Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Updated: 09-27-06, 09-24-09
Written: 07-11-06,
Purchased: 04-11-06
Vendor: Target, Mira Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA
Paid: 299.99 + tx
Time Used: 5 months +
My experience: intermediate.
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09-24-09 Update: Machine still running great with no major problems. Target no longer sells this model. If I reviewed the machine today I would deduct 1 star for threading the needle. I believe that the needle can be off a little and still work but can cause slight problems. If you sew something and pull the cloth out of the machine to enable you to cut the top and bottom thread - often you will feel resistance pulling the top thread throught the machine. You will also hear a click sound for every 5 inches or so of thread. When the machine is threaded perfectly the top thread pull throught the needle more easily and there is no click noise.
Suggestion: all sewing machines would benefit greatly by providing a free dvd that goes throught all the features and trouble shooting for when things go wrong.
TIP: if you are sewing something that is difficult or delicate always sew a test stitch on a scrap of cloth to verify that the machine is threaded correctly and the bobbin is not jammed.
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Updated comments: It's Sept 2006 and I well past the excitment of buying this machine. However, when I sit down with a sewing project the machine works reliably and can be taken as a given. I'm completly satisfied.
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The Longest Yard: This is the longest review I have ever written. Why? Because I did so much research when buying my 2nd sewing machine and I often longed for a detailed review by someone that had used the product for at least several months. Feel free to skim it or print it out.
Preface / Sewing Machine Myths:
I have come to believe by working on really old machines and an industrial cast-iron single stitch brother and newer machines that all machines with in a given class/price level are basically all the same and copies of each other. All mid priced machines today have auto assist threaders and they are all basically the same design etc. Sears Kenmore farms out it's machines to different manufactures so quality varies a lot from year to year. Today's' machines for better or worse aren't your "15 year old Kenmore".
Machines are very competitive from $150 to $300. But after $300 I wonder what you are paying for. There is where little nuances come into play which may matter to very advanced sewers. I did a lot of research before buying this machine.
TIP: Read the manual and work slowly in short sessions. You don't need to try every type of custom stitch. I still have only used 3 of the included feet. You don't buy and encyclopedia and expect to read every page of every book. You read the parts that cover what is relevant to your current needs. I recommend leaning the basics well then moving on to the more advanced stitches. This machine does it all so it will be time well spent. Example: I turned the foot pedal speed all the way down. Another day I wound a bobbin and wondered whey the machine was soooo slow. Then I realized I need to slide the speed limiter to full speed. I made various little errors like this and blamed the machine at first. Every issue was solved with patients and time. I was scared when I saw this machine the first time and thought I would never buy something so complicated but later I gave it a chance and I was glad that I did.
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PROS:
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Every machine is factory tested and actually comes with several samples under the presser foot with thread comming out of the machine so you can see that your machine made the stitching! Samples include: 8 layers of denim, a paper thin material, etc. This simulates the tests a sewer would perform in a sewing shop to test various models.
Works so well you will stop dreaming about really high end machines costing thousands of dollars like Pfaff, Berina, Viking, White, etc. Machine does not get in your way. After getting over the initial excitement for the first month and a half and comparing it to the singer that I got a target for $90 that was purely a learning and stepping stone machine I began to look at the machine more objectively and critically .... read on.
Weight: Even though it's computerized the machine is much heavier than the brother or singer equivalents. It is probably the heaviest consumer machine I have picked up. This results in a solid machine that is completely vibration free.
Ultra quite (at lower speeds) and moderately noisy at full speed. LED never needs replacing and runs cool and lights well. Auto Assist needle threader works fine but you must learn to work around its less than optimal design. Extremely consistent in very heavy denim all the way to super fine linens or delicate spandex etc. Never jams (I've had only one jam in 3 months and it was my fault). Never misses a stitch (except once on three months) that was my fault I was using a #14 needle with the wrong bobbin tension. Once I stepped down to a #11 and corrected the lower thread tension no problem. I said: "cool now I now what it's like to miss stitches".
