Sewing Machine Advice requested

[JaneV2.0]

I'm skeptical of late model (later than the sixties) Singers, but this model has some good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R1YD6M...=fsclp_pl_fr_2

[Tybee]

I'm skeptical of late model (later than the sixties) Singers, but this model has some good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R1YD6M...=fsclp_pl_fr_2

I have this machine, Jane. I think it would work well for the canvas and the harnesses and would be an excellent first machine.

Don't think it could handle the leather, but I admittedly have not tried it on leather.

[JaneV2.0]

I have this machine, Jane. I think it would work well for the canvas and the harnesses and would be an excellent first machine.

Don't think it could handle the leather, but I admittedly have not tried it on leather.

It's reasonably priced; probably worth a try.

[sweetana3]

The 10,000 Berninas would likely not sew on leather. Maybe but unlikely. My friend has said her Babylock Jane will sew over anything. Straight stitch only and heavy duty.

[bae]

think you will need more than one machine to do the range you are talking about--it's like trying to buy one saw to cut everything from logs to doing carpentry work.

(I think that works as a metaphor, but I know nothing about saws.)

Analogy works great for my poor brain, perfect :-)

[JaneV2.0]

The 10,000 Berninas would likely not sew on leather. Maybe but unlikely. My friend has said her Babylock Jane will sew over anything. Straight stitch only and heavy duty.

I'm mystified as to what it could do at that price.

[bae]

Eliminating the "leather" requirement, and thinking "maybe not just one machine" seem to produce many more possibilities. I think at this point I should select on "ease of use for beginner", "reliability", and "customer service".

[sweetana3]

Sounds like you need a more "industrial" machine. There are such things. We have a company here that sells machines that are not "home" machines as normally thought of but are built for what you want. I bet Washington has a similar company. Indianapolis Sewing Machine Company is there name.

[bae]

It turns out that everyone else in America decided this was a good time to get a sewing machine, all of my top choices seem sold out nearly everywhere.

Ah well :-)

[Gardnr]

Eliminating the "leather" requirement, and thinking "maybe not just one machine" seem to produce many more possibilities. I think at this point I should select on "ease of use for beginner", "reliability", and "customer service".

I would suggest an older mechanical metal machine. Why? My first machine in 1980 was a $200 Kenmore. I sewed everything on it including a deer hide wedding suit for a guy I worked with and a canvas cover for our tent trailer. Change needle and thread type to match the material. Today's machines? No way 1 could do it all. But those old workhorses? You bet!