They said I couldn't find a reliable, multi-functional sewing machine for under $200, but I did!

In the house where my family moved when I was a young child, the former owners left an old Singer sewing machine in a solid wood cabinet. That machine went forward. Only. The machine did use electricity, and a knee pedal was the control.

Sometimes when I was sewing, if it was a hot summer afternoon I'd have to put a bag of ice on the the motor to cool it down enough to keep sewing. That Singer machine only went forward, but I was able to sew costumes, dresses, skirts, and more. When I wanted to make buttonholes, I purchased a buttonholer attachment that literally moved the fabric under the needle that only went forward.

My mother owned a Singer sewing machine that I recall sewing on starting in the sixth grade. I don't remember the model number, but it had several built in stitches, plus a lever for putting the machine into reverse. It seemed like the cat's meow next to the machine that only went forward.

Cut through the years to my growing up, getting married and setting up my own home. My father let me take the old Singer in the cabinet with the knee peddle to my own home. This was very much a mixed blessing. While I didn't have to come up with the money for a sewing machine, it wasn't very versatile. Still, in the solid wood cabinet it looked classy in my living room.

I stitched and sewed, mended, and created. Then we had the opportunity to move overseas for some time. We were moving to a country of 220 volts. Everything electric would either have to run on a transformer, or we would have to buy it new in a 220 volt version. We were on a very tight budget and had to pare down our wish list to the bare minimum.

With a toddler and a newborn, on the top of my wish list was a new sewing machine. However, I had less than $200 to spend. I called a company that had 220 volt appliances and clarified which sewing machines they carried that cost less than $200. One was the Singer 3343c, the 220 version of the 3343. So I went to the local sewing store to check out the machine.

When I walked in to the sewing machine display area, I was immediately drooling over the fancy computer graphics driven machines, of course. Oh, to be be able to program my children's initials and have the machine monogram every cute little outfit at the flick of a switch! However, the ticket prices of the machines at the time were well over $2,000, which was NOT in the budget.

I located a Singer 3343, and noticed that it was not computerized at all. Slightly disappointed at first, I realized that in today's world, computerization is cool, but it is very difficult to repair if something goes wrong. The Singer 3343 needs to be oiled once a year, and is built on the old solid mechanical principles that made Singer the number one reliable sewing machine company in America. With 30 Insertable Stitch Cams, the machine was extremely versatile. With a 4 step buttonhole stitch built in, I could put away my old buttonholer kit. The machine was a perfect balance between upgrading to a modern machine and keeping the old reliable elements I had grown to love, the same method of filling a bobbin, and the same way to thread the machine that I'd been using for most of my life. I called the company and ordered my Singer 3343.

If I had a bigger budget today, would I buy a computerized machine? I doubt it. My main goals are practical when it comes to sewing. I need to mend, to sew, to teach my daughters to sew, and not have much maintenance on my machine. I've been able to accomplish all that with my Singer 3343.

I hem with my sewing machine now, using the invisible hem stitch disk that comes with the 3343. I have a button sewing foot that attaches easily to the shank lever and with it I can sew on flat buttons. Amazing. If you don't exactly love sewing on flat buttons, this is one foot worth having. You're still stuck for shank buttons.

The bad news, and the good news

Unfortunately, the Singer 3343 is now a discontinued Singer model. However, I've found that reviews of the Singer 2732 Sewing Machine match my love for a reliable workhorse of a sewing machine. "You can purchase the 2732 online now, for only $149.99! It's worth it.

Your purchase includes some extra presser feet, including one of my favorites, the Blind hem feet. I'll be adding video tutorials on how to use that foot, and how to use the four-step buttonhole stitches. I find these sturdy mechanical Singer machines the best for your all purpose sewing. You'll be buying a machine that you can bring to life all those sewing projects of your dreams. Click below and purchase online to have it delivered right to your door: