Sewing machines have been transformed in recent years. Manufacturers now offer electronic and computerized machines that are virtually trouble-free and much more reliable than previous versions. With the addition of specialized features and functions, users are now offered a selection of machines suited to their sewing style.

Quilting machines, in particular, are specifically designed to make the quilting experience easy and trouble-free, and also provide the quilter with a machine that can give a professional finish to any project.

A quilting machine has special features which include:

Extended Bed Space

The bedspace is the working area located between the needle and the inside of the machine. An extended bed space offers an area of approximately 8-9” wide by 5-6” high, which is larger than a standard sewing machine and provides more than ample space for a quilter to maneuver bulky quilts or large pieces of fabric

High Speed

Most top-of-the-line quilting machines offer high speed stitching which is usually around 1000 stitches per minute. The high speed rating is normally applied to the straight stitch only, with slightly reduced speed for decorative stitches. This feature offers the quilter the ability to quickly piece and quilt their project.

Stitch Regulator

Some manufacturers offer an optional attachment for their machines called a stitch regulator. The purpose of the stitch regulator is to provide a consistent stitch length when doing free motion quilting, regardless of how slow or fast the fabric is being moved.

Quilting Stitches

Specialty quilting stitches, such as buttonhole appliqué and faux hand-quilting stitches, offer a quick and simple alternative to these traditional hand-quilting techniques.

Manual Tension Control

Some quilting machines are equipped with a manual tension control. This control offers the quilter the ability to regulate the top thread tension quickly and accurately. This offers an advantage over machines with automatic tension control. As quilters often use different weights of thread in the top and bobbin, proper tension control becomes critical. With a manual control a quilter can easily and incrementally fine tune their top tension as they are stitching. With an automatic control it is necessary to access the settings within the control panel of the machine which takes longer and can be less accurate.

Manual Stitch Length/Width Control

As with the manual tension control, a manual stitch length/width control is also located on the front of the machine and similar benefits apply.

Needle Up/Down

A needle up/down setting allows the user to stop sewing with the needle in the down position. This is an advantage when working with heavy quilts or when doing free motion quilting. When stopping with the needle down, there is less chance of the quilt slipping providing a continuous stitch line.

Auto thread cutter

An automatic thread cutter is a very useful feature on a quilting machine. Cutting both the top thread and the bobbin thread in one simple action, it reduces both thread wastage and the time taken to manually trim thread tails.

Feed Dogs Control

Dropping the feed dogs allows your quilt to move easily when doing free motion quilting.

When deciding if a quilting machine is right for you, shop around and visit your local sewing machine dealers. Try out two or three models and then decide which one is for you.

Linda Matthews is a textile artist, designer and teacher, and her website CreativeTextileAndQuiltingArts.com offers an abundance of inspiration, education and motivation in the creative aspects of textile and quilt art.

Years ago sewing was a skill commonly learned by most women and many men. Ready-made clothing was often poorly made and didn’t fit well. So people insisted on making their own cloths or, at the very least, making adjustments to the cloths they bought so it would fit better and be more durable.

Not only that, but if a zipper got stuck or the owner’s waist line expanded, all could be quickly fixed with a simple repair or alteration.

Today people who can afford fine suits often have a professional tailor perfectly fit the suit to the customer. If you watch TV news anchors and wealthy tycoons, their clothing always fits perfectly.

Unfortunately, the rest of us usually have to put up with cloths that don’t fit their best. Even worse, we are forced to purchase new clothing when what we have doesn’t fit right anymore or develops problems.

I was very fortunate to learn the skills of a professional tailor early in my career and have perfected my own sewing and alteration methods over the past 30 years.

Don’t go around wearing a shirt or dress that needs an alteration to fit you perfectly. Doing your own alterations is quite simple if you use the correct tools. For dresses and shirts, use a grade 120 thread. Anything heavier will make the fabric pucker. Use a regular needle.

Let’s say you gained some weight recently, or successfully completed one of the new diets, and your waistline isn’t the same as it was when you purchased your jeans.

No problem. Use a slightly heavier needle for altering jeans — 75’s or 36s, sometimes called a jeans needle will work fine. While you’re at it, you can quickly take up pant legs to be just the right length for your individual frame.

What if your garment is made from lycra, spandex, or other stretch knit material? Many people tell me “my sewing machine won’t sew that type of material.”

The problem is with the needle you’re using. For lycra and similar fabrics, use a Stretch needle. This type of needle is also called a ball point or special point needle. You’ll find your sewing machine works fine with this fabric once you have the correct needle in place.

