My last sewing machine, a 1960s Singer relic, had been living in the basement for a long time.  I had banished it to such undignified rooming because every time I used it the tension would go out of whack and I would spend two days trying to get it back; once I resumed sewing the tension would inevitably throw out again halfway through a project. My Singer was a good machine in its day, perhaps even an elegant, fancy, and expensive extravagance, but in 2007 it was outdated, non-functioning, and a point of frustration for me.  It was clearly time for an upgrade.

After careful consideration of available machines and my pocketbook’s limitations, I purchased a Husqvarna Viking Emerald 116 in the early Autumn of 2007.  After road testing it for 9 or so months I am confident in reviewing and promoting this machine.

The Basics

Some sewing machines are huge.  Some are terribly heavy.  Some require special tables or permanent homes within your house.  My house is not large, we have very limited storage space, and my sewing room must also function as an office and away space within our home; these details dictated the type of machine I could purchase.  I needed a machine that could be stowed away when not in use, so it had to be small and easily packed up.  The Emerald 116 is both compact and portable.  It is not so light as to imply cheap manufacturing, but is light enough to carry around the house.  Its relative lightness and built-in handle make it a great choice for anyone who needs to set up and take down their sewing area frequently, and the removable hard cover keeps the machine protected while not in use.

While comparable to my 1960s fancy Singer, the Emerald 116 is a fairly basic machine in this day and age.  It has no internal computer, no fancy embroidery cartridges or chips, and you don’t need a degree to make it run.  All of those things made it a perfect choice for me, because being a somewhat old-fashioned gal I look at computerized innards as one more thing to break, one more thing to go wrong when I am halfway through the final hem of a project.  I sought out a machine that was as easy to manuever as my Singer had been, and that’s exactly what the Emerald 116 is.  If you could beam this machine back to 1960 it could be easily run by anyone who knew how to drive a sewing machine then.

Attributes

While the Emerald 116 is considered a basic machine for all types of sewing (meaning it is not a specialized quilting or embroidery machine) it does have some neat selling points:

Needle Threading I had always considered needle threading one of the necessary evils of machine sewing, but this machine has a needle threader.  The chore of threading the needle manually used to take me several minutes, but now I can thread a needle within seconds!  It is a small thing, but it has made a difference in my overall sewing experience.

Auntomatic Button Holes I will admit that I never attempted to create a buttonhole on any of my sewing projects until I had this machine, but I am certain it could not have been as easy as the one-step buttonhole of the Emerald 116.  I just snap the buttonhole foot onto my machine, place the button into it, and sew.  I have been making button holes like they are going out of style, and I never imagined it could be so easy!

Presser Feet The Emerald 116 comes with 8 presser feet, including the manual buttonhole foot, automatic buttonhole foot, zipper foot, edging foot, blind hem foot, and a non-stick glide foot.  All of the presser feet snap into place; you don’t have to mess around with tiny screws and tiny screwdrivers, and you can change feet within seconds.

Drop Feed I like to sew with heavy weight fabrics when I make hand bags and baby carriers, and I also enjoy embellishing my work with thread “doodles”, as I call them.  A drop feed is important for both of those types of sewing as it allows me to lower the feed teeth so they no longer come into contact with the fabric.  Dropping the feed lets me dictate the rate at which the fabric feeds through the machine, the direction of the fabric as it feeds through the machine, and also helps keep heavy fabrics from getting stuck or tangled when sewing a particularly bulky seam.

Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure When sewing with different weights of fabric it can be helpful to adjust the pressure of the presser foot.  Very light weight fabrics require more pressure, and heavy weight fabrics can benefit from having less pressure.  I never missed having adjustable presser foot pressure when I didn’t know it existed, but now I don’t think I could sew without it; having it as an option has saved many of my projects from unsightly bunching and pulling of seams.

Stitch Selection With the simple turn of a dial you can adjust not only the type of stitch, but also it’s width and length.  It’s incredibly easy, so easy that I found myself checking the manual at first to make sure I hadn’t skipped a step.

Sewing Guide Reference Chart This chart is tucked beneath the right front of the machine and pulls out easily for a quick reference and suggestions on stitch, presser foot, stitch length/width, and pressure of presser foot.  I’ve used it countless times and I’m not sure how I got along without it when using my old machine.

Slim Free Arm Another detail I never had on my Singer but couldn’t live without now is the slim free arm, for sewing small projects.  I use it on almost every sewing project, actually, because it is perfect for sewing hems on small clothing and for topstitching around the opening of a handbag.  Also nice is the storage compartment hidden in the case that goes around the slim free arm.  All of the presser feet, bobbins, and other accessories fit into it, and its location at the front of the machine keeps everything I might need right at my fingertips.

A Good Manual It should go without saying that any machine should come with a good manual, but unfortunately that is not always the case.  Husqvarna Viking made sure their manual was helpful, informative, easy to follow and understand, and includes all functions and parts of the machine.  I refer to it often when sewing and I am always able to find the information I was seeking within a minute or two.

Price and Reputation

I said before that I had to consider the limitations of my pocketbook when I went shopping for a new machine.  I also know that when buying machinery you often get what you pay for.  I could not spend more than $350, and I wanted a machine made by a trustworthy company.  I had heard of Husqvarna because of their motorized garden tools:

Husqvarna is the world’s largest producer of lawn mowers, chain saws and portable gas-powered garden equipment such as trimmers and blowers. The Group is also a world leader in diamond tools and cutting equipment for the construction and stone industries. (quoted from www.usa.husqvarna.com )

Husqvarna yard machines have a reputation of reliability and good function, and I knew a machine made by Husqvarna Viking would more than likely promise the same.  I am happy to report that I have not been disappointed with the quality or performance of my Emerald 116.

Retailing at just over $300, the Emerald 116 fit nicely into my budget.  I waited for my local sewing shop to have a 20% off sale, and then shaved an additional $90.00 off of my purchase price by trading in my old machine.

The One Thing I Hate

Yes, there is only one thing I dislike about my new machine: I hate the angle and placement of the thread cutter.  No, it is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I find that getting the thread into it properly breaks my rhythm when I am working.  Because I tend to fumble through the thread cutting due to the awkward placement of the cutter itself, I tend to have very long tails of thread hanging off of my work which then have to be trimmed with scissors.  I imagine that I will one day get used to the thread cutter, but right now this one little thing is irking me.  That being said, I would still buy this machine a thousand times over because everything else functions exactly as it should.

A High Functioning Machine For a Great Price

Since purchasing my own Emerald 116 my sewing capability has increased from novice to knowledgable, and I am constantly on the lookout for great fabric.  Having a machine that functions reliably every time you sit down to sew makes a huge difference in your end product, your motivation to sew, and your overall creativity.

Whether you are in the market for a new machine or you’re looking to make your very first purchase, be sure to test drive the Emerald 116.  It is a great machine for all purpose sewing, with the ability to sew everything from light to heavy weight fabrics, leathers, vinyls, and more.  It has all of the basic functions a sewing machine should offer, plus a few extra perks that make driving it a delight.

You can learn more about the Emerald 116 here: http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/us/6119_6123.htm or at your local Husqvarna Viking dealer.

A complete lineup of Husqvarna Viking sewing machines and accessories can be found at AllBrands.com