|
09-11-2011, 12:22 PM
|
|
|
|
2,186 posts, read 7,864,540 times
|
|
|
White Brand Sewing Machine Model 1415
Rating: 3 out of 5
I purchased the White brand sewing machine to replace an antique Singer that had become too expensive to repair. The sewing machine was $99.00, which made it the only actual sewing machine in my price range at the time.
There are definitely pros and cons to this machine and I have a love-hate relationship with it. When everything is working correctly and the tension is good, it sews very neatly and the stitches look great. It can sew through several layers of fabric and can do two to three layers of denim reasonably well. It has an excellent stitch selection for such an inexpensive machine and I've used it for a variety of projects. It also has a nice handle for toting and a built-in storage compartment for bobbins and oil.
However, getting it to the point that everything is working correctly has been challenging at times. The tensioner is finicky and I've had trouble getting it to set correctly. The difference between having it so tight that the stitches are pulling loops up through the fabric and so loose that the bobbin is pulling threads down below the fabric is hard to determine and takes many trials to get right. I've become very frustrated at times because I couldn't get the tension correct after considerable effort.
The bobbin case is easy to load and again, when it is working well, is very handy. However, the thread sometimes catches behind the case and gets tangled into the gear. It can take some time to remove all of the thread, especially because it will break and leave tiny shreds that have to be picked out individually before the machine will sew again.
The machine also has a tendency to overheat and stop working after a long period of use. I oil it before I begin projects and when it begins to make a thumping noise that usually indicates that it is drying out. Even with the frequent oilings, it has often frozen up mid-project and I have to wait until it cools and will begin working again. This is especially frustrating during dressmaking or quilting.
Overall, this is a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. For the cost, it has been a good sewing machine and I've gotten a lot of use from it. However, if you do a lot of sewing, you might want to invest in a more reliable machine.
Review by professional reviewer, Aug. 25, 2011
|
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