Frequently a perfectly good coat or pants will be discarded when the zipper malfunctions. Don’t throw the clothing away. Instead, take out the old zipper and sew in a new one.

Often you can get tips and pointers by visiting a fabric store. The owner is probably skilled at sewing and certainly knows the in’s and out’s of needles and thread.

You can also pay a professional tailor to alter or repair a piece of clothing. Ask the tailor to show you how they made the alteration. Frequently you can learn enough to do the job yourself the next time.

Well-known tailor Jack Heywood has created a visual step-by-step guide to alterations at http://www.sew-so-easy.com . His new DVD shows you how to easily alter clothing, let out and take in trousers, replace zippers and much, much more. See parts of the DVD free at his site.

Singer invented the first electronic sewing machine. In 1851, an inventor, actor, and mechanic developed and obtained his own patent in sewing machine. Singer sewing machine was a great gift to many homes. Singer is the most popular brand in sewing machine. Singer sewing machine has clutched the major part of the sewing market within the short period of time. Industrial singer sewing machine further with more improvement in technology has brought wide changes in carpeting industry, bookbinding, the boot and shoe trade, hosiery manufacture, and upholstery and furniture manufacturing companies.

Singer sewing machine with wide variation in sewing technique gained much of fame. In 1950s focus was also being laid to its design, shape and size along with advancement. The machine designed specification is fairly striking. Basically the singer sewing machine was designed for household purpose and so it has been a household name for over 150 years.

Singer sewing machine has been categorized into four groups according to its usage and the need. For intermediates, basic machine is preferably suitable. The usage of the machine is limited and quite economical too as compare to industrial sewing machine. It can very well perform the job like buttonholes and fancy stitching. Second they are designed particularly for use in educational field. And so the specification of the machine is durable. But limited number of operations is allowed while stitching on sewing machine. The third bunch is of Quantum series machines. These machines are also known as industrial sewing machine. As specifically they are being designed because of the utmost usage in industries so they are Singer’s top quality machines. They incorporate a range of up to date expediency with an inclusion of electronic sewing machine. The work was done speedily along with good quality and quantity. Lastly, the final group was of multi-featured series able to perform variety of stitches. This was one of the most efficient features that worked a lot in creating hype among millions of customers in the entire world.

If you are buying singer sewing machine then you should bear some necessary factors in mind. Collect the review of the type Singer sewing machine model you are going to purchase taking help from local sewing stores, magazines or internet. You’re job does not get over just by purchasing it; you are equally bound to participate in its repair or maintenance. Make a habit to clean your machine with a soft cloth. If you feel that some jammed parts of machine are not letting you to do work then your duty is to lubricate that specific part of the machine. On above all, run your machine after reading the instructions only. Following some simple points for the maintenance of your machine is sure to give you better performance rather than disappointing you.

Thus, working with singer sewing machine won’t let you down your expectations. Singer sewing machine really represents durability and quality. So enjoy stitching clothes without any worries.

Bella Mclaine loves writing on sewing machine, one of the website she has written extensively about sewing machine is sewingmachineall.com

Collecting antique sewing machines is a great hobby to have. Old models are especially more ornate looking than newer models because of the amount of time and effort exerted in their designs. Don’t expect that all the units in your collection will work though!

History of Sewing Machines Although it was as early as 1790 that the first ever working sewing machine was invented by Thomas Saint of England, it was only for making boots. The first sewing machine as we know them now however was the one created by Isaac M. Singer in 1851. After a number of years, he had been able to establish a company and sold thousands of units to the public.

If you are interested in a collection of antique sewing machines, you’ll be extremely lucky to find any sewing machine that’s older than Singer models.

How to Buy an Antique Sewing Machine

Tip #1 Build your knowledge of antique sewing machines so you’ll know if someone’s trying to overcharge or deceive you into buying a fake. It’s fairly easy for professional conmen to create false copies of certificates of authenticity so you can’t always trust what you read on paper. When buying an antique sewing machine, it’s best that you trust what you know and what others tell you.

Tip #2 Join the nearest club for antique sewing machine collectors. With a club, you’ll be able to exchange important information and tips with other collectors. You might even get access to rare opportunities for buying antique sewing machines.

Tip #3 Browse the Internet for photos of antique sewing machines so you’ll have an idea of what you would like to add to your collection. Afterwards, you can inform agents or other collectors of what you’re looking for and tell them you’re willing to pay a commission fee if they can help you find it.

Tip #4 Online purchases can be quite dangerous so if you’re determined to buy an antique sewing machine online, make sure that you obtain a warranty contract from your seller first. Secondly, only agree to a certified payment handler to take care of your transaction.

