Would definitely recommend this sewing machine! June 09, 2010

I purchased this Singer sewing machine about a year ago and have been very happy with it's performance. I don't do a lot of sewing so this machine serves my needs perfectly.  I gave it 4 stars because the automatic threader is not as easy as they make it sound.  Also the instructions are a little vague, but luckily the machine is simple enough to use that you can figure out on your own.  All in all worth the money.

Terrible machine June 08, 2010

Within a couple of hours I began having trouble with this machine. It broke down altogether shortly thereafter. Problems with timing and bobbin.

An inexpensive machine to learn on and/or carry to class. March 12, 2010

In sewing machines you get what you pay for and the days of the all metal parts machine in this price range are pretty much gone. Today's Singer is NOT the same Singer that your mom or grandma had - sadly.  Before buying a machine based on reviews, take the time to determine what features you'll need in a machine. If you don't know yet what you'll need yet, and want to explore sewing for yourself - then an entry level machine like this one may be perfect for you to experiment on while you find out what features you'll need. I didn't do that before buying this one and quickly found myself buying a bigger machine (Pfaff). I needed speed control because I couldn't keep up with it and it seemed that the machine was reaching the end of the fabric before I was. Now it seems that the speed is just fine and I use this one as a backup to the Pfaff, for quick things, and currently for quilt blocks. I originally purchased this one because it was cheap ($149 on sale) and straight forward to operate. I still like those things about this one, and also appreciate that it is so much lighter than the Pfaff. Must be all the plastic. My original reasons for moving up were all related to extra features that this one doesn't offer - due to it being an entry model - and not because it didn't operate how I expected. My sewing issues have been largely operator error, and I'll bravely admit that (to complete strangers no less). The machine has been great and I would recommend it to anyone learning to sew and not wanting to invest a lot up front, a take-to-class machine, and/or for occasional sewing. This is not probably going to satisfy someone who sews more often, and someone wanting the extra things such as needle up/down, speed adjust, and a better lit sewing surface. I agree with the reviewer who mentioned the lighting being pretty horrible. Fortunately, I've not had the same problems that some of the other reviewers have experienced, but I have learned that using the right thread makes all the difference in how well it sews. The best thing about Singer is that parts are relatively inexpensive and easy to find most anywhere. I will say that I like the automatic button-hole feature on the Singer much better than the one on my Pfaff. Go figure. 

Tangle of plastic and Thread. February 01, 2010

Ok, lets be clear I am not a once in a blue moon type of sewer.  I make quilts and bags daily and teach quilting classes.  My sewing machine has a prominant place in my living room, and is used regularyly.  My older machine(20+ years) died on me(motor burned out after years of hard labor) and I was in the middle of a time intensive project.  I found this machine on sale for $150 at sears.  Right after I got it I began having problems with the plastic bobbin caseing.  I would carefully thread it with the foot up as requested, and it would sew fine for a few minutes and then the bobbin caseing would shift out of the proper position and start jamming up. WIthin the first 6 months the plastic bobbin caseing cracked clean in two.  I went out and bought a new bobbin caseing and it worked fine for about 2 months, now it is doing the same thing as before, shifting out of position and backing up in the middle of a line.    When I look at the caseing you can see where it is beginning to wear and so it allows it to shift.

The needle threader died in 6 months.  And the extra stitches never look quite like they should even with a lot of adjusting.  This is a cheep piece of junk.  It is sold knowing that 80% of people buy a sewing machine and only use it once or twice and then get bored.  But if you are the 20% like me who will actually use this machine for more than one or two projects, this is not the machine for you.  Get a good machine with a metal bobbin caseing.  EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GET AN OLDER USED ONE.

For me it made more sense to go out and buy a second hand machine with metal parts(same as my old one) for 20$ than to spend another 10$ on a plastic bobbin caseing for this one.   LIve and learn.