How to Choose Your First Cosplay Sewing Machine
by Tang Chee Mun
So you’ve decided to dip your toes into sewing for the first time, but don’t know which sewing machine for cosplay to get? Choosing the right sewing machine can make a major difference to your results.
If you’re new to your sewing journey, you might want to read our article on the Benefits of Sewing or our Beginner Sewing Tips round up.
There are so many types of sewing machines available on the market, and when we start to Google Search for a “sewing shop near me”, we tend to forget to look up what features we really need for our sewing machine. It’s not just about the speed of the machine, you have to consider other features such as stitch types and fabric compatibility. It’s important to do the right research to pick out the sewing machine to fit your needs, from basic sewing techniques to more advanced designs, because it will make a difference to how smoothly your project goes and the final completed project.
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How to choose a sewing machine
Here’s some things to keep in mind when getting your first machine:
Brand reliability
There are a lot of budget sewing machines available, made by brands you likely have never heard of. But choosing an unknown brand can be a challenge, as they may be unable to provide the online support or advice you need. Most major manufacturers have YouTube videos and guides to help new users. Another point to note is that if you buy from a major manufacturer, you’ll be able to get accessories to extend your sewing machine’s functionality.
At Sewing Art, we have a team of experts to help customers make the most of their new sewing machines. Our page provides sewing tips from experts, and our after-sales services include installation and onsite tutorials and classes.
Can it handle different fabrics?
When it comes to cosplay sewing, getting the right look for your costume requires considering quite a number of factors such as type, fabric weight, the drape, and stretchability. Getting a sewing machine that can handle these fabrics will make life easier.
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Does it provide an array of selectable stitches?
The right stitch can make or break the look of your costume (as well as the fabric being held together). Choosing a sewing machine with an array of selectable stitches will be a great help.
If you’re new to stitches and threads, check our article on the different types of sewing threads for an introduction to how different threads work with different fabrics.
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Our Sewing Art Recommendations
Best for Beginners
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The Brother JK17B is a great starting set for beginner cosplayers, as it comes fully accessorised to get you started on your projects. Compact and easy to use, it features 17 built-in stitches and free arm conversion, making it ideal for a variety of projects.
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Best for Advanced Cosplay Designers
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The Singer CP6355M is perfect for advanced cosplay costume designers, with the capacity to deal with heavy duty fabrics like denim or canvas. It features 32 sewing programs, letting you handle stitches ranging from topstitch and zigzag stitches, to decorative stitches or overlock stitch. It can handle multiple layers of thicker fabrics, and the heavy duty metal frame and LED lighting means you’ll be sewing with ease.
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Best for On the Spot Fixes
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For the day of the cosplay convention itself, you never know when an ill-timed tear might just wreck your costume. That’s where our Portable Mini
Sewing Machine comes in. Compact, portable and perfect for a quick stitch, it’s a great little piece to sort out your last minute needs
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We hope this guide has given you some insight into what’s important for your first cosplay sewing machine. Getting your first machine isn’t the end to your sewing journey though! Check our Guide To Basic Sewing Machine Maintenance to learn how to extend the life span of your new sewing machine!