Tip #5 Ask about the condition of the antique sewing machine: are there any physical or mechanical defects? If it’s good but not working, ask how much it would cost to have it repaired.

If you’re serious about establishing a collection of antique sewing machines, just make sure your home has adequate space for it!

Learn about bot fly and how to get rid of fruit flies at the About Animals site.

If you’ve ever spent hours on end in front of a sewing machine, then you know just how visually draining it can be.  Whether you sew for fun, for the satisfaction of making your own clothing, or for financial gain, it’s an activity that requires sharp vision and attention to detail.  A lot of tailors and seamstresses don’t think about the impact that their sewing light can have on their vision, their state of mind, and ultimately on the quality of their work.  This is where full spectrum lights can make all the difference.

First of all, the affect that light, and the lack thereof, can have on a person should not be underestimated.  The quality of the light that our bodies receive is extremely important, and not only for those that suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Getting enough of the right kind of light can improve our moods and recharge our batteries, so to speak.  This is one of the reasons that choosing a sewing lamp that utilizes full spectrum bulbs, which emit a natural light, is so important.  Not all of us have can enjoy the benefits of a large picture window and convenient daytime scheduling (those pesky day jobs can sure get in the way…)

Improving mood isn’t the only reason to invest in natural lighting.  Sewing is an art that demands a great deal of attention to detail, and the eyestrain that can result from measuring, marking, threading, and stitching can be a real burden.  After so much time staring at this thing or that, the headaches and tension can make a person miserable—I know more than one seamstress that keeps a bottle of aspirin in her sewing table!  Yet how few of us stop to consider the light that we’re using?

Most of us use either the overhead light or grab a cheap desk lamp to lighten our way, not realizing that regular incandescent light bulbs can actually contribute to the problem by making our eyes work harder than they should have to.  The light that they produce is not only dull and imbalanced, but actually discolors everything that it touches.  Compare the color of a fabric swatch in sunlight to that same swatch under a regular light bulb.  They’re not the same, are they?  Yet that same piece of fabric under the illumination of a full spectrum bulb is the color that it should be—the color that nature intended.

If lighting can affect your mood, strain your eyes, and potentially distort your work, it clearly has an impact on the quality of your crafts and garments.  Whether you sew for pleasure or profit, it’s worth the investment in your craft to buy a light that will work for you rather than against you.  Even something as simple as a small, flexible craft lamp can make a huge difference in your perspective.  Sure, full spectrum lighting can cost a little more than your standard 60-watt disposable bulbs, but your eyes, and your projects, will thank you for it.

For the best information available on natural lighting check out the further information and great products available at http://www.thelitesource.com

There are two types of orders a clothing manufacturer can handle: bulk order and small quantity order. The organization in the sewing factory is very different.

Bulk order

When the clothing manufacturer undertakes a bulk order, a large quantity order from medium to big size clients, the wholesale price is low.The gross margin per unit produced is quite small, but it is offset by the large quantity manufactured. Large quantity order usually means: over 5000 pieces. This type of quantity allows for the setting of a production line.It sometimes takes about one full day to organize the production line. This translates into physically moving the sewing machines so that they line up in a way that is convenient for the specific clothes to be produced.It requires expensive skills, the skills of mid to top level production people. After this set up is done, the chain works almost by itself with (less expensive) labour cost involved. Two or three days into the production, the productivity increases because the sewers get used to the new production line. When the productivity increases, the clothing manufacturer makes a profit while providing clothes at a very competitive rate.

Small quantity order

The other possible situation for a clothing manufacturer is to take orders from smaller clients. The price per unit is different (higher), as the organization involved is different. When taking a small quantity order of clothes, let’s say less than 5000 pieces, the organization of a production line is useless. A team of 20 to 30 sewers will achieve the production of 5000 pieces in around a week or more depending on the clothes ordered. Taking care of a small run of clothes makes the whole game of producing clothes very different for the clothing manufacturer:

- The clothing manufacturer can not waste one day in organizing a production line, it takes more time to do so than the time saved by the increase of productivity.

- During the few days when this small order is being produced by the sewers, the company is also preparing the next order.

Translating the client file, sourcing, cutting, printing or embroideries all have to take place before sewing.That’s why small orders are dealt with by a special department in the clothing manufacturing company. This department is usually made of very skilled managers and sewers who will engage all the cost necessary to the bulk production of clothes, but these costs are spread over a small quantity, hence the price per unit.

