What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Ideas and instructions how you can make your own bondage toys.
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

I am looking to expand my " toymaking " abilities. Going to get into sewing. My Wife is going to show me the basics, and I will go from there. Only problem, She doesn't want me "destroying" her crafting/ clothes making machine. I will be sewing medium weight leather, a lot of vinyl, and probably stretch denim, and most definitely spandex and darlex. So a lot of different thicknesses and weights. Would I be better off to get two machines? I figure if I can weld, cut and form steel, I should be able to learn this skill, and maybe even get good at it. The thoughts of a heavy stretch denim sleepsack is making me want to go get a machine today...
KinkInSpace
*****
Posts: 2141
Joined: 24 Dec 2015, 16:11
Location: Netherlands

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by KinkInSpace »

It isn't necessarily the sowing machine you need to look for, but more precise the needles. Leather is a very sturdy and thick material. You will need a special needle designed to sow through leather. They are thicker and very sharp. But getting a second machine is not a bad idea.
Formally known as Slave_L.
I'm not yet very comfortable expressing my love for kink from my private life. I will therefor hide behind my username KinkInSpace and not allow any connections to who I really am. I'm sure you'll understand.
OrgasmAlley
****
Posts: 515
Joined: 18 Nov 2012, 17:43

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by OrgasmAlley »

The Singer "Heavy Duty" -- 4423 (also 4411, but its a lesser machine) -- is decent for a consumer machine, and quite reasonably priced. I use one regularly through two layers of poly webbing and two layers of Velcro loop. Once you hit 4 layers of denim as in many useful seams, or anything but two layers of quite light leather, you will need a much heavier machine... something like:

http://www.weaverleathersupply.com/cata ... 82/001/257

I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives for the hobbyist. You would still sew most lighter stuff on the first machine.

If you can live with waiting on the heavier work, I would suggest starting with a heavy standard machine and building your skills on lighter work. You can try heavier materials on it, but it will both struggle and not last under those conditions. Always match the needle style to the work!
User avatar
Darkrope
**
Posts: 57
Joined: 31 Jul 2015, 19:06
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by Darkrope »

A needle for leather has a triangular point instead of a round one.
It's strange how much freedom can be felt in a tight bondage.

Darkrope
User avatar
bound_jenny
Moderator
Posts: 10268
Joined: 09 Dec 2007, 12:37
Location: Montreal, Canada, Great Kinky North

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by bound_jenny »

I agree with the advice above, especially for leather. You need needles specialized for leather and good sturdy ones for any heavier work.

Try to go for Singer brand machines as they are well built and last quite a while. Ideally, if you found a working older model, like the ones with metal, curvy bodies, they have all metal parts inside and are built like tanks. The motors on those old machines have a lot more oomph and can handle heavy materials like leather and multiple layers of cloth. As a I mentioned before, good sturdy needles matched to the type of work are a must. On a now-defunct corset forum, I was acquainted with a young lady who had inherited an old Singer machine from her mother, who had inherited from her own mother. Three generations! And as of a few years ago, according to the young lady, parts were still available! (what would be ironic is that your wife would be bugging you to use your machine... :lol: )

Read as much as you can about sewing. Find tutorials on the web, or get some books. Listen to your wife and especially, watch her when she sews (that's how I learned, watching my Mom).

Jenny.
Helplessness is a doorway to the innermost reaches of the soul.
If my corset isn't tight, it just isn't right!
Kink is the spice of life!
Come to the Dark Side - we have cookies!
User avatar
ruru67
****
Posts: 530
Joined: 05 Feb 2009, 03:38
Location: NZ
Contact:

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by ruru67 »

I get pretty good results from a very basic, entry-level (but reputable brand) machine dealing with most of the sorts of materials you've listed there - poly webbing, garment and even upholstery grades of leather, upholstery vinyl, PU, denim et c. Stretch fabrics can be a trick, but that's more a matter of technique than technology. (I won't claim to be any good at it ...)

Unless you're made of money, get cheap, basic machine, and a bunch of spare needles, and learn to use it well. I'll have to say I thought my machine was crap to start with, with birds nests around the bobbin and broken needles, but with practice the problems just went away (and often I never really figured out what I was doing wrong). I'm a bit of a klutz at the best of times so not everything goes to plan even now, but I've put together a couple of straitjackets (it dealt with the multiple layers of denim just fine), fixed many faults in cheap Chinese bondage gear, sewing leather straps to replace crappy ones that have disintegrated (that's leather and a couple of layers of PU). It seems to do fine for more mundane jobs.

Not saying a higher end machine isn't going to be better, but you have to be making an awful lot of kit before a $3k sewing machine pays for itself...

Oh yeah, buy decent thread and needles. Dollar store thread will have you throwing things in short order.
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

Wow! Thanks for all the quick responses. Lots of good info there. I've been looking at an older Singer, my max $$$ for now will be $500, which sounds like a lot, but it will be the entire sewing "kit" budget (thread, needles, patience, cry towels, swear jar proceeds...). Plus, it will be used for a lot of other purposes... (Cars, boats, ATV seats, all the stuff my sister used to do for me...now she is 5 hours away).

On the watching someone to learn note, my mother is pretty much a professional/ commercial stitcher. I just wish she was a little more "open-minded", when it comes to some things, looking at what we have paid for sleepsacks, hoods, straitjackets... she could make a fortune... But, that's not happening... I will pick her brain though, she does not mind the car hobby stuff, so I can get input on making vinyl "seatcovers" haha...

