-Lemonade Couture Club - Tip 2: Use your sewing machine

Last time, we gave you a few tips on how to prepare your fabric, and this time we're tackling the thorny subject of the sewing machine. Indispensable but sometimes temperamental, the sewing machine can be frightening and off-putting for beginners. However, with the right gestures and, above all, practice, you'll see that it's not difficult to understand your machine and that, with time, you'll come to know every one of its noises by heart. You'll find the video dedicated to this subject here. 

The biggest question is choosing the right machine. The difference in prices and brands can make you lose your head, but here's our advice. There are 2 main categories of machine: electronic and mechanical. Here are the pros and cons:

Electronic machines :
As the name implies, these machines have electronic components that enable a wide variety of stitches (in some cases, they're no longer sewing machines, but embroidery machines), and they're very easy to use, with almost automatic machine settings for tension, stitch width/length, the ability to make a knot at the end of the seam, and automatic thread trimming. 

Pros:
-effectively, they offer time-saving facilities,
-they allow for fancy stitches that are close to embroidery,
-they are easier for beginners to learn.

Cons:
-the price is correspondingly higher, although the difference tends to diminish over the years,
-you won't be able to repair them yourself; you'll have to go through the after-sales service,
-they are often larger, but also more fragile during transport,
-if you buy a model over 5 years old, chances are it will break down more often than a mechanical machine.

Mechanical machines :
Even if there are fewer and fewer of them, they offer the advantage of being more solid than electronic machines. 

Pros:
-they're sturdier, can withstand transport, and although they're heavier, they're often more compact,
-you can easily learn to repair them yourself, and they cost less in the event of breakdown,
-they're less expensive (from €99).

Cons:
-they take some getting used to,
you need to know how to do-it-yourself, and maintain the machine yourself, which needs to be oiled and cleaned regularly, for example,
-functions are limited, particularly in terms of stitch diversity.

Our advice:
Think long-term before choosing your sewing machine. How often do you plan to use it, what kind of work do you want to do? Sometimes it's better to go for a mid-range machine. Price can be an obstacle, but it's possible to find very good mid-range/high-end machines in second-hand mechanical shops, and you'll see, if they've been well maintained, they'll last a lifetime. Don't hesitate to get in touch with brands that sometimes offer hands-on courses, so you can test the machines before making your choice! As for resale, beware of disappointment: they lose a lot of value, especially electronic machines!