Have you noticed that your child has a knack for crafts? Do they like to make their own things? Maybe they stole your glue gun, went to town, and whipped up a unique design, or perhaps they have a love of fashion.
A good way to encourage your child’s creativity and teach them a practical skill, like sewing, could be to get them a sewing machine. With the right tools, they can not only pursue their love of design and fashion but can also learn to mend clothes or change the design of an existing item of clothing, create pillows, or curtains.
Finding the best sewing machine for kids can be a little tricky because you might not want to overwhelm them with a full-blown professional model or get them a tool that doesn’t perform, so it can be a tough line to straddle.
Comparison Table
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How We Chose Our Ratings
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We like to share how we came up with our ratings, so to break it down for you, we examine:
We look at the product’s features and the benefits they provide towards the overall goal you’re trying to achieve, like in this case, to help spark or maintain your child’s interest in learning to sew.
Top 6 Best Sewing Machines for Kids
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Singer has been around since 1851 and is one of the most well-known and trusted names in the world of sewing machines. Although they made the Start 1304 for beginners and it may not be as robust as some of their other models, it still comes with a 25-year limited warranty.
This sewing machine has six stitches to choose from, so your child doesn’t become overwhelmed with too many choices, and they all come with pre-set length and width. With the Singer 1304, your child can simply turn a dial to learn to use stitches such as:
Also, at under 12 pounds, the machine is small and easy to move and carry. Even with its compact size, the Start 1304 can still perform up to 400 stitches a minute. Although the machine is lightweight, the internal frame is made of heavy-duty metal to prevent any skipping problems that can occur while sewing.
The tension settings are adjustable, you can automatically wind the bobbin, and an LED light illuminates your project. The Singer comes with three different presser feet, so you can switch out from regular sewing to adding buttonholes or zippers.
Over 1,700 customers have shared feedback on their experience with the Singer Start 1304, and about 80 percent of them give the sewing machine four or five stars. Many reviewers think it’s an excellent machine for beginners, and some even mention kids as young as nine years old using it without any issues.
Buyers say the Start 1304 is versatile, durable, and good for projects like quilting or making small toys. Also, people familiar with sewing machines felt that it was worth the $80 to own an entry-level but quality brand like Singer.
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Brother’s Lightweight Sewing Machine comes with a helpful DVD, free lifetime technical support, and a limited warranty that lasts 25 years. The Brother could be useful in taking your child from novice to expert with 27 built-in stitches that will let them explore various sewing styles and patterns.
An LED light can brighten the work area so that your child doesn’t have to strain their eyes trying to see small stitches. They can also follow along with the instructional DVD that provides step-by-step guidance to help give them a boost on their first project. Even threading the needle can be done with the touch of a button with Brother’s automatic needle threader that helps to guide the thread.
Your kids can switch between stitches by turning a dial to the number that corresponds to the drawing of the pattern they’d like to create etched on the side of the sewing machine. The Lightweight Sewing Machine weighs less than 15 pounds which makes it portable and easy to move to different tables and workstations.
The built-in free arm makes it easy for children to learn how to sew sleeves, pant legs, and cuffs. With the Brother, they can also use six different feet for buttonholes, zippers, and zigzag.
Over 1,000 customers who purchased Brother’s Lightweight Sewing Machine provided feedback, and almost 90 percent rated it with four or five stars. Many buyers say the DVD is handy for helping children to learn how to sew and kids as young as eight years old can use the machine.
A lot of users felt that the nearly $90 price tag was reasonable given the quality and durability of the machine.
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The NEX Sewing Machine is compact and lightweight so that it doesn’t take up a lot of space and you can easily move it from room to room. The NEX weighs about five pounds and is about 11 inches long by 5 inches wide and 10 inches in height. It even has a built-in handle to make the machine easy to carry.
The NEX has 12 different stitches, can seam, hem, and sew through buttonholes. An LED light is built over the presser foot for added illumination so that your child can clearly see the stitches they are making.
You don’t have to worry about your child possibly handling very sharp scissors to cut threads because a cutting knife button is built into the sewing machine just above the presser foot area. With the NEX, you can teach your kids how to:
The NEX comes with a foot controller, a needle threader, two bobbins, some extra needles, and a couple of spools of thread. A drawer built into the sewing machine has a tension adjuster and measuring tape. You can either use four AA batteries to power the device or use the 6V power adapter. NEX offers a one-year warranty for added peace of mind.
