Quick Summary

Editor's Choice: Bernette 38

"A great computerized sewing machine with 394 stitch patterns, and a speed of 820 spm. It features automatic limitation for double needles and adjustable pressure for the presser foot"

Best Industrial Sewing Machine for Denim: Juki TL-2010Q

"An industrial sewing machine with a variety of features that make it one of the best machines on the market, including its speed, size, and portability"

Best Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine: Janome HD3000

"This machine has a powerful motor and a strong needle system. It also has various stitch options and a presser foot that can accommodate different thicknesses"

Best Electric Motor: SINGER Heavy Duty 4432

"An electric sewing machine that is built for durability and speed, with a 60% stronger motor than a standard sewing machine.Comes with 32 stitch patterns, stainless steel bed plate, and a metal frame"

Best Needle Threader: Brother ST150HDH

"A computerized sewing machine with 50 stitch patterns, 5 auto-size buttonholes, and a speed of 850 stitches per minute. Comes with 9 sewing feet, a set of heavy-weight sewing needles, and more"

Best Value: Janome 2212

"A budget-friendly yet reliable sewing machine with 12 stitch patterns, a four-step buttonhole function, and a top speed of 860 stitches per minute. Comes with a 25-year limited warranty"

What Makes A Sewing Machine Good for Jeans?

Now that we’ve had a little history lesson, let’s get down to it: what makes a sewing machine well suited to denim?

When it comes to knowing what sewing machine is good for denim, we have to consider the features which will work most effectively with the fabric to give the best results. The right sewing machine will step up to the challenge and get the job done without compromising the quality of the finished item.

If you plan on sewing a lot of denim you will need a durable heavy duty machine.

Heavy duty sewing machines have stronger construction and more ‘oomph’ than many beginner or more basic designs, and can easily handle tougher, thicker fabrics like denim – meaning you can sew various different styles of jeans.

As long as a sewing machine is powerful and sturdy enough, it should be adequate for the task providing it includes some of the following features:

Dedicated Denim Needle

These needles are specially designed to penetrate tightly woven fabrics like denim, and are much sharper and thicker than a standard needle. The eye of the needle is very slim on a denim needle.

You may need to lubricate the needle to help it punch through the thick fabric and should change the needle regularly as it will naturally dull with use over time.

Presser Foot

The presser foot you use will be very important when you’re sewing jeans as it can be very tricky to feed the thick denim smoothly through a machine.

Some sewing machines come equipped with their very own jeans presser foot — Bernina, for instance — but otherwise a walking foot should do you just fine.

This will prevent the fabric from stretching and slipping around as you attempt to sew it.

High Presser Foot Lifter

As such a heavy fabric, you’ll want to be using both your hands to guide your denim during the sewing process.

So you don’t have to waste your hands lifting the presser foot, you should buy a machine with a high presser foot lifter to do this hard work for you.

This way you’ll have plenty of extra clearance for sewing multiple layers of denim and will still be able to control the fabric with your hands.

Powerful Motor and Metal Frame

The best sewing machine for jeans will be equipped with a metal interior frame and — most importantly — a strong motor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I prevent thread breakage during embroidery?

Thin, weak, tight – these threads can snap, frustrate, and derail your project.

Check tension, use quality threads, clean your machine, and slow down to prevent breakage and keep your embroidery smooth.

Can I embroider over existing denim patches?

You can embroider over denim patches, but proceed with caution. Confirm the patch is securely attached, use cutaway stabilizer, and choose a design that complements the patch’s texture and thickness.

What machines work best for denim embroidery?

When your embroidery dreams hit a snag, choose Brother PE800 or Baby Lock machines.

They’ve got the muscle for denim’s tough canvas.

Look for models with robust motors, larger hoops, and adjustable tension for seamless stitching.

How do I fix puckering after embroidering denim?

After embroidering denim, steam your project with a hot iron, pressing gently from the back.

If puckering persists, loosen your stabilizer, adjust tension, and use a lighter cutaway stabilizer for smoother results.

Are there special care instructions for embroidered denim?

Wash your denim’s decorative threads with kid gloves.

Use cold water, mild detergent, and a gentle cycle.

Skip bleach, avoid wringing, and air dry flat to keep those stitches looking sharp.

What do We Need to Consider When Buying Sewing Machines for Denim?

Before buying a sewing machine for denim, there are a couple of things that you need to consider. These are:

Type of Machine

There are 3 main types of sewing machines, and these are mechanical, electronic, and computerized sewing machines. Mechanical machines are the old types of machines that are mostly manual and have very limited options, such as only a single straight stitch. For this reason, they are rarely used.

Electronic sewing machines are a bit more expensive than their mechanical counterparts, but they have more features such as tens of built-in stitch patterns and very fast sewing speeds.

Lastly, computerized machines are usually the most expensive in the lot, but they are defined by multiple stitch patterns that range in the hundreds, with some having the capability to connect to the internet so as to download more designs. These units also feature fast stitching speeds for fast project completion times.

If a machine has a high number of built-in stitch patterns, then it gives you the advantage of exploring your creativity. However, such a machine will most likely be more expensive to buy.

Therefore, if you only require a few stitches, say the straight and zigzag stitch to work on your projects, it won’t be wise to spend a lot of money on buying a multiple stitch machine such a computerized model because you will underutilize it.

However, if you like exploring your creative side when making decorations in your denim work, then the best thing would be to look for a computerized model so that you can have hundreds of patterns that you can use at your disposal.

Stitching Speed

Stitching speed matters for two reasons. First, if you are a beginner, you need to buy a slower machine so that you can learn to use the recommended slow speeds. From there, you can adjust this or buy a faster machine as your skills improve. If you are an expert, then you can start with a fast machine.

Second, the stitching speed determines how fast you can work on your project. The faster the machine is, the faster you can finish up and move on to the next one.

Convenience Features

A big part of what makes a denim sewing machine and generally any other sewing machine better is the convenience features.