Sewing machine for makerspace

[Jason Mickelson]

Anybody have recommendations for basic sewing machines that work well with students on projects for sewing and sewable electronics?  Ideally, the machine would be:

• Ideal for students grades 5-8 to use (simple to operate, change thread)
• Easy to store, move around to different tables/rooms
• Able to sew textiles of thin to medium thickness

For electronics projects, I imagine students would machine sew their patterns and then hand sew the circuits. It would be nice if we had the flexibility to sew canvas, vinyl, and felt in addition to normal fabrics. I'm pondering offering an after-school program for sewing and wearable fashion next year. Probably plush toys, bracelets, basic shirt and skirt patterns. And I'd like to get a machine to tinker with this summer.

Thanks for any recos or advice on machines!

[Vinnie Vrotny]

We just got a simple Singer sewing maching (~$90 during the Black Friday Sale, approximately $150 regular price). It does what we need for our middle school kids for the time being.

------------------------------
Vinnie Vrotny
Director of Academic Technology, Quest Academy
Blog - Multi-Faceted Refractions  (vvrotny.org)
Twitter, Skype, etc. - vvrotny

847-921-0023


"The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge" ~ Seymour Papert

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth" ~Roberto Clemente

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[Michael Plotsker]

what about a computer controlled embroidery sewing machine for the makerspace? anyone have one of these in their makerspace?

thanks

Michael

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[Caleb Clark]

This one works well in our home: http://amzn.com/B000F7DPEQ

[Sara Frey]

I have a cheap Brother brand machine. It is very easy to store in a roller bag tote (also available at most sewing/craft shops). It is kept tucked between shelves in my office when not out in the makerspace. 

I'm not the best with textiles and am actually going to take some sewing classes over the summer to improve for next year.

There's a lot of websites and articles about choosing conductive thread, but ultimately, it all frays. Be careful!. 

On Saturday, May 3, 2014 1:00:31 PM UTC-4, Jason Mickelson wrote:

[Torben Steeg]

A fun thing you can do if you do get a computer controlled machine is to extract an image file (jpg) of a PCB mask and then use the machine to sew conductive thread around the edges of the tracks/pads to create a super flexible sewn circuit.
(We've also sent the image to a laser cutter and cut the PCB mask out of conductive material...)
Cheers, Torben

[Angi Chau]

We purchased a CNC embroidery machine (Brother SE400, which is the same one they have in Paulo Blikstein's lab at Stanford) for our lab this year, but alas, haven't had time to set it up and create a sewing station yet. That's one of my projects once classes are over.

One of Paulo's students Alicja actually sent me a long and quite comprehensive list of other supplies and tips about setting up a sewing station. Let me quickly check with her that it's ok for me to share this with everyone and I'll post that right up.

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[andrew carle]

Hi everyone! 

My apologies for the thread necromancy, but I'm once again looking at sewing machines for an elementary makerspace.  Angi, did you  post the supplies and tips archive from Alicia to the list?

--andrew

[Angi Chau]

Ha! I guess I never did -- apologies.
I've copied and pasted the email Alicja sent me a while back. It's truly a wealth of info!

From Alicja:

While I'm at it, other things I'd recommend (I'm assuming you don't really have much of a sewing station currently):

• one thing I learnt the hard way: there are multiple types of bobbins; the cheapest ones that work for this machine are these: http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-12-Piece-Class-Bobbins-Plastic/dp/B004KZ373I/ (you should be able to get them at Jo-Ann's for about $4-5, not sure why they're not on their store website); a lot of the cheap ones on Amazon say they're Class 15 or SA156, but they actually have awful reviews from SE400 owners
  
  
• the ArtBin bobbin case (http://www.amazon.com/ArtBin-8155AB-Bobbin-Translucent-Clear/dp/B000YZ45G6/) seems to be the cheapest decent one, and I've discovered it can also work nicely as a case for the extra presser feet (the width of the individual slots is perfect for this - you can even put some information about each presser foot's uses in its own little slot)
  
  
• on the topic of bobbins: this plastic tubing idea will save your sanity: http://www.schlosserdesigns.com/2012/02/tutorial-tuesday-diy-bobbin-clips/, and is much cheaper than the commercial bobbin clips; just make sure to use the right size of tubing - the one I have here is a bit smaller, and the clips pop off far too easily
  