Out of the hundreds of reviews from customers who bought the NEX Sewing Machine, many say that they consider it to be a fantastic machine for beginning sewers and kids in particular. Some buyers purchased the NEX for kids as young as six or seven and said it was an excellent machine for teaching children how to sew.
Some negative feedback on the sewing machine from experienced users mention that the construction is almost entirely plastic, and some felt there should have been metal for the bobbin winder and other pieces. However, those who like the machine feel that for the $55 price tag, you can’t expect a professional-grade tool.
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The Singer 4411 Sewing Machine can handle pretty much any fabric you throw at it, so your kids can get as crafty or creative as they want. Eleven stitches are built in, and the needle can be adjusted to three different positions to allow for topstitching or adding zippers.
Although the machine has a heavy-duty metal frame, it still weighs less than 15 pounds which allows your child to move it to different rooms. Singer has a Sewing Assistant app that can help kids learn different sewing methods and access tutorials to get project inspiration and guidance.
The Singer 4411’s bed plate is stainless steel, so it makes it easy to maneuver fabrics across the surface.
More than 1,600 buyers shared their thoughts on their Singer 4411 purchase and over 80 percent of them gave it a four or five-star rating. Sewing aficionados say it’s easy to use and a great option for older children and beginners if you want to start them at the top instead of working your way up through lesser machines.
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Although the Janome Basic Sewing Machine only weighs around five pounds, this compact tool is capable of a variety of functions. There are eleven stitches built into the sewing machine including zigzag, crescent, straight and twin needle. Your child can switch to different styles by turning the dial and matching the letter to the design they want to achieve.
The Janome also comes in a variety of colors, so if you know your little one’s preferred shade, then you can get them a gift that feels personalized.
The presser foot has a finger guard to prevent your child from sustaining any injuries as they pass material through the workspace. A built-in drawer provides storage space for small accessories like buttons and zippers. The Janome also has a free arm and is capable of sewing in reverse.
Almost half of the customers who reviewed their Janome Basic Sewing Machine rated it with five stars. A lot of comments mention that the machine is easy to use, great for beginners, and excellent for children. Parents and grandparents agree that the tool is basic as the name indicates but is still a step up from a toy sewing machine.
An LED light is one common feature that is missing from the Janome that many reviewers mentioned would make it a better machine. Also, buyers indicate that it works best with sewing needles in sizes 12 and 14 which causes its function to feel limited and that it only operates at one speed.
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The Varmax Mini Sewing Machine comes with an extension table to provide your child with more working space to comfortably tackle their projects and offers more stability for when the two-pound machine is in use.
Besides the sewing machine and extension table, in the box, you’ll get a power adapter, foot pedal, needle and threader, and a couple of bobbins.
The miniature design makes the machine very portable and easy to carry so that your child doesn’t feel confined to one room. The Varmax does have a built-in light to make it easier to see the sewing while it’s in progress and it also has a cuff slot for precision sewing of legs and sleeves. Kids won’t have to handle scissors because the sewing machine has a thread cutter they can use over the presser foot.
Although small, the Varmax is equipped to handle fabrics as tough as denim. However, the machine does not have reverse sewing. You can power the device with the power adapter or batteries.
Almost 75 percent of buyers who reviewed their purchase gave the Varmax a five-star rating, and many say that it’s an excellent choice for beginners and children. Customers note that it’s easy to use and that Varmax has helpful tutorial videos on YouTube that can show you anything from how to thread the machine to how to hem pants.
Buyer’s Guide
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Sure, we’ve compiled this list of what we believe are the best products in this category, but this section takes it a bit further to help you understand what to keep an eye out for when making your final decision about which is the best sewing machine for kids to learn to sew.
Depending on the age of the child that is getting the machine, you might want to minimize the number of stitches available. However, if you trust that your kid is a sewing whiz who is going to pursue their hobby to the fullest, then it might make more sense to get a machine fully loaded with over twenty stitch styles.
Safety features such as finger guards or things that could make using the machine easier like automatic needle threaders or DVD guides could also separate one sewing machine from the pack when it comes to decision time.
