Unexpected Find from IKEA

Last week I saw a post from someone on Facebook about a sewing machine they bought at IKEA.  IKEA???  I wondered:

a.  why I didn't know about this

b. could it be a decent sewing machine

c.  how could they sell it for so little

I checked around on the web for reviews and while it's no Bernina, it seemed to be holding its own considering the price.

Thinking it would be nice to take a lightweight machine to my sewing retreat last weekend, I zoomed over to my local IKEA store and picked up the machine.  And a few other items.  As usual.

The box has the name Sy on it -- but I think I'll call it Ziggy!

It came with three feet:  regular, zipper, and buttonhole -- pretty bare bones there.  It did have several bobbins (although I've found I can use my Bernina bobbins too), several Organ needles, a brush to clean out the lint, a seam ripper (not that I need one :*) ), a thread spool pin, felt pads for the thread, and a snazzy screw driver.  It also came with a couple of instruction books, including how to oil the machine.  I had read that earlier purchasers crabbed about not getting proper manuals so they seem to have corrected that.

When you remove the tools in the storage compartment, you get a pretty nice free arm to sew narrow items like sleeves in baby clothes.

The needle plate is marked with both centimeters and inches -- centimeters in the front and inches in the back.  Sometimes machines have them overlapping and it's tough to make out the measurement you need.

Nothing fancy with the stitches -- straight stitches and zigzag in a couple of different lengths and widths, a few decorative stitches and a 4 step buttonhole.

After testing it out a bit at home I took it on my retreat.  It sewed a decent 1/4" stitch while piecing my Tumbler Block pieces.  While it isn't fancy and I still have to tweak the upper tension a bit, I have to say I am quite happy with this baby.  I can see myself taking it to workshops and other events where I don't want to lug my Bernina or Juki.

Weight???  Price???  I can hear you asking all the way from Royal Oak.  

Ziggy weighs in at less than 12 pounds!!!  And the price????  Amazing --- $69.99 !!!!  I think this would make a great machine for:

a. college students

b. new sewists

c. older sewists

d. workshops/retreats

e. auxiliary machine while main machine is in the shop

f. supplemental machine when zigzag or buttonhole is needed and I don't want to set up my Bernina

So do I recommend this machine?  Wholeheartedly YES.  As long as you aren't expecting a $$$$ machine I think you'll be satisfied, too!  Your price may vary -- I've seen it priced from $59.99 to $79.99.