This will all be leading up to me building a full-body corset. i saw one on youtube, and have wanted one ever since. I am a huge fan of leather for the material, but some stories have me thinking rubber sheet may be better, with mechanical fasteners, instead of laces.. I also want a vinyl/ faux leather sleepsack, fitted exact to me. I have a roll of I-don't-know-how-many yards of Italian faux leather, picked it up for $35 at a salvage place, plus a bunch of rolls of rubber sheet, and all kinds of pervertable stuff. If those cashiers pay any attention to what I buy...

So hopefully, in a couple days to a week, ill have my machine(s) and get started. Ill keep you all posted. Plus- my Wife may be joining up here this weekend...
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

Just found a White model 534 serger... reviews seem good, and so does the price... Any pros/ cons on these? Thanks!
User avatar
bound_jenny
Moderator
Posts: 10268
Joined: 09 Dec 2007, 12:37
Location: Montreal, Canada, Great Kinky North

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stitching?

Post by bound_jenny »

smelt wrote:Just found a White model 534 serger... reviews seem good, and so does the price... Any pros/ cons on these? Thanks!
With a serger, you'll have the bonus of having a machine that will cut the fabric at the same time as it creates the seam. That makes a cleaner seam/hem than a manual scissor cut.

A quick search turned up plenty of online tutorials and resources for the 534, as well as an online parts source if it ever needs something replaced.

Unless time is short, try to download the user manual to get an idea of how it works and if that suits your needs (I did that before buying my last washing machine). Also, try to search for any complaints and see what problems seems to be recurrent on that model (that works for used cars, too... :wink: ). The Internet is an endless source of information (one only needs to sort the wheat from the chaff).

Jenny.
Helplessness is a doorway to the innermost reaches of the soul.
If my corset isn't tight, it just isn't right!
Kink is the spice of life!
Come to the Dark Side - we have cookies!
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

Thanks, Jenny. I plan on finding the manuals before I buy anything, I always have a problem with online reviews, not knowing if they are "honest" or not. Kind of like those Chinese sellers on Ebay, who start off with 300 great feedbacks.. That's why I'm shying away from a new machine. I might go get the White machine today, if my research gets done in time.

I was looking at the machines, and kind of daydreaming, and came up with an idea for a "corset sleepsack" It would just have external sleeves, but even those would have some boning. What I need now is for the day to be twice as long.....
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

So I just spent the last 15 minutes watching a couple videos on the White machine. (That's a LOT haha) It looks like it will be what I want for the thinner stuff. I'm hoping Darlex won't be a problem for it. (The manufacturer of darlex is about 3 hours from here, there will be a few trips down soon) I wish I had a couple scrap pieces laying around, for when I go look at it. But, for the price, and my current skill level ,(ZERO), I think it will be a perfect start. I was less nervous about learning to use a cutting torch, plasma cutter, welder.. etc...
User avatar
smelt
**
Posts: 163
Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 17:16
Location: USA

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by smelt »

Sew..... haha... The machine "is probably sold." Got to love Craigslist. I'm waiting til 7pm tonight, to see if the sale falls through. If not, I'm back on the hunt for a serger machine. Talked with my mother yesterday, told her what i was looking at doing.. minus the "fun" stuff. She told me she has a serger, and can show me how to work one. Big plus there. She has been doing the sewing thing since before I was thought of. I've been looking around some more, if that White one IS sold, Ill find something soon.
User avatar
Gregovic
****
Posts: 1119
Joined: 26 Mar 2016, 21:31
Location: Netherlands

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by Gregovic »

Personally I don't think a serger (also known as an overlocker) is the right machine to get started on. I'd start with a more simple traditional machine with all the basic stitch patterns to get started and get the feel for how to work with fabrics. A serger alone also isn't going to allow you to do most sewing. A serger is really only intended for edge seams, cutting and finishing them in a single pass. This is great for constructing simple garments from stretchy fabrics, but for a lot of things you need a "traditional" sewing machine.

Also, for leather, don't get your hopes up. Thin leather is more or less doable on consumer machines, but if you are thinking of stitching together your own set of cuffs or even just anything heavier than 2 layers of thin leather you're going to need a MUCH heavier machine.
How may I serve you? *Curtsey*
User avatar
ponylady
Moderator
Posts: 3822
Joined: 26 Dec 2007, 20:52
Location: germany
Contact:

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by ponylady »

Seems like you put a lot of thought in this purchase.
I like that.
As already mentioned, vastly different materials require different motors & needles.

Why not try to see if you can visit a saddle shop/ car upholstery in your vicinity & pick their brains about what machine would fit your needs.
Also, if you plan to sew larger objects out of sturdy materials a wide arm can't hurt
50-75 cm space will make sewing that leather sleepsack much easier.
And if you wanna splurge go for a double stiching monster.

Another tip: check the service shops for used machines. They usually have the best connections and know all the kinks of the machines.
[
User avatar
ruru67
****
Posts: 530
Joined: 05 Feb 2009, 03:38
Location: NZ
Contact:

Re: What sewing machine for kinky stictching?

Post by ruru67 »

I think Gregovic is right - I've never known of anyone getting a serger who didn't also have a normal sewing machine. They're different tools. I'm not sure how you'd attach a strap with a serger, for example.
Post Reply