  
• turns out sewing thread != embroidery thread - but both like to unravel into a chaotic mess; for organization's sake, it might be good to get some thread nets for each spool
  
  
• a self-healing cutting mat would probably be useful (you probably already have one, actually) - though I've also successfully lasercut fabric in the past (you just have to attach it to the laserbed properly with masking tape, so it doesn't fly around when the vent's on)
  
  
• fabric scissors (though the machine comes with a really nice small pair) and a rotary cutter dedicated to fabric (ie., no gunk on them from glue etc)
  
  
• pinking shears make cut fabric far less likely to fray or unravel - sadly, standard zigzag paper scissors don't work on fabric
  
  
• pins and safety pins of course - I've found that those little round steel magnetic containers can double as (when closed and turned upside down so the magnet faces up) a decent temporary pin holder - in fact I prefer it over a pin-cushion; flat-headed "flower" pins have the added benefit of being able to put a ruler down on top of them and have it lay flat, but the typical coloured-head pins are probably a cheaper choice
  
  
• I ignored multiple warnings that needles can break; turns out that, in fact, they can - if the foot isn't attached securely enough it might move at high speeds, and the needle can hit it; this means getting some spares is a good idea; I've been told that 80/12 and 90/14 sewing machine needles are likely the most versatile for the type of stuff that might be made at a lab
  
  
• the SE400 comes with most of the basics you'll need, but if you're planning on having students work on projects with multiple layers (eg. quilt-type stuff), a walking presser foot can be extremely helpful to help guide all layers of fabric at the same speed (again, it has to be one for the SE400)
  
  
• in "real-life" sewing, an iron (plus ironing board) is crucial; I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel putting one in a school environment, though
  
  
• I still have to test this a bit, but after a first try it seems like felt works very well on the embroidery machine without any stabilizer; felt also works well as a middle layer for quilting exercises (but I'm sure a real quilter would shudder at the thought)
  
  
• for marking fabric, either chalk (Chaco Liner) or Pentel's FriXion pens work well; the first are water-soluble (but also just rub off a great deal), the latter disappear when heated/ironed but reappear when cooled/frozen; all things considered, the chalk is probably a better choice

Also, some notes on the SE400 itself:

• if sewing large things, it can probably be helpful to have an extension table; they retail on eBay for $80-$200, but since it's basically a piece of acrylic with a cutout for the sewing machine, I'm planning on making one in the lab as soon as I figure out how to make the legs (expected cost: $5-$15)
  
  
• winding the thread onto the bobbin can be tricky at first: the key is to hold your finger underneath the thread for the first few seconds of winding, so that the thread doesn't get wound underneath the bobbin
  
  
• auto-threading the needle is cool and a huge timesaver (it could also make for an interesting "how does it work" analysis for students, come to think); one catch, though: before pressing the auto-threading button down, make sure not only that the presser foot is lowered (which they warn you about) but also (which I don't think they do) that the needle is at its default high position (the little notch on the wheel on the machine's right should point directly upwards); if it isn't, either turn the wheel or press the needle-up-needle-down button until it is; otherwise, the auto-threading mechanism can hit stuff on its way to the needle and break/bend/mangle something
  
  
• from my 1980's Singer Genie (flower power graphic design!), I'm used to having the spool of thread stand vertical; the default setting on this one is horizontal, which apparently is better for thread tension, but for certain types of spool can result in thread unraveling far too quickly and tangling (even when the spool cap is on); this was pretty much the only thing I disliked about the machine so far - until I discovered the other day that there's a plastic add-on piece that you can stick onto the bobbin-winding-pin to allow your spool to stand vertical
  
  
• you can sew with or without the foot pedal, and each have their pros and cons (when the foot pedal is in, the speed adjustment on the machine sets the maximum speed at which you can sew, which is so very cool and why don't they offer this in cars?) - but make sure that if the foot pedal is plugged in when you turn the machine off, it's also plugged in when you turn it on (and vice versa); I didn't do that once (I'm not sure they warn you against it in the manual), and got some weird setting where it wouldn't work without the pedal at all; it's entirely reversable (just a setting you have to change in the machine - if it happens, Google the error you get), but highly confusing and annoying if you don't know what's happened

