SINGER | 5560 Computerized Sewing Machine with Included Accessory Kit, Hard Cover & Extension Table, 203 Stitch Applications - Perfect for Beginners

Great value for money. The machine does everything I want and is so easy to use. I especially love the needle-up/down function. I use it in 'up' mode which is great for the kind of repairs that I bought the machine for. The choice of stitching modes is wonderful and the styles are really cool/fun. I'm sure the embroidery sewing people will love them and to be honest I want to use them but have no reason to !! Very fancy :-)So here's the but .... when spooling a bobbin (black cotton) I noticed at the end of the spooling that the little plastic peg that is used to automatically stop the spooling was wearing off on the black cotton. Basically the cotton was scraping away the automatic 'stop spool' peg. This is shoddy and realistically there should be a metal cover to stop this. I guess that's why this machine is cheaper than others. All plastic = fast wearing. This is preventable by just stopping short manually and removing the bobbin. Or maybe I'll have to add a metal cover to the little peg !! It's not a show stopper and shouldn't stop you from considering this machine.I would realistically give this machine 4.5 stars but Amazon doesn't have that rating !! Value for money is great.[1-month later]I have really got to appreciate the subtleties that are designed into this machine and they are wonderful. I've actually gone through quite a few repairs of clothes now and it performs excellently. I use the needle-down mode more than I thought I would and it is a great way to stop you dropping stitches. The results look very professional !!I've also done work on some light leather and the machine is perfectly capable however I don't think the motor will hold out long for this kind of work continuously. It's not industrial spec so I don't expect to use it for this very often. More as a test in this example. I've used heavy needles (#18) with bonded nylon thread for leather work and it has no problems.I've used this machine a lot on Denim and it seems to have no issues going through 3 layers. I've had to use the hand-wheel on 4 layer Flat Felled Seams but this is because I want to make sure the stitch is even, hence me going slow. I believe it would easily penetrate the 4 layers. Here I've been using a #16 needle and denim thread.Value = 4.8 stars now IMO.[21 Jan 2015] I re-rated to 5 stars since that's closer to 4.8. I've made a shirt from scratch since my Denim work above. The machine is a great little workhorse and sews through thick fabric (4 layers) well. I can hear the motor forcing the needle through on slow stitch mode and it does it well. Love the needle down function. I've not had any issues with jamming or having to set thread tension. I wish the hole in the middle were bigger for feeding material through but I guess that's why you go to an industrial spec machine!! I've used a lot of the presser feet and they have all worked well. I've also used a hem & cut foot for doing fake serging and that has worked very well too. Very impressed !! Stitches are balanced, equally spaced and look good. Very professional finish (which I don't deserve!!).I would say you need to be gentle with the machine and let it feed the material. Don't force it or it will pucker (but I'm guessing that's just good sewing discipline anyway!!). Also make sure you use the correct needle for the thickness of material and thread type. I used a #16 needle for the thicker material was sewing.

I've used a few different machines in my lifetime - from an old 60's era metal case Singer with all the bells and whistles, to a bare-bones Brother that stitched either straight or zigzag, and a few more machines in between.This machine was very easy to get used to (for me, an experienced sewer), and sews VERY well. The stitches are straight and strong, and the feed takes the fabric evenly and smoothly. The foot pedal is also smooth and responsive, and in case you need help with control, or are stitching tight curves or difficult stitches, there is a speed slider that you can use to help control things. I find it a huge help, and you can work the slider as you're sewing to speed things up or slow them down as needed.I wasn't sure if I'd like the top loading bobbin, but now that I've been using it for a few months I never want to go back to the old style and fiddle with that little case again! You can actually SEE your bobbin, so you can check how much thread you've got and judge whether or not to reload so you don't unexpectedly run out at a critical moment - and it really is simple to use.I did a lot of research before I bought this machine, and it really is the best value for the money. The frame is very strong and doesn't flex as you're sewing, or when you move it. It's heavy enough and smooth running enough that it doesn't walk on you as you're sewing. It's got enough power to sew through multiple layers of denim very easily, although of course it will occasionally hang up when running over the thickest part of a factory seam on a pair of jeans. Since this isn't a heavy duty machine, I'd say it does really well with denim. I've also sewn light fabric like satins and lace. No problems. The auto tensioner works surprisingly well, and only minor adjustment are needed for certain fabrics or stitches. The brother I had was a NIGHTMARE in regards to tension. Not so with this machine!The only real complaint I have, is the LED worklight. It kind of sucks. It's just not bright enough to really illuminate what you're working on. I use an extra flexible lamp so I can really see what I'm working on. I don't mind, though, because everything else about this machine is such a pleasure.