I came across a fabulous resource recently — a huge listing of sewing machine reviews written by those who own them and use them, and hosted at Sew Mama Sew. They started collecting reviews back in October, but neither of my machines is listed there yet so this is the first of my two contributions!
Old photo of the machine fresh out of the box!
What brand and model do you have?
I have a Brother CE8080PRW — a basic, 80-stitch computerized machine in the Project Runway Limited Edition series.
How long have you had it?
I bought it in July 2011 and unfortunately it broke in October 2013, so it’s not actually operational at the moment. (The feed dogs are stuck down, so it still runs but it’s only really good for free motion sewing at the moment.)
How much does that machine cost?
I got it at Walmart and paid something like $130.
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
All of the above! This was my first machine and I got it right as I was learning to sew, so I’ve tried all kinds of projects — bags, curtains, pajama pants, Halloween costumes, small blankets and quilts…the list goes on. Fabric-wise, I do most of my sewing with quilting cottons, but do use the occasional home decor cotton, flannel, fleece or minky.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Sewing is a hobby for me, so things rise and fall depending on how much free time I have and how motivated I am to get a certain project done — my machine has probably gotten anywhere between 0 and 20 hours of use per month, with an average of maybe 5 hours each month. (That’s only sewing time; I’m not counting all the time spent cutting, pinning, pressing, etc.) I’m guessing that probably falls into the “light use” category.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
People name their sewing machines? Really? Huh. Well, mine doesn’t have a name but overall I’m very happy with it, and would still be using it if the feed dogs hadn’t randomly broken. (It’s a total mystery how they got stuck down, since I didn’t lower them. But I chose to buy a new machine when it broke mainly because repairing the CE8080 would probably cost as much or more than the machine is actually worth.)
I’m no expert, but I really think this machine was perfect for a beginner like me.
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
It doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles, but it does have a good selection of basic features — a large enough stitch selection to cover a beginner’s needs, a drop-in bobbin, a needle threader, a thread cutting blade on the back, and a free arm. I also like that it’s digital instead of having mechanical knobs to select stitches.
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
The only thing that bugs me is that after time, I began to feel like the machine wasn’t feeding my fabric 100% straight — however, I could never decide with certainty whether this was an actual problem or whether it was in my head. Each time I felt like my project was feeding slightly off-angle, I would test it with a scrap…which would go through straight without issue. I suspect it is a combination of me being a perfectionist, me needing more practice at managing larger pieces, and the fact that after 2 years, the machine was overdue for servicing.
This machine also does have trouble when there are multiple layers of fabric to get through — each additional layer adds to the challenge, obviously. (I think this is pretty common for cheaper machines like this one.) The final step in the family album I made for Emma for Christmas 2012 had me sewing through 8 (?) layers of quilting cotton and I barely made it.
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Yes, definitely! And I say that even though mine is currently broken. The CE8080PRW offers a great balance of features and quality for the price. It’s an excellent machine for a beginner or for anyone who is a casual/hobby sewer like me.
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
It’s easy to get starry-eyed over nifty features and fancy stitches, but I think the most important thing is just to figure out what you want to sew (quilts? apparel? embroidery?) and that will drive what features you need.
When I bought this machine, I was looking for a decent machine that wouldn’t cost much, since I had no idea whether I’d stick with sewing for more than a few months. The CE8080PRW definitely fit the bill on all counts. And though my current machine was a bit more (review to come), it was still under $500. There are plenty of quality machines out there that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Do you have a dream machine?
No, I really don’t. I don’t even know what my “dream machine” would be — I haven’t done enough research to even know what I would be gaining with a high end model, and I’ve never used any sewing machines other than my two and my mom’s 1970s Singer!
So that’s that! If you come across this post and find it helpful, I’d love to know. Enjoy!
[…] wrote about my first sewing machine a few weeks ago and added it to the list of sewing machine reviews over at Sew Mama Sew. When that […]