In other, related news:

• I just discovered http://www.fabmo.org/fabmo/Home.html, which might be a cheap way to get some v.interesting fabrics to work with for your girls
  
  
• I found it pretty hard to find a cheap walking foot that wasn't a knock-off (I have no issues with getting the simple metal feet straight from China, but it's more important to get high-quality moving parts), but this one costs $20, compared to the $45 or so I got at a high-end quilting store (for the exact same thing, down to the packaging - and with a handy guide that was missing from the other one!); they also have a cool ruffler, but unless you're envisioning the girls sewing clothes, I'm not sure if that would be much use (though just figuring out how it works could be an awesome task!)
  
  
• felt:
• felt does indeed work fantastically on the embroidery machine, without any stabilizer (that's the thin white stuff you'll often see on the back side of an embroidered design, it's there to strengthen a fabric and help it deal with an excess of needle-poking and the amount of thread - felt, turns out, doesn't seem to need it)
  
  
• felt is also not bad for regular sewing - though thick and certainly wouldn't be great for clothes and stuff, it also doesn't unravel, which for many craft-type uses is fantastic
  
  
• felt also loves the laser cutter, and once you figure out the settings, you can also engrave it (you'll be amazed by what a Google image search brings up on cutting and engraving felt) - which means that basically felt rocks two FabLab machines
  
  
• getting the 9"x12" felt is ok (JoAnn sells them right now at 4 / $1), but JoAnn* right now (until Oct 12th) has a $2.99/yard sale which turns out to be 8 times cheaper - and allows you to use larger sizes at once without having to piece things together
  
  
• one caveat: if you foresee the girls hand-sewing felt at some point, I'd recommend getting thicker thread for that; it's not that the thin thread isn't going to work (though I doubled up my thread when I test-sewed), but because of the nature of felt (thick and bulky), it feels like a thicker thread (like embroidery floss, or even maybe a thinner wool, though I've never sewn with that) would fit it better
  
  
• on the embroidery front, I've discovered that the default hoop the SE400 comes with is great, but it's actually a bit too big in some cases (the material should be held taught on all sides of the hoop - if you're working with scraps, that's not doable); the small oval one might be a good idea at some point - but this isn't anything that's super necessary, really
  
  
• after getting and testing the Chaco Liner, I can definitely recommend it - it's super handy, easy to use and brushes off great since it's just powdered chalk; don't get the blue one (some say that one doesn't wash out), but the white's pretty much a must (I'll probably be getting a red one for the lighter fabrics); once you see if you're using it a lot, you might want the refills (2 for the price of one liner) - though I read somewhere that a lady had only needed to refill hers once in 8 years, so it should last you a while...
  
  
• finally, on the sewing machine needle front:
• there can apparently be a slight difference in length between brands (which would result in the automatic needle threader not working properly); I've used Schmetz needles successfully with the SE400, and have read comments about Organ also working (and being cost-effective)
  
  
• just as an explanation, the numbers (eg. 80/12) mean the size of a needle (the smaller the number, the thinner the needle), and the two numbers are equivalent (format being EU/US)
  
  
• ballpoint needles are good if you're planning on using woven or knit fabric (not felt) - they displace the fabric threads,
  piercing the spaces and avoiding damage to the material
  
  
• apart from needles breaking, it's also good to replace them every once in a while as they get blunter (I assume this is less of an issue with ballpoint needles, but I'm not sure)
  
  
• a single pack of 4-10 needles can cost quite a bit in-store ($3-$8, depending on brand and type), so buying in bulk is far better; two options I'm considering for myself (I wish Amazon and eBay were big things in Poland already - alas, they're only just starting so I'm stocking up here on the most ridiculous things...) are these Organ needles (100 for $13, in varying sizes) and these Schmetz ones (50 for $17, also in varying sizes, but ballpoint);
  
  
• one thing I've personally noticed is that I definitely prefer the plastic cases over the little paper envelopes some needles come in simply because it's more organized - but I'm guessing that also makes them more expensive

*three quick notes about JoAnn:
1. the Mountain View store is good, but if you happen to be around San Jose, the one on Almaden Expwy is ~3 times larger

2. fabric can be expensive, but since for FabLab purposes we often don't need huge amounts, you can make use of the remnants they sell at 

2. 15% off if you're a teacher, but I think you have to apply for it beforehand (though maybe in-store is also possible...)

