What is a “domestic” sewing machine?

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What is a “domestic” sewing machine?

This is a question that I hadn’t thought of until I heard someone ask it, but it is a reasonable question to ask.

In a lot of industries, like automotive for example, the term “domestic” is used as the opposite of “foreign”.

So a domestic car is one that is manufactured or designed or in some way related to your home country. This is the opposite of that is an imported car which is manufactured somewhere else and then brought into your country.

But with sewing machines, that is not what domestic means.

In this situation, the word “domestic” does not mean the opposite of “foreign” but the opposite of “industrial”.

A domestic sewing machine is one that is made for home use. It is not designed to be used continuously for hundreds of hours.

This is similar to other appliances. We appreciate that there is a difference between a fridge, stove or dishwasher designed for home use and a fridge, stove or dishwasher designed for industrial or institutional use.

My personal, non-scientific way of categorizing sewing machines is based on their size, what they do and what they look like.

Many industrial sewing machines are built into a cabinet or table and weigh a ton. They are designed to be put into a spot and never moved. They are also often limited in terms of function. They might just do straight stitch or straight and zig zag and they are usually not computerized.

These are usually not really pretty machines. All the design goes into function, not appearance.

If you go into a sewing machine dealer, they probably sell domestic machines. These are machines that you can lift and move to wherever you want to sew.

Even basic level machines usually have a few different stitches for decorative and functional stitching. High end machines will have hundreds of stitches that you can further customize.

Sewing machines in shops come in different colours and designs because manufacturers know that people are more likely to buy something that is pretty.

Of course, also like with other appliances, there is not an exact distinction between a domestic and industrial sewing machine. There are cross-over machines that try to bridge the gap between the two.

I have a sewing machine that is a straight stitch only machine. It is very heavy, stitches very quickly and has no bells or whistles. Even though it is not technically an industrial machine, it is kind of industrial-adjacent.

So if you are looking for a sewing machine, I wouldn’t worry about the label “domestic” or “industrial”. Getting the machine that is right for you depends on what your needs are and what you want to make.

For most people, that will be a domestic sewing machine of some type. 

The best way to choose a sewing machine is to visit a local dealer if possible and try some machines in person. If you don’t have a dealer close by, ask people that you know for recommendations and try their machines.

The best sewing machine is the one that works for you.

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