Customer Reviews

JML Easy Stitch

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

No matter how much you want a cheap, basic, light sewing machine, do not even consider buying this one. You could forgive the fact that the instructions look like they were produced on a 70's dot-matrix however the real deal-breaker is the fact that the machine doesn't actually work. The threading is awful, the thread-tension is non existent and you'll be lucky if you manage more than a few stitches. JML should be ashamed of themselves.

If you look on the back of the box you'll see that JML themselves have suggested that this sewing machine can be used as a bookstop, what they failed to mention is that this is about its only use.

The instruction manual contains two blurred photographs and very few instructions and even if you do happen to be able to figure out where everything is supposed to go it will do no more than 3 stiches before the cotton breaks. In addition the accessories (also advertised on the back of the box), such as useful cotton threading devices and extra reels of cotton were nowhere to be found.

I am returning this product to the shop and would suggest that others do not even bother to purchase it.

I cannot recommend this machine personally - it was too fiddly to thread up, the thread kept breaking when actually trying to sew and the thread tension was never quite right. I have abandoned the machine totally and gone back to sewing by hand.

All in all I think this was a very poor buy - I will heed the feedback from previous buyers in future.

Initial difficulty with the threading instructions.
The booklet would be helped by the addition of diagrams showing the correct procedure.
Otherwise exactly what I wanted at a very reasonable price.
Albeit I am repairing a tent and so the work doesn't need to be ultra pretty, but you probably could do quite fine work with it.
Don't expect it to do more than a basic stitch though.

Made the terrible mistake of purchasing the JML Easy Stitch, there was absolutely nothing EASY about it. Extremely fiddly, instruction manual was so awful wasn't sure it was for the machine I received. When I finally got ready to sew it managed about two stitches before the thread snapped, this happened on around twenty occasions then the Easy Stitch was threw back in the box. Emailed JML directly (on several occasions) to see if there was something I could do to try and correct the thread tension, as of yet have received no response and as this awful item was purchased nearly two years ago I doubt that I will. I felt so annoyed that I have sworn to never purchase another item from JML and have only now calmed down enough to write a review that is printable!

I have seen mixed reviews on this machine but in my experience it works very well for a simple little machine.
The main problem is the poor instruction book. It fails to mention a few key things and the pictures are not clear. The on-line version is much more ledgable.

One thing it doesn't mention is that you have to use metal bobbins for lower thread like those supplied. If you don't the tension will never be right on top thread. Do not use plastic ones!!
From the operation point of view (despite sounding like a Lewis Gun) I find it works very well and is surprisingly powerful.

I am a guy, and have never sewn before but so far I have stitched heavy weight calico for the hull of a small boat, made a fleece hat, a tool bag (from left over heavy calico) and numerous other small things.
Yes it is very light and can move about when sewing but that is just the nature of the beast, it is a light weight machine. One thing I would have liked is a sturdier foot peddle though.

To sum up....it is just what it is meant to be, a handy little machine for odd jobs and also good as a first machine. I feel there would be far fewer dissatisfied customers if a better instruction book was supplied and if people actually took a little time to get to know the machine.

at first it was so frustrating but after a while i got the instructions of the web and found them easier, then i adjusted the tension and now iots just right!

for what i paid for, this is great!!

Bought this yesterday for the simple job of stitching through some thin ribbon, but unfortunately it is just not up to the job! It took me a good half hour to get the bottom thread to catch - I got all excited at the prospect of finally being able to sew and... the thread snapped. Over and over and over again. I even tried some good quality thread and it still snapped every 5 stitches or so. Very disappointed as I usually find JML products to be quite good.

I have just had a Google and another search on Amazon and it seems there are alternative machines with 4+ star reviews for around the same price. I'd give this machine a miss and try one of those!

You wouldn't expect great things from a machine at this price, and you shouldn't. It does a single locking stitch, and it does it tolerably well, provided you replace the extremely poor quality thread that comes packaged with it, which will break if you so much as look at it funny. Seriously, throw it away and buy cheap spools from any haberdashery and you will get a lot better performance out of this thing. Watch out when you're threading up the bobbins, though: they can fly off of the rewind thread pole if you don't shove them right on tight.

The manual leaves *a lot* to be desired. Following the threading instructions is impossible without constantly referring to the machine parts page. However, once you've done it two or three times, it really isn't that hard or fiddly. There are several things the manual completely fails to explain, such as that you need to use metal bobbins like the ones that come packaged with it, NOT plastic ones: the thing that holds the bottom stitch bobbin in place is magnetic (the manual mentions this as a throwaway line, not making it clear that you must use metal bobbins), and if you use a plastic bobbin it just doesn't work. I suppose you could use a plastic bobbin for the top thread, but I haven't tried. About the top thread bobbin, it took me ages to figure out how to get the bloody thing on and off. There is nothing in the instruction manual about this. Nothing. Not one word. If you are a super sleuth, you might notice in one picture that there is not a bobbin on the short bobbin pole, which is the only indication that it's possible for one not to be there, so you might be able to get it off. The secret is that you have to pull it to get it off. You have to pull it really, really hard. It's just a bit of plastic that fits into another bit of plastic: no twisting, no threading, no catches. Just pull it off. It would have been nice for something about that to have been in the manual and would have saved me quite a lot of frustration.

All that said, once I've had it up and running, it sews nicely and evenly. I haven't had any problems with thread breaking once I replaced it with better stuff. It is very small and light, which is good for carrying and storing, but it will slide around on a table. You can put a silicone mat under it to prevent this. I think it's an okay little thing for doing minor work... but then I paid £15 for mine (new). I don't think it's worth much more than that. If you're willing to spend £30 on a machine, then save up another £20 and get something a little better than this.

I spent twenty pound on this item. It was for a project that my daughter was doing at College. The machine itself was fiddly and the thread kept breaking half way through the job, which was infuriating...i think this was because the thread was poor quality and the tension wasn't correct. A few of the knobs kept pinging off as well. The machine itself is light which means you have to hold whilst sewing which is not easy.

I was not impressed with it at all and in my opinion was a waste of money.