Very similar to the Singer Promise 1408, the Singer Promise has, instead of one, two knob dials that help control stitch pattern and stitch length for the mechanical sewing machine. The Promise line from Singer are some of the company’s low priced and beginner-centric sewing machines that look very basic and child friendly on the outside but can do a whole lot more in practice. The Singer Promise 1409 has a very light build quality which makes it very easy to carry, but even with all these seemingly unimportant characteristics, the Singer Promise is problematic and also kind of enlightening to how a decrease in quality can impact the sewing experience quite negatively.
Table of Contents
1. It Is Noisy
The Singer Promise 1409 is very basic to say the least and so is everything that is built into it. The motor on this sewing machine is responsible for producing the most horrid sound when the sewing machine is turned on via the foot pedal. That added with the fact that the entire frame is made up of plastic, make the Singer Promise 1409 a very problematic noise generating sewing machine and that’s not very good at all.
Solution
- The noise however can be slightly reduced if you oil the Singer Promise 1409 regularly without fail.
- If the sewing machine sounds too bad for you then it is worth considering taking it to a repair shop for servicing, although this may not entirely solve the problem.
2. It Is Slow
Another problem related to the Singer Promise 1409’s mediocre motor is that it is very slow. At times too slow to keep up with the demands of your sewing routine. Although this may not be as big an issue to everyone since we all have different paces we like to move at, but for someone who is looking for a quick and strong sewing machine, the Singer Promise 1409 is not it.
Solution
- You will have to consider that this sewing machine is mechanical and is specifically designed for beginners. So it is not meant to be fast.
3. It Is Unbalanced
Due to the Singer Promise 1409’s design, the sewing machine cannot sit flat on a regular table. Sometimes this problem can be to the detriment of your sewing accessories. An unbalanced sewing machine, when you attempt to balance it during sewing, may cause a lot of unwanted damage to your sewing machine like needle breakage, thread breakage and even the dials or knobs on the sewing machine breaking. For a sewing machine to sew effectively, everything on an in it has to be properly balanced.
Solution
- If this is not the case then you would need to get a special table made for your Singer Promise 1409 just in case.
- Although this isn’t advisable, you would need to use something to leverage the unbalance, like a piece of metal or wood.
4. It Is Complicated
For a sewing machine that is said to be for beginners and designed for beginners, the Singer Promise 1409 becomes very complicated when dealing with the sewing machine’s dials. They are very simple and very practical to use, the problem arises when you turn one dial and that then affects the functionality of another, creating a series of back and forth fixtures that make it very complicated to deal with and adjust.
Solution
- Make sure to read the Singer Promise 1409’s entire user guide correctly to familiarize yourself with the sewing machine. Give time to mastering the sewing machine, it might look basic but it is still a sewing machine.
5. Bad Stitch Quality
At this point it doesn’t even come as a surprise that one of the problems of this sewing machine is a bad stitch quality. This is due, again, to the mediocre build of the sewing machine which makes the parts wobbly and shaky when the sewing machine is turned on. This loosens the thread tension from the upper thread, sometimes even loosening the bobbin thread which makes the sewing machine produce bad stitches. Sometimes even the stitch selector knob doesn’t choose the correct stitch pattern, but instead chooses another which still comes out bad.
Solution
- Always make sure that the needle is in perfect condition. Such that it isn’t damaged at all.
- Do not play around with the needle thread’s tension. This is the dial that protrudes out the top of the Singer Promise 1409.
- Make sure to use fabrics suitable to your Singer Promise 1409, which you can find in the user manual.
6. Flimsy Thread Tension
This is to say that the thread tension of the Singer Promise 1409 is likely to change because of anything. Anything that is related to the threading in this sewing machine causes this problem. Because the mechanisms that are ever present in the sewing machine, that are meant to keep the thread at a certain thread tension level do not work. Due again to the complicated knob dials used for stitch length, stitch selection and even the one for top thread tension. All these functions can affect one another, in one way or the other, that that’s quite exhausting.
Solution
- Nevertheless you can always try and re-thread the Singer Promise 1409, and then trying to adjust the thread tension from there.
- This is after all a very tiny sized sewing machine so when moving it around or using it be sure to be as gentle as possible.
- Also re-thread the bobbin thread of your stitches appear to be loopy or deformed on the topside.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a sewing machine to help your child become a professional sewist or seamstress one day then the Singer Promise 1409 is the perfect sewing machine for that. It is small and slow, with minimal stitch pattern selections. But if you’re looking for a workhorse, then go look for shop somewhere else. It’s a good, even great sewing machine for beginners. But for those looking for a sewing machine that can can do a little more than just sew, then the Singer Promise 1409 is not for them.