Computer Screen & Buttons: Best combination I have seen. Very intuitive once you learn to work the computerized vs mechanical way. All the common stitches are accessible with a one touch on buttons 1 thru 10. And all the fancy patterns you scroll to. The large display screen is nicely back lit and very easy to read. The left offset for hemming etc is awesome because you can just push a button and move one digital "click" to the right until it is all the way to the right. Stitch width is very easy to change and you go by the numbers now not trial and error. Just punch in 3.0mm width and away you go.
Note: when ever you turn off the machine it returns all settings to default. One reviewer said the machine lost the pattern. They probably turned it off.
Accessory Feet: Everything under the sun. Every kind of food including the "walking foot" or even feed foot - which I have not tested yet. I think it comes with like 10 feet? More than any other machine I have seen on the market.
Bobbins: works perfectly with Class 15 or Class 66 bobbins. The machine is totally indifferent as far as I can tell. Also, bobbin tension can be adjusted easily without taking anything off except the u-shaped free-arm thing.
Teeth: real nice to adjust the presser foot tension. Why use more pressure than you have to on fine fabrics?
Free Motion: I dropped the teeth in back and changed the foot and made wonderful sideways stitches.
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CONS:
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** WARNING** Open boxes / returned used machines: The first machine I got was clearly used for at least a month or so. The person attempted to neatly box the machine up but I didn't trust it. Target and other stores 90 day return policy causes some things to go back on the shelf that really should be sent back to the factory. If you buy a machine and it has evidence of consumer use it may be damaged and you may end up not liking an otherwise excellent machine. Remember, every machine is factory tested so there will be the technicians fingerprints etc on the machine.
Some people write all kinds of crazy things about all machines including this one. I think they just don't know what they are doing. I'm a straight-man and I repair my car and the wife's car and my motorcycle and the tractors on the farm I grew up on. I learned a long time ago to work with machines not against them. Treat it with care and respect. This machine is more sophisticated then a mechanical machine but when you really go computerized in sewing you will never want to go back to the world mechanical or useless at home "industrial" machines for production sewing. Can you handle 5000+ stitches a minute? That's almost 10 stitches a second.
Needle threader works much better/smoother due to a better design on Brother & Kenmore sewing machines that I tested.
Some difficulty maintaining a neat stitch when using the super thick "jeans" thread on really thick and hardened (factory stitched hems)multiple layers of jeans. Next time you hear someone claim their machine sews anything or 8 layers of jeans - give then some jeans thread it's 50% thicker than heavy duty upholstery thread - ask them how neat the stitch is on the bottom side going through 6 dense layers on a hem.
Plastic bobbin door could be designed a little better.
Bobbin winding is good but not perfect. Sometimes the bobbin doesn't wind evenly but machine still sews fine.
Threading: not that difficult but I miss threaded once and also you need to play with raising and lowing a bit to get around the medal thing that moves up and down. It's not a big deal but threading carefully and correctly does take getting use to. I think the Brother does a better job.
Buttons: Backstitch and locking stitch etc. The buttons are offset from the label. This confused me. I thought the machine wasn't working because it wouldn't backstitch. I was pressing the wrong button. Error #2 I had to hold it in not push it once like the locking stitch function.
Customer Service: Haven't tested it. It probably isn't that good. Companies produce tons of ever changing models and that makes getting correct...Read more›
Click Here to see more reviews about: Shark Intelli-Sew Computerized Sewing Machine - 9110
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the Shark Intelli-Sew Computerized Sewing Machine will satisfy your sewing needs. With over 400 stitching functions, you will continue to learn and try new things. Sewing is at a new level with the large, easy-to- read LCD screen that has 3 styles of alphabets and numbers. Don't let the technology scare you—this sewing machine features 12 styles of one-step automatic buttonholes, and a built-in needle threader. Other features include an all-purpose foot, zipper foot, cording foot, overcastting foot, blind hem foot, satin stitch foot, darning embroidery foot, brush seam ripper, spool holds, bobbins, screwdrivers, twin needles and more. Imported. 11-3/4Hx7-/12Wx16-/12L.
Click here for more information about Shark Intelli-Sew Computerized Sewing Machine - 9110
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