Hand-held Sewing Machines

[lusentoj]

Hi, I don't really know where else to post this question haha. I just found out that electric hand-held sewing machines exist; seems like there's a ton of different brands that are all just clones of each other:

Watch on YouTube

Has anyone here used them? I've tried reading about them but it's hard to find anyone who's actually tried to "sew" with them, everyone's just "testing them out" and then going back to their real machines. I won't have a real machine.

I've been living in a house where our only sewing machine is one of those 100-year-old electricless ones that only has 1 stitch and only forward-stitch, so the "lack of features" doesn't really bother me (although backstitch would be really nice). I was planning on using it for all kinds of general sewing just like a normal machine. I even tried searching on kickstarter to see if anyone's improving these things and can't find anything...

Comments

[justkeepwriting]

I've never actually heard anything good about them. Which bums me out, because it'd be handy.

[lusentoj]

From what I've read so far, some of them can sew "four layers of denim" and stuff which my "real machine" right now can't even do... Seems like some brands are worse than others too. I guess it's up to me to get a Japanese one once I'm there and test it out, but it's kinda annoying that I can't find anyone who's actually seriously tested it out (like made clothing and seen how long it lasted for example). I'll keep searching though.

[lusentoj]

Now I've looked at reviews for them in English, Swedish and Japanese. English speakers have nothing but complaints and seem to be tossing it after testing it out on test fabric, say that it doesn't hold stitches etc.

Japanese people only complain that it takes a while to get used to it (3+ tries until you can sew a straight/good line) and seem to be using it for random small clothing repairs. For holding the thread they're tying knots in or burning the thread.

Swedes don't have any complaints at all, say it works fantastic and use it to sew patchwork blankets and stuff. They say if you cut the thread a special way there's no need to tie it or do anything else, the stitches will stay.

So I'm going to buy a ($10 USD) non-electric one and test it out on a bunch of fabric I was going to throw away before leaving for Japan anyway; if it works great I'll keep it, if not I'll try an electric one once I get to Japan! Actually, I'll probably try an electric one anyway ;D