The right quantity for you

If you are looking to get a small run of your own design manufactured, then the best thing to do is to speak with one of the consultants at Ellen Clothing Manufacturer (www.ellen-clothing-manufacturer.com).

Your contact will help you work out what is the best quantity to order for your business. The ideal quantity for your business is not necessarily the smallest one. the right quantity might also be smaller than what you have in mind.

It all depends on a number of factors: The style of the clothes and the targeted wholesale price. When discussing the size of your small run, other technical issues such as sourcing, printing, dying or stone-washing should be taken in consideration as they can involve a fix fee.

Let’s take a simple example of a client looking for a t-shirts manufacturer for a small run of t-shirts.

The cost of dying fabric is around 200 usd. This cost is the same whether the order is for 50 or 200 t-shirts, that’s because the cost is related to the time used for dying which is the same for 50 meters of fabric or 200 meters. Other example: When a design manager draws the pattern for a garment, this takes from 1 to 2 hours depending on the style of clothe. The cost involved (the labour time of such a skilled worker) is not related to the number of times the pattern will be used. Therefore, it might make sense to spread such cost over a slightly larger quantity, let’s say 200 clothes instead of 100. I strongly recommend being very direct about the targeted retail price or wholesale price, this is the only way your consultant can help you work out the right quantity for your order.

Lilian Lemaire is the Managing Director of Ellen Clothing Manufacturer, a French company with a clothing factory in Vietnam.

Ellen Clothing Manufacturer

Read also:

Clothing manufacturers in China

How to create your own clothing line

Sewing patterns are available to help with a myriad of projects from Halloween costumes to prom gowns for an important school event. A sewing machine could solve the problem in a heartbeat. A good sewing machine is a valuable tool for many members of a family.

A sewing pattern will be a guide for construction of a garment in the latest styles, but a sewing project will allow for a unique outfit. For centuries sewing of clothes and anything else around the house was done by hand until the mid 1700s when the first sewing machine was invented.

Getting ready for work and school is often a very hectic time in many families so a tear in a favorite shirt or skirt can send the family unit into a tailspin. Other patterns are sophisticated and rival those used by the designers in the fashion houses. Many people get great satisfaction from the completion of a project, and a good sewing pattern can guide each person to complete a project properly. Many mothers who stay home because of new babies look for jobs that they can do from home in order to be available at home to bring up the children as well as make a decent income.

Sewing patterns are available from fabric stores, some of the superstores and from websites on the internet. Sewing Patterns Are Guides for a Variety of Jobs

Every home can use some new curtains, shades or valances from time to time, and there are some wonderful sewing patterns that provide expert directions for these projects. Sewing was once the main occupation of at least one person in every household, as clothes were needed to protect our bodies from cold. Some patterns are available for complete suits for the executive in the house.

The sewing patterns usually come with information about the necessary materials and the amount of time for completion of the project. There are patterns available for a variety of valances with suggestions for hanging these projects. These machines also come in different sizes so if storage space is limited there is a small model that will fit into a small storage space. There are patterns available for shades that look great in a family room or kitchen.

Marvin is a resident writer and finder of bargains on the web. Here he shows consumers how and where to find sewing machine bargains. Also at sewingmachinebargains.com

Machine quilting is becoming more and more popular by the day. Long gone are the days when you would sit down with a quilting frame and manually hand sew it until you are satisfied that it is well designed and will stand the test of time. If you still do use that method then you should really try machine quilting for size. If you do not like it then it is your choice, but you owe it to yourself to try out the technology that may just save you a lot of time and make it more enjoyable as a pastime. Some quilters love machine quilting, especially those that are new to the hobby, but some prefer to stick to the traditional methods of quilting instead. The choice is yours!

Hand-Sewing Vs. Machine Sewing

You have to be creative if you want to create works of art via quilting. There are various patterns that you can follow but it is much more satisfying to come up with your own designs and create a style for yourself. Hand sewn quilts are symbolic of the effort that individuals are prepared to put into their handiwork and if you make your quilts that way then you should be proud of yourself. However, you may well have to wait for weeks and weeks before you can finally add the finishing touches to one quilt. With machine quilting, however, you can easily create beautiful quilts in just a few days. Machine quilting is the in thing at the moment as a direct result of that. A machine can power a needle quite easily through several layers of fabric and gives you the freedom to choose the type of stitching that you want without having to manually learn how to do it!

Machine quilting can offer some distinct advantages over hand sewn quilts. Firstly, the finished project will look more professional because it is easier to create straighter edges and basic designs with a machine than it is when stitching it by hand. Machine quilting also ensures that the final product is much stronger than a hand sewn quilt could ever be. The machine will actually pull the material tauter than one individual could ever do and thus the stitches are guaranteed to have a strength that only a machine could bring!

