Sewing Jeans

What is a good sewing machine for jeans and also affordable?!?

So i have a sewing machine but it always freaks out on me and my needles break like crazy.

If it freaks out and breaks needles, chances are you’re trying to help the fabric under the presser foot. Quit it. Now. Guide the fabric, don’t haul it around. Support any excess fabric instead of letting it drip off the sewing table so the weight of the fabric doesn’t pull the work under the presser foot.

The other time you’re likely to break needles is when you’re trying to cross a thick seam, like the flat felled seams in jeans. To stop this, you need to keep the presser foot level as it moves over the previous seam — you can use several layers of fabric as a shim, or you can use something called a “hump jumper” or “jean-a-ma-jig” behind the presser foot to keep it level. $2-$3.

As far as needles go, I’d suggest a size 90/14 or 100/16 “jeans” or
“sharp” needle. Schmetz makes the ones labeled “jeans points”, but sharps from another brand will work almost as well. If you’re sewing on the sort of denim that stands up in the corner by itself, you may need a size 18 needle.

If the machine can sew through multiple layers of denim without you having to “walk” the needle by using the handwheel, it will sew jeans. If your machine has a wimpy motor, time to find one that will. Even if a cheap new machine is labeled as a “Jeans Machine” don’t fall for it… cheap new machines are expensive in the long run.

As far as machines go, an old Singer 15 or 66 or 99 or similar straight stitcher can be had at a lot of garage sales and thrift stores for under $20. Clean it up and oil it and put in a new needle and you’re good to go. This one has made many pairs of jeans over the years:
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20939529 — $10 at a garage sale, an hour to clean it up and oil it. I’ve grabbed plenty of other 99s and 15s and 66s off curbs the night before trash pickup and gotten them sewing again with a few hours’ work. Then I give ‘em away.

If you want to go fancier:

http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm

What I want for beginners in sewing:

- a machine that doesn’t scare you
- a machine that isn’t balky (cheap new machines are often very
balky or need adjustments often and are rarely repairable –
just too frustrating to learn on!)
- very good straight stitch
- good zigzag (4-5 mm is fine, more than that is gravy)
- a method of making buttonholes that makes sense to you
- adjustable presser foot pressure (which helps some fabric
handling issues)
- accessory presser feet that don’t cost an arm and a leg
(machines that use a “short shank foot” typically handle
generic presser feet pretty well. Some brands of machines use
proprietary or very expensive presser feet)

If the budget stretches far enough:

- blindhem and stretch blindhem stitches
- triple zigzag (nice for elastic applications)
- a couple of decorative stitches (you won’t use them nearly as
much as you think)
- electronic machine because of the needle position control and
because the stepper motors give you full “punching force” at
slow sewing speeds — mechanical machines often will stall at
slow speeds.

Please go to the best sewing machine dealers around and ask them
to show you some machines in your price range, *especially* used
machines you can afford. You’ll get a far better machine buying
used than new, and a good dealer is worth their weight in sewing
machine needles when you get a machine problem — often they can
talk you through the problem over the phone. While you’re trying
things out, try a couple of machines (sewing only, not combo
sewing-embroidery) over your price limit, just so you can see
what the difference in stitch quality and ease of use might be.
You may find you want to go for the used Cadillac. Or you might
want the new basic Chevy. Might as well try both out.

Suggested reading: John Giordano’s The Sewing Machine Book
(especially for used machines), Carol Ahles’ Fine Machine Sewing
(especially the first and last few chapters) and Gale Grigg
Hazen’s Owner’s Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers and Knitting
Machines. All of these are likely to be available at your public
library.

Used brands I’d particularly look for: Elna, Bernina,
Viking/Husqvarna, Pfaff, Singer (pre 1970), Juki, Toyota

New “bargain brand” I’d probably pick: Janome (who also does
Kenmore).

