In the shops there are many beautiful and desirable clothes, attractive bedding, well-embroidered tablecloths and patchwork quilts. But someone who knows how to create beauty with their own hands does not want to spend money on a stream standard, and by the way, he does the right thing.
For beginners who want to cut and sew, or experienced craftsmen who have decided to replace their old Singer with a technological and modern miracle, it will not be out of place to find out some nuances of the right choice.
So, a professional sewing machine: characteristics, design features, types and types of devices along with the opinion of specialists in this field will be considered in this article.
Sheepskin and dressing
The very first question that you must clearly answer is whether to purchase a sewing machine. All the girls, starting with labor lessons at school, learned to sew, sew stitches and make patterns, but all these skills, together with theory, settled somewhere far and deep as completely unnecessary. Today it is much easier to buy a thing you like than painstakingly adjust the cut according to the figure, calculate the size of tucks and sew buttons.
Even if you firmly decided that you need a professional sewing machine and you yourself will sew your coat and two-piece suits - think about how much effort, money and time it will take you this interesting, but, alas, extremely time-consuming task. If you are planning to open your own business, then this is a completely different matter. Professional sewing machines for ateliers - this is perhaps the first thing to start building your own sewing enterprise.
So, you firmly decided to buy yourself a car, despite all the above obstacles. We begin to get acquainted in detail with this difficult but magical sphere.
Types of Professional Machines
Sewing pillowcases and cutting the sheets can be handled by any device that can be called sewing in one way or another, but what about a complex skirt or trousers made of knitted fabric? At this stage, you need to decide what exactly you need and what tasks a professional sewing machine should perform. For flow and simple work, like the same bedding, an electromechanical or even mechanical design will fit, but for ball gowns on graduation evening, computer control with powerful filling will be required.
Electromechanical devices
A sewing machine (professional) with a mechanical choice of seams is the most unpretentious modern units. Adjustment and seam selection are set by a special wheel on the front panel. All the functionality is signed, and even the novice craftswoman will completely cope with the management. Electromechanical models can be equipped with vertical (oscillating), horizontal or rotational shuttles.
The first type is most often found in inexpensive models. Such units are subject to vibration, have a low sewing speed, and they do not differ in special output quality. It is also worth noting that the stitch width in such models does not exceed 5 mm.
The remaining types are similar in design: practically without vibration, do not require any lubrication, the lower thread is extremely tangled, and the width of the stitch can reach up to 7 mm. Some professional leather sewing machines are equipped with a nice bonus - a transparent window on the needle plate, where you can clearly see how much thread is left on the bobbin, and bobbin refill in such models is much easier than in oscillating shuttles.
Sewing masters recommend precisely the horizontal type: high-quality stitching, the ability to process a cut of fabric and, most importantly, convenience, and therefore speed. The only drawback that horizontal shuttles sin is the adjustment of the tension of the lower thread. Getting to it is not so easy, while vertical models are spared such difficulties.
Electronic components
A professional sewing machine with an integrated microprocessor is very different in its capabilities from its younger counterparts: blind hemming, eye loops, borders, elastic and decorative stitches, monograms with embroidery. Moreover, this is not a complete list of the capabilities of electronic devices.
An electronic professional sewing machine for home or atelier will find an approach to the most capricious fabrics, suggesting what length of stitch or needle to choose for crepe de chine, silk or velveteen. Some models can position the fabric not only back and forth, but also to the sides, which allows you to increase the stitch width to 9 mm, and this is the level of embroidery, and not just sewing.
You can put almost any maxi-patterns into the program: stars, diagonal stitch, flowers - only imagination limits you. Such models are equipped with a display and a button control unit. The panel displays all the necessary information: the selected mode, settings, help system, coupled with the "Advisor".
Computer Controlled Models
This is a professional machine - a smart, serious and expensive sewing machine. A professional (used) and sensible model for home craftswomen will cost about 50 thousand rubles, it makes no sense to buy cheaper: either it is old and broken, or it has limited functionality (incomprehensible average).
Such units automatically adjust the tension of the threads, are equipped with an embroidery unit, have detailed and well-designed patterns of multi-color embroideries, they have at least seven types of loops, and the main software chip can “digest” up to five hundred different operations.
Computer-controlled professional overlock sewing machines can easily embroider stitch, cross-stitch, sewing, sewing, quilting, festoons and patchwork. Many models can be synchronized with a personal computer to download additional circuits from the Internet or according to a project created on a PC.
Popular models
Let's try to identify a list of the most popular professional machines that have distinguished themselves by balanced characteristics and are respected among the masters of their craft. Depending on the tasks, the models can be used both in home appliances and in specialized ateliers. It should be noted right away that expensive units are mainly professional sewing machines with a table, so after buying you can immediately start sewing with an already equipped workplace.
Singer 2263
This model with a big stretch can be called professional because of its cost (about 4000 rubles) and small capabilities. Nevertheless, it can often be seen in the studio for sewing bedding, and home craftswomen favor this unit.
The machine is equipped with a vertical (oscillating) shuttle and has in stock 23 sewing operations, semi-automatic embroidery, makes 5 types of knitted stitches, 6 types of workers and 11 decorative. The maximum stitch length is 5 mm with a manual thread cutter. Also the model can imitate an overlock line. The machine copes with the following lines: straight, darn, countersunk, elastic and festoon finish.
The case of the model is made of fairly high-quality plastic, and the parts are designed for graphite lubricant. The power of the device is 85 watts. Many owners note positive moments in her work: reliability of the design and quality of materials. Among the shortcomings, some mention the confusion with the number of needles that are included in the kit and the lack of a separate switch for the lighting lamp. Otherwise, this is a pretty successful Chinese-made model.
Brother INNOV IS 350 SE
This electronic model was specially released for the centennial of the brand. Despite the relatively low price (about 20 thousand rubles), the machine has rich functionality and wide capabilities.
The model is equipped with a convenient and easy-to-read LCD display, performs 294 sewing operations, has a smooth adjustment of sewing speed, is equipped with a modern and functional horizontal rotary shuttle, there is a pressure regulator of the presser foot on the material, an electronic needle puncture stabilizer and a reverse mode. But this is not all the features of the model.
The machine is equipped with an upper fabric conveyor, with the ability to switch to the lower echelon, a sensor for button sizes, an automatic thread trimmer, and a sleeve platform. It is possible to sew with two needles, and you can even raise the foot with your knee, not with your hand. The machine can do 10 types of loops in automatic mode, and the paws that come with the kit allow you to sew in zippers, overlock and sew complex buttons. Variable models are equipped with a corporate table, which blends perfectly with the machine, allowing you to work comfortably in any mode.
The happy owners of a professional Brother machine are singing praises in unison and unanimously claiming that sewing on it is sheer comfort and pleasure. The model was developed in Japan, assembled in China.
Bernina Artista 640
Professional, luxurious, functional and just a fabulous machine. But her price is magical. For the basic model (without a table and additional software with firmware) will have to pay more than 100 thousand rubles.
It’s impossible to call Bernina Artista a typewriter - it’s a whole complex for sewing: 8 types of loops, almost 600 sewing programs that are fully automatic, fixing the beginning and end of a line, more than 90 embroidery motifs, patterns for children's things and quilting, understandable and extremely convenient multifunction display and full localization of the buyer's country.
The model is assembled exclusively in Switzerland and is fully protected from fakes. The happy owners of this complex do not regret their purchase, as they received a real mini-factory for sewing, for which there are no impossible tasks.