Singer M1150 Sewing Machine Review: A Beginner’s Dream Machine
The Singer M1150 sewing machine is one of the most popular mechanical sewing machines on the market, especially for beginners and hobby sewers. In this comprehensive review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the features, specs, performance, and overall value offered by the Singer M1150.
Singer M1150 Sewing Machine
The Singer M1150 is a lightweight and portable sewing machine that weighs only 12 pounds. It’s designed to be easy to use for beginners and occasional sewing needs, rather than heavy duty sewing projects.
With its affordable price point, typically under $150, the Singer M1150 offers good value for the money. It has many convenient features found in more advanced Singer models, minus the computerization.
Overall, the Singer M1150 is aimed at the beginner sewist who wants a reliable, mechanical machine for learning the basics of sewing and completing small everyday repairs and craft projects.
[Image: Singer M1150 sewing machine]
(Image source: Singer website)
Features of the Singer M1150
Despite its simple mechanical design, the Singer M1150 comes equipped with many handy features:
Built-In Stitches
The Singer M1150 offers 50 built-in stitches, including:
- Straight stitch
- Zigzag stitch
- Blind hem stitch
- Decorative stitches
- Buttonhole stitches
While 50 stitches is not an extensive selection compared to computerized sewing machines, it provides enough options for learning how to sew and make basic projects.
The variety of stitches covers the main techniques a beginner needs to learn, from sewing a straight seam to finishing edges with zigzag to sewing on buttons.
Easy Stitch Selection
Choosing a stitch on the Singer M1150 is very straightforward with the turn dial design. Simply turn to the stitch you want and start sewing – no complicated screens or push button controls.
The stitch dial has each stitch clearly marked and numbered, making it easy even for new sewers.
LED Light
The Singer M1150 sewing machine comes with a built-in LED light bulb. This illuminates the work area for clearer visibility when sewing, especially for darker fabrics.
Automatic Needle Threader
Threading the needle is made easy with the automatic needle threader. Simply follow the steps, and the threader does the work for you in guiding the thread through the needle eye.
Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
A dial on the side of the machine lets you increase or decrease the amount of pressure exerted by the presser foot on your fabric. Adjusting the foot pressure helps when sewing on thicker or thinner fabrics.
Twin Needle Capability
The Singer M1150 allows you to sew with a twin needle, which creates two parallel rows of stitching. This is useful for decorative techniques like pintucks.
Free Arm
By removing the accessory compartment, the Singer M1150 converts into a free arm machine. This makes it easier to sew cylindrical items like pant hems and cuffs.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12 pounds |
| Dimensions | 15L x 7.5W x 12H inches |
| Stitches | 50 built-in |
| Buttonholes | 1 four-step buttonhole |
| Bobbin | Front loading, class 15 transparent bobbins |
| Presser feet included | All purpose foot, zipper foot, buttonhole foot |
| Lighting | LED light bulb |
| Warranty | 25 year limited warranty |
(Image source: Singer website)
Performance and Ease of Use
One of the standout features of the Singer M1150 is how beginner-friendly it is. Both threading the machine and learning to use it are made simpler thanks to its mechanical design.
Easy Threading and Bobbin Winding
The machine has guides printed right on it for threading the upper thread and winding the bobbin. By following the guides step-by-step, even someone who has never sewn before can get the Singer M1150 threaded and ready to go.
The bobbin case slides out easily from a top loading position, making it straightforward to insert the wound bobbin.
Preset Stitch Length and Width
Unlike computerized machines, the Singer M1150 sewing machine does not involve selecting customized stitch settings. The length and width are preset for each stitch.
While this limits flexibility for advanced users, it eliminates guesswork for beginners. You don’t have to worry about adjusting settings – just pick your stitch and start sewing.
Great for Lightweight Fabrics
The Singer M1150 really shines when sewing lightweight fabrics like cotton, silk, and satin. With an appropriate needle and thread, it produces smooth stitches on these fabric types.
It can handle some thicker fabrics as well but works best on lighter weight projects. Taking it slow over multiple layers of denim is recommended.
Helpful Features for Learning
Several convenient features make the learning process easier on this machine. The automatic needle threader saves time and frustration, while the LED light illuminates stitching.
The reverse sewing lever is located conveniently in the front to secure stitches with just a push. There’s also a top loading bobbin case, adjustable presser foot pressure, and twin needle ability – great bonuses for a beginner’s machine.
[Image: Sewing on Singer M1150]
(Image source: Singer website)
Creating Buttonholes
The Singer M1150 is able to create buttonholes using the four step buttonhole foot included. Here are some tips for sewing buttonholes with this machine:
- Mark the placement and length of your buttonhole on the fabric first.
- Attach the buttonhole foot and set the dial to “Buttonhole”.
- Complete step 1 on the dial, sewing the first side of the buttonhole. Stop at the marked line.
- Change the dial to Step 2, sewing a few bartacks across the end of the buttonhole.
- Turn the dial back to Step 1 and sew the second side of the buttonhole, stopping at the marked line.
- Finally, change back to Step 2 to sew the final bartacks and complete the buttonhole.
It takes some practice to get perfectly even buttonholes, but once you get the hang of the four steps, it is easy to replicate. Having the steps mapped out on the dial makes it more beginner-friendly than a 1-step buttonhole.
Going slowly and using interfacing stabilizer will also help get nice results. With some experience, you’ll be cranking out perfectly sized buttonholes on the Singer M1150.
Pros of the Singer M1150
We’ve gone over many of the excellent features of the Singer M1150, but let’s recap some of the main advantages:
- Extremely beginner-friendly right out of the box
- Portable and lightweight at just 12 pounds
- Affordable price point under $150
- Includes 50 stitches for basic sewing techniques
- Preset stitch width and length eliminates guesswork
- Produces consistent and neat stitches on lightweight fabrics
- Reliable performance even with regular use
- Easy to thread and wind bobbin
- Good value for the price
The Singer M1150 really shines when it comes to being unintimidating for brand new sewers. Both kids and adults can learn on this machine with ease and tackle everyday sewing projects.
Cons to Consider
While the Singer M1150 is ideal for sewing beginners, there are a few downsides to consider:
- Not suitable for heavy duty materials or advanced sewing techniques
- Limited to just 50 built-in stitches
- Manual buttonholes can be tricky for new sewers
- May need upgrading once skills progress beyond basics
- No automatic presser foot pressure adjustment
- Not computerized
The limitations are mainly apparent for more advanced sewers. If you are looking to work on thick material like leather or canvas, embroider, quilt heavily, or need specialty stitches, this beginner’s machine may not meet your needs.
However, for its target audience of sewists looking to learn the craft and make everyday repairs and items, the Singer M1150 offers tremendous value.
Summary: Ideal for Beginners But May Eventually Need Upgrading
To wrap up this Singer M1150 sewing machine review, let’s recap who can benefit most from this model:
- Absolute beginners who want to learn sewing basics
- Casual hobby sewers for making simple items and clothing repairs
- Those needing an affordable secondary machine for light projects
- Sewists with basic skills looking to buy their first machine
- A portable machine for sewing classes or to travel with
The Singer M1150 really fills the need for an easy entry into sewing for newbies. With its intuitive operation, variety of helpful features, and quality construction, it allows beginners to grasp the fundamentals while producing nice results.
More advanced sewers may want to upgrade after a year or two once their skills progress. But as a starter machine or a secondary machine for light tasks, the Singer M1150 is an excellent value for the price.
I hope this detailed review gives you all the information needed to determine if the Singer M1150 is the right sewing machine for your needs! Please let me know if you have any other questions.