If you’re here, you are probably wondering if it is worth it to get a sewing machine, how often you will use it and when you should be hand sewing your projects instead. I am here to answer all those questions! Here are some pros and cons of sewing machines.
Pros of sewing machines
Sewing machines come with lots of benefits, mainly speed and uniformity. Your stitches will all be the same size and look perfect, and a sewing machine is so much quicker than even the fastest hand sewer. Another great thing about using a sewing machine is decorative stitches. Most sewing machines can make anywhere from a few to many decorative stitches that will look great. A machine will make these stitches look really good, you can also use your machine to over lock stitch, something you can’t do while hand sewing. Sewing machines also make sewing on heavy weight fabric and tighter weave fabric much easier.
Cons of sewing machines
The biggest con to a sewing machine is the cost. A good sewing machine will cost you a couple hundred dollars, and they can often cost more. In addition to the up front cost of a sewing machine, you need to purchase parts, pay for any repairs or upkeep. The other con of sewing machine are the learning curve. There are quite a few things you have to learn how to do to even sew a straight line. (this blog can help you out with this problem!) A sewing machine also takes up a lot of space and is not very portable.
Pros of Hand sewing
Hand sewing is cheap. You only need a few bucks for the needle. When you hand stitch you can make your stitches very precise and some fabrics will look a lot better if you hand sew since a machine can be a little tough on some of the more delicate fabrics, and you’ll need to hand stitch them. Hand stitching is also very portable, since you just need a needle and thread, you can do it anywhere.
Cons of Hand sewing
Hand sewing is slow, which makes it impractical for larger projects or bulk projects, it also can be difficult to sew in a straight line, which means you have to mark your fabric, which can make it take even longer for your projects. It is also difficult to make stitches even and uniform, as well as small enough. You are also more likely to poke yourself with a needle.
In summary, both sewing on a machine and hand stitching are great and have their time and place. Sewing machines are great for larger projects and on heavier fabrics. Hand sewing is great for small and delicate projects. If you are interested in learning more about hand sewing, see my tutorial here
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