Best Sewing Machine for Beginners UK

The best sewing machines for beginners are domestic sewing machines. Surprisingly, the most inexpensive, basic sewing machines are best for beginners. Sewing machines that start at £80 by quality brands such as:

  • Singer
  • Brother
  • Janome

What is the Best Sewing Machine for Beginners?

The Only 3 Sewing Machines You will Ever Need!

Brand you can trust starting at £80, make great gifts. The 3 types of sewing machines below, are the only 3 machines a beginner will ever need. See my top picks below:

  1. Basic Domestic Sewing Machine

Beginners can make most sewing projects on a basic domestic sewing machine. The budget machines below can be used to make dresses, cushion and accessories. They are great machines and won’t break easily.

Highly recommended, this is the machine I use to teach all my online sewing classes.

2. Overlocker Machine Domestic

If you are planning on doing a lot sewing and want to give clothes a professional finish, invest in a domestic overlocker machine. These machines seal the edges of fabric and are an essential for stitching stretchy garments.

Highly Recommended £250 Domestic Sewing Machine, Shop Now Brother M343D Amazon

3. Heavy Duty Sewing Machine

A heavy duty sewing machine is perfect for sewing thick denim, coats and leathers upholstery. This machine is perfect for confident beginners that want to take their sewing to the next level.

Great Value £350 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine, Shop Now Brother 4423 Amazon

Which Sewing Machine for Beginners?

  • Domestic Sewing Machine – You can learn to sew using only a domestic sewing machine. This machine can be used to sew everything from cushions to dresses.
  • Domestic Over-locker Machine – To give your sewing a professional finish, you may wish to invest in an over-locker machine. This machine is used to stop the edges of fabric fraying.

Top Tip – When buying budget machines, avoid small “Mini” sewing machines. These machines are more like toys and will break when used. For more machines see “Best Sewing Machines for Beginners”.

1950s Style Vintage Sewing Machines Under £200!

To get a vintage style sewing machine, without the hassle of an old machine that breaks.

Try the range of colourful sewing machines by Janome, exclusive to John Lewis. Shop now “JL220 by John Lewis”.

This sewing machine comes in a range of vintage colours, so looks great in any home. This machine has a range of stitches and is great for any beginners sewing project.

Learn more about this machine see, 1950’s Vintage Machine Under £20.

Types of Sewing Machines Beginners Guide

As you become more confident at sewing you may invest in other types of sewing machines.

To learn more about the differences between sewing machines, see list below:

  • Domestic machines: Are for home sewing, they will sew everything other than heavy fabrics or through lots of layers of fabric. 
  • Semi-industrial: Are heavy duty domestic machines for professional and home sewing. They will stitch through heavy fabrics.
  • Industrial machines: Are professional, used in factories. Yet if you have the space, money and can stitch fast they really are the best machines. You can sew really fast using them and they are not fiddly.
  • Over-lockers: Are for stopping the edges of fabrics fraying, they are worth the investment. Can be used the stitch stretchy clothes together, without the use of a general sewing machine. You can buy domestic or industrial.
  • Cover-stitch: Is for hemming garments made in stretchy fabrics, such as t-shirts for a professional finish.
  • Embroidery Machine: This feature can be built into a domestic sewing machine or maybe purchased as a separate machine.

Other machines are available yet they are more specialist. For more see “13 Types of Sewing Machines and Their Uses” or list below:

Learn to Sew Online!

Join “Sew Sub Club” online sewing courses. Delivered by qualified fashion teacher “Collette Costello”.

What is the difference between budget and expensive sewing machine?

I have made clothes, taught classes using budget domestic machines. The difference between budget and expensive machines is that. The more expensive machines are slightly heavier, so may move around less. Yet they stitch exactly the same as the cheaper models.

When you buy a more expensive machine such as Janome, you are paying really only for extra decorative stitches. Which when learning to make clothes you would very rarely use. I am currently teaching online sewing courses, using an Singer 2250. It is great machine, does everything I need and I had it a few years now.

Where to buy beginners sewing machines?

Budget domestic sewing machines, by quality brands such as Singer. Can be purchased at budget high-street stores. I have purchased beginners machines from the stores below. For more ideas see “Best Tested Sewing Machines”.

The beginners machines I purchased from Argos, were their own brand and worked well. I also love the colourful budget machines sold at John Lewis. Instead of traditional white, they come in many rainbow and pastel colours.

Quality Sewing Machine Brands:

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