There’s plenty of crossover within these types - my sewing machine has a setting meant to replicate an overlock stitch, for example, and with a little finagling, you can sew a basic straight stitch on a serger - but the category will tell you what your machine is designed to be best at and what it will do frequently with the most ease.
(Beyond the basics, some sewing machines have other functions, like the ability to sew buttonholes or do basic embroidery.) Also included on this list are sergers, also known as overlock machines, which use three or four threads and a small blade to trim and bind the raw edge of fabric in one pass. Most machines can also sew a preset selection of specialized stitches that use the same mechanism, like a zigzag stitch or a smocking stitch. In general, a traditional sewing machine interlocks two threads - an upper thread and a lower thread - to sew a straight stitch, which produces a continuous line of stitching on both sides of the fabric. Sewing machines are a broad and diverse category: There are tons of functions they can perform, and every machine offers a slightly different set of uses. A machine “needs to be really easy to thread,” says Maayan Zilberman, the founder of candy company Sweet Saba, especially when you’re starting out, “because if it’s not easy to thread, then anytime you get a jam or need to switch color thread, it’s another excuse to give up on the project.” Jessie Randall, founder of the shoe brand Loeffler Randall, also praises her machine’s auto-cut function, which she says “saves so much time and thread, which is important for someone who is constantly sewing and wants to be economical with their materials.” Though not strictly necessary for a well-functioning machine, several of the experts we spoke to recommended features that make repetitive tasks easier - especially threading needles. Repair shops often specialize in brands or styles of machines, so “you might want to know who’s in your area who can actually service your machine, because that’s so important.” “All machines, no matter what, will need to get serviced at some point,” says historical costumer and anesthesiologist Christine Millar. This means that good sewing machines are a delightfully diverse category - in reporting this article, I heard about the Rolex of computerized machines and clout antique Singers - and can last for decades with patience and care. Unlike some appliances, where the march of progress means newer models are more effective than old, the basic engineering behind sewing machines was cracked some 175 years ago, and they’ve been commercially produced for home use for over a century. Whether you need to hem too-long jeans or too-long curtains, monogram gifts, make baby blankets, or just want to mess around with textiles, a sewing machine will vastly expand what you can do. Pretty much everyone can find a use for a sewing machine.
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