-- 

Angi Chau, PhD
Director of Bourn Idea Lab, Faculty Advisor for Robotics @ Castilleja School
650-470-7756 (direct)
ac...@castilleja.org

WOMEN LEARNING  |  WOMEN LEADING

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[David Malpica]

I don't have one but this brand caught my attention:

http://content.janome.com/index.cfm/Machines

2011 embroidery demo video from Techshop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnJmDBdHCIs

[Jaymes Dec]

Angi,

Thanks so much for forwarding this bonanza of info about the SE400 embroidery machine. It's really helpful. 

Have you figured out how to convert pixel or vector images into a format that can be embroidered? 

Torben mentioned using a PCB mask to embroider circuit traces into cloth. I would love to try this, but I can't find a reasonably priced software that will convert a jpg to .pes or .dst. 

I found an Adobe Illustrator plugin for $3500?!

Torben, what software are you using? What kind of embroidery machine do you have and what format does it accept?

Thanks so much! It would be amazing to be able to embroider circuit traces with conductive thread. 

Jaymes

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[Zoe Banchieri]

There is cheaper, machine embroidery specific conversion software.  I have an older SE400 which didn't connect with the computer, required putting custom designs on cards.  It came with Embird software which worked fine for me (converting images to .pes for machine).  It looks like it is about $164 now.  There are plugins if you want to create the designs within the software but I just used other software for that.  http://www.embird.net/sw/embird/fees.htm

I will say the SE400 is not as bulletproof as I would like.  Designs with very small stitches tend to jam.  Thicker materials will not fit in the hoop.  It is significantly cheaper than the better embroidery machines so it gives one a chance to try it out.

Zoe

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[Diego Fonstad]

I am personally biased towards a starting with a simple straight-stitch sewing machine in a maker space.  The embroidery machines are cool but they seem like one-trick ponies that can be temperamental. 

Assembling stuffed animals, bags and clothing is both practical while also lending itself to lots of great math and 2d-3d spatial reasoning.

I am curious which are people's favorite models of basic sewing machines?  Based on my experience, they need to be sturdy (both in construction but in their ability to power through thick fabric or folded corners...), easy to thread and provide a consistent stitch.  I have a 70s model Bernina which is a workhorse but isn't the easiest for children to thread.  I've also liked Husqvarnas.  Has anyone tried a used industrial strength machine like a Juki?  Are they worth it for the extra power on the motor?

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[Torben Steeg]

Hi Jaymes and all,

Blimey, now you’re asking…. 

This was some time back so the details are a bit blurred. The main points follow but I suspect they miss the key detail you’re after….:

Electronics Software: Circuit Wizard - but this is irrelevant really as what we did would work with any software that can create a PCB mask.

First we generated a standard mask as you’d use for PCB etching. 

Then we took a screenshot of this.

We converted the bitmap to vector; this is the part you really want to know Jaymes and I don’t recall what we used; probably Corel Draw (?). But I imagine a service like this would do the job? You can also use Pixelmator which is free for Macs…. it’s not an automatic process… but if you have more time than cash…..

We used the vector file in two ways:

Firstly to laser cut the mask from conductive fabric so we had a flexible ‘PCB’; you can solder to this fabric if you do so with speed.

Secondly we sent the mask outline to the embroidery machine loaded up with conductive thread - can’t remember the model, but it was a fairly standard one about 5-6 years ago.

There may have been a second conversion process from our vector to whatever the embroidery software wanted - but I think that software handled that part?

I hope that helps a bit?

Cheers,

Torben
___________________________________________________________
@tsteeg

http://dandtfordandt.wordpress.com/

[Adrienne]

Hi Diego,

I have 3 of these Janome 10-Stitch basic sewing machines in our school Makerspace: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Janome-10-Stitch-Blaze-Sewing-Machine-in-Orange-001Blaze/205203922

They were inexpensive, portable, simple, and really easy for the kids to use.  Not gonna lie, I also picked them for their happy orange color that the kids and I love :)  We've been using them for about 6 months and they are holding up really well.

Adrienne Gifford

Innovation & Technology Lab Director

Open Window School

Bellevue, WA

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