than minimum wage.

These days, sewing one's own clothing, at least in the US, is not a way to save money AT ALL. It's more like a fun, creative, incredibly expensive hobby.

I completely agree with your #1, Anon. A cheap sewing machine is not going to hold up, it's going to frustrate OP, and ultimately OP will have wasted time and money and effort.

I disagree to a certain extent with #2. There's definitely a learning curve to making your own clothes, but if OP is willing to shop around, OP can find cheap fabric and a lot of my friends would make stuff out of sheets they bought for cheap. OP could repurpose fabric s/he already has.

Ehhhh... I suppose cheap fabric is possible, but even if you scored decent fabric for a measly $2/yard (which is NOT going to be the norm) and you add in the cost of zippers/elastic/buttons/thread, patterns, the rest of the tools you'll need and the time and effort... that's still not going to be an inexpensive outfit when compared to buying something off the rack.

*nods nods*

It's all gonna depend on what OP wants to make.

I'm just in awe of all of you who have sewing skills. Nobody is going to want me on their end of the world survival teams. LOL

Don't waste your money on the $20 thing. It'll be bricked halfway through your first serious project.

Check out Craigslist, yard sales, and Goodwill for old machines. Even if you have to get an older machine repaired, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

I would actually try craigslist if I were you. my friend got a nice one from there for about $40 iirc. the seller sold it cheap because it was old, but it worked just fine. maybe you can find a gem there. good luck!

If you want a sewing machine on the cheap, try to find a used one that is still good quality. One from the 70s or earlier that is all metal would be ideal.

Making your own clothes won't save you money if you're just looking to make basic stuff. The fabric alone can cost more than just buying ready-to-wear. Where making your own is cheaper is if you 1) really know what you're doing and you can make your own high-end/couture stuff, 2) you have fitting issues that make ready-to-wear stuff look really awful on you, or 3) you want something that doesn't exist ready-made and your only other option would be to pay someone to make it for you custom.

At this point, I'm mostly just adding on to what other people said, but yeah. Sewing your own anything is not cheap, not unless you limit your fabric choices to old sheets from thrift stores, although if you're good with dye--not RIT, get the concentrated powdered stuff from someplace like dharmatrading.com-- it can be an option provided the sheets are cotton--just make sure to read and follow instructions. I've gone off on rants on this subject before, but sewing your own clothes as a way to save money works out kind of like growing your own food--unless you already have all the supplies and you're really insanely good at it, it's cheaper to buy.

That said, some pointers:

An all-metal sewing machine is your friend. Check craigslist, thrift shops, and ask around--$40.00 isn't likely, but less than $100.00 is doable if you hunt--just make sure it works or only needs minor repairs before you buy it. It'd be a lot of money for you, but it'll outlive you--I saw a hundred-plus year old foot-treadle machine at a thrift store the other day, and it still worked fine. Sometimes the manuals are available online, but depending on the brand this isn't a certainty. If the seller knows how, ask them to show you how to thread it and wind the bobbin.

Since they were last made in the 70's, many of the ones that show up for sale are truly hideous colors. I've got an army green Kenmore (the old Sears brand, which were actually contracted out to more than one company in more than one country), a black White, and a pastel pink Singer. The Kenmore is built like a tank, the White like a fortress, and the Singer, which has some plastic parts, is the flimsiest of the three because of the plastic. If it comes with a variety of feet, that's a bonus; you can usually buy adaptors and feet if it doesn't. If you want to be able to do a variety of stitches, many old machines come with a box of cams--specialized gears that you drop in the machine to change the stitch. Sewing knits or stretchy fabric, like most t-shirts are made of, requires that the machine have a knit or zig-zag stitch, or the thread will rip out the first time the fabric stretches.

Buying and altering or Frankensteining thrift store clothes will mostly be cheaper than buying new fabric, even if you live somewhere with fantastic flea-markets or a fabric district or both. Things like paint, dye, and various types of trim, from lace to sequins, go a long way towards revitalizing thrift-store stuff too.

Maybe ask around and borrow someone's machine? Lots of people have one sitting around that they don't use much, or inherited one they don't know how to use, or are like me and have multiples. Then if you like it you can hunt around for another one. Have fun and good luck!

This.

Fabric, even if you look at the sales fabric, tends to be more expensive than ready made stuff so unless you're looking for something pretty specific or are making something you'd need custom made, you won't really be saving any cash. I grew up knowing how to sew [my mother is a master doll-artist] and even if you are ridiculously good at it, it doesn't really save you any money.

Also, hot glue guns are your friends. They don't always provide permanent fixes but they can really help if you're Frankenstein something and/or realize something needs a quick fix not long before heading out.

