Favorites | Best Sewing Machine Ever

Hey y'all! One of the most frequently asked questions I get via email is this: 

What sewing machine do you recommend?

I am no authority when it comes to sewing, but I do have some wide experience and long, long hours spent creating, so I thought I'd share with you the machine that has been with me since 2008 and has never once let me down. 

Here are the reasons I love the SINGER 7469Q Confidence Quilter Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine, to be specific. ;)

• It's smart, but not too smart. The biggest upset point with sewing machines is thread tension and this machine has never given me any issues with that. Some of the new machines have so much built in that if you want to do crazy things, they can be limiting. 
• It has the perfect amount of stitches. There was a time when I wanted to get creative and use fancy stitches on hems and the Confidence has 99 stitches that are fun, classic, and easy to adjust. 
• It's controls are so easy to use. Lights, beeps, and a slide-out diagram of the stitches make it super simple to understand and adjust. 
• It has a needle threader. Seriously the greatest invention in the history of sewing, next to the machine of course. No licking threads, winking, sore fingers, or trimming ends! I think the needle threader alone has saved me hours of time over the years. Sometimes the little "hook" on the threader gets bent, but it's super easy to just bend it back in place with a pin and keep going!
• The drop-in bobbin isn't picky about bobbin shape. I've used the clear straight bobbins, clear rounded ones, and metal straight ones and they all work just fine. Makes it so much easier when I have to change thread colors!
• It handles thick fabrics like a boss. Okay, so it does start to hesitate a bit when I try to put 8 layers of 12oz denim through it. ;) I've sewn all my denim skirts on this machine and it's always performed beautifully. 
• It handles spandex and knits like a champ. I am not scared one bit of silky fabrics, thin knits, or stretchy swimsuit material. I've used it for dozens of modest swimsuits over the years. (click here for an eBook on how to sew your own!) Plus, on Amazon it comes with a "walking foot" that helps with really slippery fabrics or things that like to get bunched up.
• It's sturdy. Because it's made for quilting, it can withstand hour after hour of use. I've never had to have it serviced and I've put it through a lot these last 6 years. Occasionally when I'm sewing fluffy or particularly fibrous fabrics some lint will get balled up under the bobbin plate. All I have to do is use the little screwdriver to take the plate off, use the brush it comes with to clean it out, and put the plate back on. 
• The feet are so easy to switch on and off. There's just a little lever that you push to drop the foot and snap on the next one. 
• Button-holes are a breeze. Did you hear that? BUTTON HOLES ARE A BREEZE. No more nightmares and avoiding projects with them! ;) You can either have the machine do them automatically or you can custom sew them with the various stitches. 
• You can use giant spools of thread with it. I usually just use that cheap-o serger-sized thread on the top instead of the horizontal pin (it comes with a little plug so you can have a second spool and double needle) and it works great.
• The reverse button is the bomb. It took some getting used to when I first got it because I was used to a lever you had to pull, but now I love not having to guess how much back-stitching is needed to lock the stitch, since it does it automatically. 
• It's an awesome price. Amazon has it for $250 as I'm writing this. That's less than what I got it for on-major-sale at Jo-Ann's. It comes with seven different feet- pretty much the only ones you'll ever need- and a cool little desk thingy in case you're actually quilting or have a heavy project that you don't want to pull. I usually don't have the table on it but do appreciate having that option. 

Best controls ever.

Can y'all tell I love this machine? It's one of those items that every time I use it I think, "Wow, I sure hope everyone loves their machine as much as I love mine! This thing enables me to do exactly what I want, in the time frame I have, with no frustration!"

No joke, folks. 

I have 300 denim skirts to hem in the coming months and I am completely confident that this machine will be able to keep up. Ha, it is the Singer Confidence afterall. ;)

I hope this post has been helpful for those of you who are thinking about getting a new sewing machine soon. It is SO worth the investment to get something that's not a cheap $100 toy. I fully believe I would not love sewing as much as I do if I had a machine that gave me fits. If you or your sister or daughter or mother or best friend or brother or random neighbor are considering getting into sewing or upgrading their machine from the 80's, I highly recommend the Singer Confidence Quilter.

And there you have it, hun. Are you in love with your sewing machine? Which do you recommend?

In the spirit of full disclosure, there are affiliate links sprinkled throughout this post. I may get compensated a small percentage should you decide to purchase through my link within 24 hours of clicking. This review is in no way tainted by this deal, though, and I have been recommending the Singer Confidence Quilter for years with no compensation. :)