SINGER Start 1304 Portable Sewing Machine | Lightweight, Beginner-Friendly with 57 Stitch Applications, Automatic Bobbin Winding & 4-Step Buttonhole | Includes Accessory Kit

My initial reason for purchasing this machine was to simply re-attach buttons to my dress shirts. The quality of even expensive dress shirts seems to have declined in the last few years and after just a few washings, buttons are coming off. I have tried hand sewing but could never seem to get it right. So I was looking on YouTube for tutorials and came across one that showed how to use a sewing machine to reattach buttons and the machine she was demoing was the Singer Start 1304. It looked so easy I decided to check the price on amazon and was surpised by the low cost. I mean this thing is about the cost of 2 or 3 of the shirts I buy for work.The machine is very simple but offers some really nice features like double needle support, reverse and 6 different stitch types and of course, a foot-pedal. It is very light weight making it very easy to setup and store. Now honestly I haven't touched a sewing machine in over 40 years and that was in an 8th grade home econmics class, but with in 10 minutes I had the bobbin wound, the machine threaded and was ready to go. After repairing 2 shirts, I was pretty pleased with my purchase and put the machine away, confident I could repair any of my shirts in the future.Then a day later, I was looking at my tablecloth on my dining room table. It has never fit right and hung way to far over the edges. So, I watched a quick tutorial on hems and then I trimmed the tablecloth down to the overhang I wanted (plus 1/2" seam allowance), got the machine back out of the closet and within 15 minutes it was done! It now fits perfect with an exact 8" over hang on all sides AND it looks incredible!I'm convinced that this machine is the gateway drug into the sewing hobby, because now I'm thinking custom throw pillows for the living room. Maybe a laptop sleeve, (yes this machine includes a "zipper foot"). As the headline states, be careful, this is a very addicting activity!

I am 74 years old and I have had many sewing machines, all with bells and whistles! I wanted a simple sewing machine for clothes repair, curtains, etc. I just threaded it and it took about 30 seconds! I am very impressed and upon making a sample stitch line it was perfect! Easy peasy which is just what I wanted. Veteran sewers or beginner, this is a great, lightweight sewing machine. I could not be happier! By the way, my first machine was a singer so now I have come full circle!

my 35 yr old Singer suddenly needed some work and I estimated it would cost at least $100 to fix it in addition to finding someone in this rural area to do it. and I was in a hurry. so I bought this machine without any previous reviews. it’s worked out very well. it gives a nice even stitch and also has a selection of other stitches. I like the reverse stitch lever a lot. For me, it’s a little crowded trying to replace a needle. now for the big thing—I hate the bobbin winding set up. I know most of the new machines have the same thing, on top of the machine, but I’ve been used to a WIND IN PLACE bobbin, which is why I bought my old machine, and what I consider the best invention Singer has ever had. why it’s not standard still I can’t imagine. other than that, this little machine is fine for simple projects and repairs and general use.

I was taking my pants to an alteration shop to have them shortened but they have raised their prices so significantly that I can no longer justify not doing it myself. I wanted a simple sewing machine without a lot of bells and whistles and this machine fits the bill. The machine arrived this afternoon and within an hour I set it up and shortened and hemmed a pair of corduroy pants. I also like that it is lightweight enough that I can easily carry it. It was fairly easy to wind the bobbin and thread the machine. The only two things I don't like about the sewing machine are: 1) The task, light isn't nearly bright enough to do any good. I had to set up a lamp. 2) There are zero written instructions, only pictures (and not very good ones). I was able to set it up because I am an experienced seamstress and have used different machines over the years. A beginner would have a difficult time, if they could set it up at all. As a professional technical writer, I can tell you that some people are OK with just pictures, but others need step by step written instructions. Some people need both. Not including a manual with written and pictorial instructions is a major flaw.

Singer sewing machine did not come with a warranty or an instruction manual. In the little one page illustration and the small page it says to download the manual at:Manual.Singer.com DO NOT DO THISYou will be routed to a company that charges $14.99 +shipping Go directly to Singer, you can download and print 24 pages. It might take a few minutes but worth it. This is a dandy sewing machine and well worth the money.

I bought this machine for one purpose-making buttonholes. I have another machine that’s older than I am that I use for most of my work, since it’s an absolute UNIT and mostly metal, but it only does the one stitch. I tinkered around with this machine a little bit when it arrived, and noticed that it didn’t have even half of the strength as my normal machine, but wrote it off, since I won’t be using it much. Well, I finally got it back out to do the one thing I bought it for, a full month after the return window closed, and the thread tension for the buttonhole setting was a MESS. I’ve been sewing for 20 years, I KNOW how to make a machine work, but this one wasn’t doing its job. So I brought it to my local repair store, and they told me that this machine would NEVER properly do buttonholes since it was basically just an expensive piece of plastic. So now I’m stuck with an overpriced paperweight because I didn’t think to try out every setting when I’d first bought it, assuming that the brand’s reputation for quality would apply to their current lineup. In summary: while singer used to be great (as evidenced by my 60-year-old machine), what they make now is steaming hot garbage.