Also, for cheap sewing machines, it could be worth it to check around and see if you have a local sewing machine repair store. They aren't common anymore, but they've been known to offer refurbed/machines they've repaired that the owner no longer wanted for relatively cheap.

Wow, you answered things I hadn't even thought of! And for that, I thank you. I think knowing how to use a machine and learning basic things like stitches and patterns can be very useful, so knowing what to look for is very helpful. What I meant when I said about saving money, I was more thinking like seeing something at a store that I like, but making it my own or coming up with my own ideas without having to hunt for or order it from somewhere. I know it's more work, but I think it could be fun to look for fabrics and thread at thrift stores and such. Once I have the machine and black/white/brown/grey thread, I think I'll start getting my money's worth as well as the chance to say that I made it all on my own! In fact, I asked my Mom about machines today, and she said she actually has one that just needs a little repair, so that is a huge help. Anyway, sorry to ramble. I just get so excited about new projects and learning new things on my own. Thanks again for your great advice! :)

DA

Just to put this out there - machines can cost a *lot* to repair, and unless you've got a local repair shop you may end up having to send it off to get it repaired.

Also, re: seeing stuff in a store: chances are, unless it's particularly expensive/in a particularly pricey store, chances are it's going to cost more to make. Most clothing companies buy fabric in bulk, so they get it for far cheaper than you, as an individual can and that's before you even get to dyes, trims and other supplies that you can use. If you go the thrift store route, then chances are you're going to end up altering clothes more than making them...and that's really not the same thing, which I mean in that it doesn't involve quite the same aspects of sewing. [For example, patterns aren't really a thing with altering] Those can be frustrating and time consuming to learn.

Please don't think I'm trying to be mean - I've just seen a lot of people do what you're talking about with about the same attitude then quit after sinking a lot of money into it because they didn't realize how hard it is.

I think the other comments have it pretty well covered. An experienced seamstress knows that sewing your own everyday clothing doesn't save you money. The materials alone will cost more than just buying a shirt from Wal-Mart! Now, it can still be worth it if you know your stuff or if you want something unusual that'd be really hard to buy retail. But the upfront investment in equipment will be a LOT more than $40.

As for the suggestions that say you can use old sheets or repurpose fabric you already have... yeah, that's mostly wishful thinking. Do you have a stockpile of old, but good quality cotton sheets lying around the house that you don't mind cutting up? Do you have a bunch of clothes that are so huge you can take them apart, trim and discard all the worn and stained bits and still be left with large enough pieces to re-use? And that's assuming all that fabric is in a color/pattern that you like or can re-dye to a color you like. (Good dyes are also not cheap.)

Chances are the answer is no. I don't mean to rain on your parade OP, truly I don't. But if you're serious about this, you'll need a decent sewing machine (anything that's brand new and under $75 is really dodgy) and enough money for the tools and materials. That will probably run you more than $150, and that's all without ever sewing a single stitch.

You might want to check out places like Jo-Ans if you have one near you. They often offer beginner's classes in sewing. You could see if you like it and learn more about what to look for in a good sewing machine, etc. to figure out if it's something you want to pursue.

Any sewing machine you get for less than $100 is probably going to be a POS, unless you get very lucky. And the $100 ones, brand new, are built to be disposable - when it breaks down, you're expected to throw it out and get a new one.

For fabric, check out your local Walmart (that still sells fabric) and see if they have anything on sale for $1 or $2 a yard. Otherwise, yeah, fabric is going to get expensive.

More tips: a cone of thread (instead of a little spool) will last through many, many projects. Instead of trying to match thread to fabric for every single thing you make, buy black (dark fabrics), white (most light fabrics) and medium grey thread.

I agree with the look for one used sentiment.

Several years ago I got an old Singer machine from a flea market for very cheap. A couple of the cogs inside were stripped, but they were relatively cheap to replace and it was something I could do myself. With a little more TLC it was good to go and it's still going strong.

I've even been lucky enough to pick up several cheap attachments for it from various places from people who had no idea what they were that would otherwise have cost me more than I paid for my machine total!

I wanted to add, about trimmings and buttons and zippers and stuff, which can rack up the cost - save and reuse. Tear buttons off of old clothes (and if friends are chucking stuff? Take them. See something in the street? Cut off useful bits. I collect buckles from old purses and stuff, because buckles can be really expensive, especially if you need a few). Save zippers from old jackets and stuff.
Getting together a "collection" of these kinds of things can go a long way in terms of saving later, and you've got some ready-made stuff to play with.

Also, save old sheets and fabric that can be used for making patterns/mockups, if you need to. We use threadbare sheets for that, and it's a great way to work on the fit without having to worry about your fabric. (sheets that can't be used for sewing in their own right, of course).

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2354 ]

Sewing Machines

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