Both hand sewn quilt and quilting machines have distinct advantages over the other, but in the technological world that we inhabit, technology wins every time. Unfortunately for old arts, if you cannot do it with a machine then many things would not actually get done at all. Machine quilting makes life so much easier and the results are just as fabulous.

Many people actually use their quilting machine for therapeutic purposes. They Love to sit and concentrate on the weaving of various patterns to allow them to escape from the stresses and strains of modern life. You can easily spend a good few hours shut away from the rest of the world. You can present your works of art to your friends and family to enjoy. As a result of your quilting machine, you can really create something special and spend your hours in a worthwhile pursuit of comfort and style!

You can also find more info on Quilting Supplies and Scrap Quilting. IHeartquilting.com is a comprehensive resource to known about quilting.

The expression, “A place for everything and everything in its place” is true when it comes to sewing. Having to set up sewing projects and then put them away every time you want to sew uses up much of your creative time. The room and the natural light you choose to illuminate your projects are also important factors.  Natural light is suggested for all projects to make your work faster and to avoid eyestrain. An OttLite sewing lamp is the best one for the job.

If you sew often, consider a well-designed, convenient sewing studio.  Large or small this space will save you time and energy.  Your designated sewing studio does not have to be a whole room dedicated just to sewing. It can be a seldom-used closet, an out-of-the-way corner or a cabinet especially designed for sewing. Wherever you sew, careful planning is important for the area to be functional. And, whether it is a corner or an entire room, the basic requirements are the same.

A Sewing table (for the machine)

A Pressing table

The type of sewing studio you design depends on the amount of sewing you do. Consider into which category of seamstress you fall:

A person with brief time blocks for sewing and needs a place where things can be left out until a project is completed.

Someone who does small sewing jobs every once in a while and needs a place where things can be stored and taken out easily and quickly.

A professional seamstress who needs a more organized, quiet place with space for business records, as well as space to store equipment, notions, fabrics, finished garments and other related supplies.

Also consider when the sewing will be done. If you combine sewing with meal preparation or supervising kids, a sewing studio close to the kitchen may be desirable. If you sew in the evenings, a location near your family room is a good location. A studio or sewing center close to the laundry lets you take care of mending in a timely manner, and puts you close to the ironing board, and makes the iron readily available, which will save you steps.

Design your sewing studio to fit your work habits. Create a sewing studio or center that fits you and your work habits. Have the cutting, sewing and pressing areas separate, but close to one another to provide efficient work areas. Above all, consider the lighting of the area and use natural, full spectrum lights (OttLites) to help you match fabric colors and threads, and to soothe your tired eyes.

Denny is fascinated by full spectrum lighting, and all things associated with it. If you’d like to see things in a new light come visit at http://www.thelitesource.com

If you are one of those people who have always loved thinking of new and creative ways that clothes could be designed, then you may want to consider learning how to sew clothes. Sewing is a pretty basic thing once you get the hang of it so all you have to do is get yourself started. Whether it is learning how to sew leather or cotton, the general concept is usually all the same. When it comes to learning how to sew clothes though, you are going to want to try and make sure that you are starting with some scrap fabric first. This way your mistakes will not cost you as much money as working on something like better material would.

Learning how to sew clothes can be both an exciting and scary time all at once but you have to just roll with the punches and stick in there. That is the only way to make it through to the point that you are completely comfortable and sure about your own ability to sew. At that point you will be so good at what you do that you could teach someone else how to sew clothes so that other people can enjoy the hobby. Until then though your job is to simply keep practicing so that you can become very good at it.

Where To Get The Teachings

A lot of people start out by simply reading a book or two on how to sew clothes. There are also a lot of different magazines out there that cater specifically to people who want to learn how to sew clothes. These types of magazines can do a lot of good for people who are really trying to learn how to sew clothes. If you find that by reading these types of books and magazines that you are not learning enough then it is probably time to get some one on one teaching from someone that is skilled in the art of sewing.

There are a lot of places that a person can go to for classes on how to sew clothes and the prices are generally reasonable. Most times, these classes can be found at the local library or through a craft store. Be sure to look around for these classes on how to sew clothes so that you can get started on your new hobby. And once you learn enough from the classes you can then go off on your own to do what you want.

I am Gargi Nath from Kolkata,India.I am a Professor of English.Please visit my blog http://needle-sewing.blogspot.com for more detailed informations on sewing.