Is a Hand Held Sewing Machine
Really Your Best Choice?

A hand held sewing machine is definitely not for beginners, definitely not for children and it may not be for you.

Before you purchase , make sure you understand handheld machines' limitations and the problems and headaches they can cause...

You've seen them on TV and advertised in mail order catalogs. Handheld sewing machines or portable sewing machines, can be taken anywhere.

They're cheap ($10-20).

They are lightweight, definitely portable, easy to store, and you don't even need to plug them into an electrical socket, because they can run on batteries.

Singer Stitch Sew Quick Handheld Sewing Machine

You can sew curtains on their rods and even mend a pocket in your pants, without removing them. Use them indoors or outside. Pretty slick. Huh?

Have you had experience with a handheld sewing machine? What did you think? Write a review and share your opinion. Or check out what others have written.

The Dark Side
to Hand Held Sewing Machines

If all that sounds pretty good to you, there is more to consider. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

And the hand held sewing machine is too good to be true. For example, here are some common problems cited by hundreds of reviewers:

• The thread often slips off the hook (underneath, instead of a bobbin), and you end up with a lot of loose stitches. Many reviewers expressed dis-satisfaction because of the amount of time spent, trying to correct this problem and make their hand held machine work.

• With these little hand held machines, if you don't tie off the end, it can easily unwind—in just a few seconds. Something you definitely don't want to have happen if you are wearing the product that you made!

• Many handheld machines came with no instructions or with instructions that were not clear or that had poor illustrations. Reviewers reported that they spent hours trying to figure out how to use the machines. Some never did.

Out of hundreds of reviewers, only one said that she really loved her Handy Stitch handheld machine.

Many reviewers reported returning their handheld sewing machine, giving it to a thrift shop, selling it at a yard sale or throwing it in the trash.

The Singer Stitch Sew Quick fared a little better in the reviews, but most reviewers were not totally happy.

All in all, purchasing a hand held sewing machine is definitely not for beginners, definitely not for children and may not be for you.

If you are not an experienced sewer, why not consider the next step up, portable sewing machines? One portable sewing machine that got favorable reviews was the Janome Sew Mini. They sell for about $60 and would be good for your first sewing machine.

Hand Held Sewing Machine to Best Sewing Machines