Sewing is a valuable skill, and understandably, many people want to inspire their kids to pursue it. How do you make sure that they can participate safely though? In this article, we’ll be talking about how to choose the best sewing machine for your kids to use.
Choosing A Sewing Machine For Little Girls
While it may be tempting to purchase a toy sewing machine, this is not advisable. These machines are not well made, and they are frustrating to work with. If you want your child or grandchild to be able to seriously pursue sewing as a skill, then it’s better to get them a quality machine that’s easy to use and can grow with them. Here’s what to look for!
Ease of Use Features
A beginner sewing machine should make it easy to get started. Basic, but handy features, like basic stitches, drop-in bobbins that are easy to change, start/stop buttons, etc. Automatic tension is also a good one, but a lot of machines with this feature are likely outside what you’d want to pay for a machine for a novice.
Speed Controls
This is arguably one of the most important features for a beginner’s machine, especially for children. Being able to sew at your own pace is important, and it goes a long way for safety. Getting a sewing machine with speed control should be at the top of your to-do list here.
Safety Attachments
While most quality machines do not have these built-in, it’s easy to purchase add-ons such as protected presser feet which make sewing safer. These will help to avoid little fingers from getting under the needle, but remember that it’s also important to teach little ones good form and awareness to keep them safe during sewing.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, here’s our list of the best sewing machines for little girls to learn to sew!
Best Sewing Machines For Little Girls
Below we’ve made a list of some of our top picks for easy to use, beginner sewing machines with a budget for each one. Depending on how old your child is or how dedicated they are to sewing will likely dictate how much you want to spend. All of these are quality machines that will grow with them as they progress.
Brother Innov-is NS80E – $499
The Brother Innov-is is a fantastic beginner sewing machine.
It has some great features, but it’s also very easy to navigate, so beginners won’t be thrown off by it. It has an automatic needle threader, adjustable stitch speed, and a drop-in bobbin as well.
This machine pretty much ticks all of our boxes, and it’s an excellent entry-level brother machine that your child or grand child will be able to use for a long time. It includes multiple feet to learn with and 80 built-in stitches for their projects. It’s nicely priced, and would be a great machine for an older child who has shown great interest in sewing and would appreciate a quality machine. Click here to check prices, reviews, and availability for this great sewing machine.
Babylock Zest – $149
While the Brother Innov-Is is a great machine, it may not be in everyone’s budget.
This is especially true if you’re not sure if your child will be dedicated enough to sewing to warrant a pricier machine.
If this is the case for you, then you might want to look at the Babylock Zest.
This very affordable sewing machine can be had for around $150! What’s more is that it’s actually a great quality machine that has a lot to offer. Though it does not have all the bells and whistles of the above brother machine, it does have a very, very easy to use dial system. It also does not have a speed control, but it’s a much slower machine, making it safer for inexperienced or young users.
It includes 15 built-in stitches, a front loading bobbin, a removable base – for free-motion capabilities, and it’s lightweight – making it portable if they need to bring it to and from places like home or school. If you’re interested in this machine, click here to check prices, reviews, and availability.
Singer 1304 Start – $200
If the Zest is a little too bare bones for you, then for a bit more, you could pick up the Singer 1304 Start.
This beginner machine offers some excellent features, including automatic tension, which is hard to get on a machine in this price range a lot of the time.
Similar to the Babylock Zest, this machine also has simple dial controls. It features 6 built-in stitches, preset stitch length adjustments, automatic bobbin winding system, free arm conversion, and tons of great accessories to experiment and learn with. Click here to check prices, reviews, and availability for this machine.
Brother SE625 – $320-$600
In addition to sewing, embroidery can also be super fun, especially for kids.
Customizing your shirts, jackets, and backpack with custom embroidery is a big crowd pleaser, and it could even be a good way for them to earn some extra money when the other kids at school see how cool it is!
While in some cases, embroidery machines can be expensive, that’s not always the case! In fact, you could pick up a refurbished version of this great dual-purpose machine for as little as $320. Though, even at full-price, it’s still a great deal for everything you get.
This machine offers both sewing and embroidery capabilities, speed control, 80 built-in embroidery designs, 103 built-in stitches, LCD screen, and tons of accessories. So, if you have an older child that would love to learn embroidery, this machine could be a surprisingly affordable intro for them. Click here to check prices, reviews, and availability for this fantastic machine!
In closing, purchasing a quality machine that will grow with them will be better in the long run than getting them a frustrating toy machine instead. There are many easy to use sewing machines which can be had within almost any budget. Especially if you consider getting a refurbished machine!
Tanya, both a nurturing stay-at-home mom and a skilled crafter, is the creative force behind our blog. As the co-founder of Romney Ridge Farms & Crafts, she’s the editor and curator. She also runs the Romney Ridge Farms & Crafts social media accounts where we post new patterns for you to enjoy.
