First, what is window treatment and why do you need them?
As much as you dress up your room with furniture and decor, your room’s windows also need a little love. Windows without any covering, such as curtains, drapes, or blinds, can make your home appear sparse, unfinished, and cold.
If you think window treatments only add beauty to your home, they’re more than that. They also help block the sun rays or strong winds in our rooms and offer some privacy.
You can invest in excellent window treatments or want to make your own. But sewing them can be challenging if you choose to make your own window treatments. The fabrics used to make draperies are typically thick and heavy, especially with big windows. This is why you should invest in a quality sewing machine to create the most beautiful window treatments to adorn your room.
While brands are a factor, don’t just consider them alone. Moreover, look for more specifications when shopping for a new sewing machine.
Factors to look for in a sewing machine for window treatment projects
Take a look at the following essential characteristics when you look for a new sewing machine to create your own window treatments:
- Adjustable speed – Choose a sewing machine with adjustable speed, especially when you’re a beginner. This feature will help you control the stitches, and you can slow it down to avoid messing it up.
- Adjustable stitch length and width – Since you’ll be dealing with long and thick fabrics, ensure that the sewing machine you choose has an adjustable stitch length and width.
- Variety of presser feet – The function of the presser foot is to hold the fabric while you sew. Make sure that the sewing machine offers different types of presser feet to hold different widths and textures of fabric.
- Different stitches – Window treatments are made of different designs, so you need a sewing machine that offers a variety of stitches to help you create incredible designs.
- Automatic needle threading – Having this feature is convenient, especially when you will be using heavy-duty threads. It will save you time and frustration from trying to thread a needle if you otherwise you do that by hand.
- Automatic thread cutter – This feature will help you cut heavyweight threads easily when sewing larger swaths of fabric.
- Automatic tension control – This feature is beneficial when you sew fabrics with different weight and texture together.
- Free arm and extension table – You need these features since you’ll be sewing large pieces of fabric. You may need a sewing machine with an extension table, which offers enough space to stretch these fabrics out.
- High stitch counts per minute – This component can help you sew longer fabrics faster. However, it’s not advisable to speed-sew window treatments because of the details you must pay attention to.
Here are some of the most recommended sewing machine brands and models for creating windows treatments:
Singer
Singer is, no doubt, a name that has been trusted for centuries. You can expect to find Singer sewing machines that are built for larger projects, such as making curtains or draperies.
There are excellent Singer sewing machines specifically built for this purpose. You can consider the Singer 7528 Stylist if you are the sort who likes to take your work anywhere. It is a highly portable computerized sewing machine, easy to store, supporting 750 stitches per minute, and coming with 100 various stitch types.
But if you still prefer the earlier electric ones, you may choose something such as the Singer 4423 Heavy Duty Model. As the name implies, it is a heavy-duty sewing machine with a high-power motor, allowing you to work with fabrics of various weights. But it doesn’t have the auto-thread cutter feature, but you may do without it.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro sewist, you want a versatile sewing machine. Thus, the Singer 7469Q is a good bet. It has a programmable needle position feature that’s helpful when sewing heavy fabrics. It also comes with 98 stitch styles, making it perfect for creating different designs. However, it lacks the auto-thread cutting feature and the free arm, as it already has a spacious sewing surface.
Brother
Brother is also a dependable global brand when it comes to sewing machines. It is particularly good in manufacturing computerized sewing machines. And if you’re a pro who’s done with the basic electronic sewing machine and ready for an advanced model, the Brother PC420PRW might be the best choice.
Presser feet? No problem, as this unit has 11 of them. It also comes with 294 different stitching styles – so imagine how many different designs you can make with this machine. Your imagination is only the limit.
Janome
Janome is a favorite brand, especially among crafters. So, it’s not surprising to find models for creative sewing enthusiasts. If you are an imaginative sewist but haven’t tried making curtains or draperies yet and want to try, you should choose Janome sewing machines.
Consider the Janome HD1000 Heavy Duty, which is best if you want to work with various fabrics – even thick and heavy ones. It has smooth-quality stitching, making it excellent for heavy-duty threads. However, this unit is not computerized, and its stitch styles are limited.
If you’re a long-time Janome fan and want to take your sewing to the next level, you’d never want to settle for anything less than the Janome DC2013 Sewing Machine. It is a versatile computerized sewing machine. It has a free arm and extension table, automatic thread tension, seven presser feet, an automatic needle threader, and 50 built-in stitches that allow you to create diverse designs.
Conclusion
These are just some of the best sewing machines you can choose from for window treatments. Purchasing one will still depend on your needs and your comfortability in using the features and your budget. If it is for your hobby or home use only, you might consider buying an inexpensive one to get started. However, if you’re going to use it to produce a lot of window treatments for a business, then the heavy-duty ones are the best choice.