Brian’s Week In Sewing Show #2 Part 1

Mend It Clear and Flexible Clothing Glue. Handy for Emergency Repairs or Permanent Fixes $0.01 Sew Easy “Mend It” is the haberdasherial equivalent of liquid nails: liquid thread. Made to bond virtually any fabric to itself or any other fabric, it repairs holes, rips, seams and tears in everything from canvas to silk to leather, fixes everything from belt loops and burn holes to hems and zippers. Handy for emergency repairs or permanent fixes. Dries clear, flexible and waterproof, machine …

Jean Renoir Sewing Magnet $2.50 This beautiful button gets us to a peculiar little point with Renoir. The lovely girl in this picture Jean Renoir Sewing is actually his six year old SON Jean Renoir. Jean and brother Coco found themselves repeatedly crossed-dressed by Dad – though only when he was using them for models. this is one of bunches of Renoir buttons available from Barger’s Boutique….

The Stolen Kiss, c.1788 by Jean-Honore Fragonard – Mug – Standard Size $14.50 This mug is created using the finest dye sublimation techniques and creates a stunning dishwasher safe finish. Great as a gift, or for promotional items. Each of our mugs come individually boxed for protection in transit….

Minutes To Sew: A One-Hour Video by TV’s Nancy Zieman $44.47 Nancy Zieman, hostess of TV’s “Sewing With Nancy,” brings her 3-part series on “Minutes To Sew” to you on this 60 minute video. Highlights of the video include modifying pattern instructions to take advantage of updated techniques and new notions, dividing sewing projects into shorter sewing units, applying facings while garments are still flat, adding a speedy sports pocket, and much, much more!…

Sewing With Nancy: Junk Jeans Eazy Quilts $16.95 …

99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special $7 Extraordinarily clever ways to transform any ordinary T-shirt. The pattern techniques are simple, and the supplies you’ll need are easy to find: T-shirts, scissors, sewing needle, and thread. The difficulty of each project is rated from 1 to 4, and none take more than 30 minutes to create. You’ll never look plain wearing a T-shirt and jeans again.

Altered Couture Magazine $59.99 Altered Couture magazine features embellished and personalized artwear and accessories for all occasions. Altered Couture magazine is filled with gorgeous photographs of altered jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, skirts and more, accompanied by easy-to-understand techniques and endless inspiration.

Altered You!: A Girl’s Guide to Personal Style $0.99 Used – - Step-by-step instructions, technique lessons, supply lists, resources, more – 18 before-and-after projects for clothing and room decor – Great bonus ideas Bored with that book bag? Tired of that tee? Sick of that skirt? Alter them! This book shows tween and teen girls how to alter clothing, accessories, and room decorations to create great new looks with only the simplest sewing and crafting. Projects include converting jeans to capris, changing tanks to tees, making sweatshirts into sh

Altered You!: A Girl’s Guide to Personal Style $5.01 Used – - Step-by-step instructions, technique lessons, supply lists, resources, more – 18 before-and-after projects for clothing and room decor – Great bonus ideas Bored with that book bag? Tired of that tee? Sick of that skirt? Alter them! This book shows tween and teen girls how to alter clothing, accessories, and room decorations to create great new looks with only the simplest sewing and crafting. Projects include converting jeans to capris, changing tanks to tees, making sweatshirts into sh

Alternacrafts: 20+ Hi-Style Lo-Budget Projects to Make $19.95 First came indie rock bands and indie movies. Now, thanks to Jessica Vitkus, the indie movement has reached the world of crafts, where traditional techniques such as knitting, mosaic, embroidery, metalwork, sewing, and collage are being used in brave new ways.With an emphasis on recycling, improvising, and making things from scratch, AlternaCrafts offers more than 20 projects that provide this newest generation of crafters with the skills they need for the self-expression they crave. Whether they want to turn their beat-up T-shirts into a shaggy rug, an old sweater into a cozy hat, yesterday’s newspaper into a bouquet of flowers, or their jeans into a new skirt or bag, this exciting book tells them how to make the transformations with a minimal amount of money and no experience whatsoever. Smartly priced and boldly designed to attract teenagers and twentysomethings, this book will also appeal to older crafters seeking newfangled twists on their favorite pastimes.