I set up my several years old mid range model Novum sewing machine the third day after moving here in the early 1980s and it has only been put away to move it between rooms as required over the years. It now has an overlocker as companion.

Novum is also New Home and Janome, the cases are sturdy the patterns are produced mechanically the motors are powerful but the foot pedal provides delicate control. The adjustments are easy and effective, and although I have no experience with any other brand of machine, I have no reason to abandon what I have. I have sewn curtains and clothes, denim and canvas bags, all sorts of repairs and embellishments

I have all sorts of attachments for zips, sewing on buttons, making ruffling, sewing stretch fabrics, doing freehand embroidery, sewing chain stitch - so the work it can do is limited only by the time I want to spend making things.

The only thing it lacks is an automatic buttonhole function, which would be nice to have but I can manage without it by using two pins.

It is a domestic sewing machine and would not cope with sailmaking, at least not for long. It could be cost effective to buy second hand machines, if you have a cheap source for them, and run them until they fail rather than investing in new models. That was what one person I knew did - but back then there were a lot of powerful straight stitch machines around for very little money.

Anne Croucher

Dorset England