Dressmaker Sewing Machine Review

Very Excellent Model For Beginners
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
As a beginning sewer, I’ve only had the machine three weeks but I’ve taken 3 classes at Joann’s Crafts and have 4 more lined up. Although one can learn a lot by simply using the machine, it’s incredible the tips you can learn from experienced instructors and sewers. TAKE CLASSES ~ anywhere ~ if new! Most problems I’ve had have been due to the most common errors beginners make: misthreading either bobbin or machine. For instance: when done sewing, my teacher taught me to pull threads straight back to cut, b/c if pulled to side the bobbin thread slips out of second groove and messes up next seams. I kept wondering why it worked on a few seams and then goobered up the bottom and had to be ripped out and rethreaded! Now I rarely have that problem.

I like the automatic threading feature of the 7442 for those over-40 eyes but miss the Drop & Sew bobbin feature my grandmother had (”Drop In” bobbin is NOT the same thing, very misleading). The new machine is much simpler to thread than hers ~ which is excellent since you have to do it every time you wind a bobbin or change thread colors. (My inherited machine from grandmother was stuck on straight stitches only and used VERY infrequently for minor repairs too huge to be done by hand)

Although I originally had my heart set on an entry-level Brother embroidery machine, after talking with a number of experienced sewers and reading the three pages in that on-line manual referring to how to set and adjust tensions, I chose to get a beginner machine with automatic tension. I’ve not been disappointed there since the 7442 has gone from two to thru 10 (yes, ten) layers of denim without hesitating or growling.

I am learning tote/purse making and quilting so am working with multiple layers of material, batting and fusible fleece. The foot lever only holds in the first position and does not go high enough for some of the topstitching I’ve wanted to do. When the foot lever has to be held up with right hand while trying to work thick materials under the needle with the left, it’s very hard for a right-hander.

Thirty stitches should have been enough but I find I am doing a lot of decorative finishes and topstitching so in hindsight I should have looked into more stitches.

So yes, it’s a fantastic entry level, beginner, basic or back-up machine but I may be one of those unfortunate enough to out-grow it quickly.

Excellent when working, questionable reliablity
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this machine just over a year and a half ago for my wife. She’s used it for small sewing tasks intermittently since then, but probably hasn’t used the machine more than 20 hours in that time. It worked well and met her sewing needs for a while, but one day a couple months ago it started frequently jamming and the bobbin thread pickup started to become unreliable. We talked to a local repair shop about it and they said it would probably cost around $100 to diagnose and repair the problem. Singer has a warranty, but it only covers many parts for 1 year and it doesn’t cover labor cost of repairs.

So, unwillingly to spend nearly half the cost of the machine on repair I set out to repair it myself and found the timing of the machine was way off. We couldn’t figure out how this could have happened since the machine once worked, but adjusting the timing so the shuttle hook would once again arrive at the needle at the right time fixed the issues.

I’m giving the machine a 3 because with the timing adjusted it’s been working well again, but I’m concerned that the machine may break down again and require frequently repair (which is either time consuming or expensive depending on whether you are willing and able to do the work yourself).

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s been 30 years since I even touched a sewing machine. Within 48 hours of receiving this one, I’ve already completed 3 projects! The manual has simple-to-follow Quick Start guides. There is also a very helpful instructional dvd, which shows steps for set-up. The machine runs like a dream. I’ve already used 4 of the “special” stitches. The machine has a nice weight to it; comes with many accessories in a handy, hidden compartment; and, it is very silent. This machine would be fantastic for beginners or experienced sewers. I look forward to many excellent years of use.

Nice and simple – A fantastic update
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I can’t really say enough excellent things about this machine. I inherited my first sewing machine from my mother-in-law, an ancient manual workhorse Kenmore from 1981 that still sews really well. I wanted to get an all-electronic machine mainly for the pre-programmed settings and updated threading system.

Like most electronic machines, this one is pretty simple to use. Pick your stitch with just a few presses of a button, then you’re ready to sew. Of course, you can modify your stitch length and width by sliding a lever or two, but it is nice to have everything set to optimum length and width automatically. The machine comes with a excellent number of stitches, although I honestly don’t stray very far from the regular ancient zig-zag and straight stitches. I will say that the overlock stitch looks absolutely identical to the ones made by a professional serger.

The threading system is pretty nice, too. While it’s not quite as simple as the one on the Singer Curvy (where all you need to do is pull the thread through a slot and press a lever) I’m used to the complicated ins and outs of my ancient machine, so anything is a huge improvement. Singer calls it their “six second threading system” and, so far, I’ve found that claim holds up. The drop-in bobbin is very handy, especially for someone like me, who is used to fussing with an ancient-school side-loading bobbin. I guess it would be nice to have a bobbin that didn’t need to be drawn up (as seen in the Curvy and several newer machines) but it’s not exactly like pulling teeth with this machine. The presser foot lifts up enough so that you can fit your fingers underneath and grab the small “loop” that the bobbin thread makes, so now I don’t have to struggle with it at all.

One small gripe I have with the machine is that the needle always ends in the up position. I know this is for simple withdrawal of materials, but it would be nice to have the option for the needle to end in the down position, if one so chooses. I do a lot of applique work that requires pivoting around tight corners, so it would be nice to have this option. But, I’ve just learned to release the foot pedal a bit early and then hand-crank the machine into the next stitch, leaving it in the down position so I can pivot smoothly.

I reckon you’ll also find that the feeding system is pretty reliable. The machine has a six-piece feed system that has been very nice so far. There’s no feature to drop the feed dogs, but the included darning plate should suffice. The presser foot is pretty excellent at accommodating materials of various thicknesses without having to manually readjust the height (as in older machines). Finally, the small light is a nice, bright LED that remains blessedly cool no matter how long you sew.

Overall, it’s just a really nice machine for the price. If you’re interested in upgrading to something with all the bells and whistles, I suppose that the Curvy would be a better option, but if you want something that works well, is simple to use, and nicely priced, try this one out.

User friendly and versatile! Perfect choice for beginner or intermediate!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This machine is very user friendly.

I am a beginner and have been using this machine constantly since I got it 5 months ago. I have had no problems. It works well on all the light and medium weight fabrics I have tried (cotton to canvas to thick denim…and quite a few layers of each). I’ve even used it to do simple machine quilting.

The automatic threader makes setup super quick.

The manual is clear and helpful.

It takes some time to figure out how to adjust the length of width of the stitches, but it does provide you with a lot of different options.

For the money, I reckon this is a fantastic machine!!!

Ok, but needle threader is a problem
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
This is an ok machine, especially for light sewing. But, like several others, the hook for the Auto Needle Threader is missing from mine so that feature does not work. Very disappointed that such a feature that Singer touts as a major item for their product would be missing from some machines. This was one of the reasons I bought this model. Singer will not get my recommendation for this sewing machine.

singer sewing machine
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is probably a very excellent item, but I ordered it for my mother who is 77 years ancient and it was just to complicated for her. Amazon.com was very gracious and took the item back with no hassels. they are fantastic to do business with.