Michley LSS-202 Lil' Sew & Sew Mini 2-Speed Sewing Machine

Tip #1: It arrives completely threaded so take closeup photos. Then, when you change the thread, you can look at the photo to see how it's done. Tip #2: Do not remove/change the thread until you are absolutely positive that you know how to thread it yourself. Tip #3: Take it slow and don't rush it. Carefully read the manual and practice sewing while it is threaded. I spent over half a day, learning how to use it and made lots of mistakes along the way. Tip #4: The Operational Manual that comes with it is practically useless. It poorly explains how to do things and I found lots of inaccuracies. Tip #5: Watch YouTube! Look up LSS 202 and there are at least 4 videos. Watch them all and you will be amazed how much clearer it is to understand. I ended up watching the videos multiple times to get different sections right (how to load bobbin; how to reload thread on bobbin, etc). Tip #6: Might need a pair of tweezers to pull out the 'bobbin pin" out of the hand wheel. Based on the manual, I didn't understand what they were talking about until I watched a YouTube video. It isn't even labeled on the directions! Even then, I thought this 'pin' was missing from mine until, I used a pair of tweezers to pulled it out! Be careful though, this is cheap plastic and might crack easily. Tip #7: It is helpful to have some sewing machine experience. I hate sewing and I haven't used or even owned a machine in over 35 years BUT, my mother taught me to use a sewing machine when I was in high school and so I know the basics. Threading this little machine is similar to a real machine. I also know how to pin and iron the hem so it stays flat when sewing. But, if you are determined to learn, then sewing experience isn't required but you have to have a high frustration tolerance or not mind if its roughly done. Tip #8: Probably better for infrequent sewing needs. I hate sewing so much that I only need to sew about 1x per year (e.g. sew on a button). I bought this because I had a few items that wouldn't be fun to hand sew (long tears in sheets from the dog) and a pair of jeans that had to be hemmed. Once I figured it all out, it worked great at stitching up that long sheet seam and hemming the jeans (I even trimmed them in the same yellow color as the pockets-looked pretty professional). BUT, it isn't a very strong seam so I wouldn't be surprised if it comes loose and I have to redo it. There is only one type of stitch - there are no zig zag. I had frayed edges on my jeans so had to buy a liquid product that would stop it from fraying. Tip#9. Create a small sewing kit. It is so small that I store mine in a 12x9x10 plastic file folder holder with a handle. I put the machine in there with just a piece of bubble wrap covering it and also have enough room for all of my sewing notions. I have two small thin clear organizing kits in the file folder holder too, one holds the different colored threads and the other holds other sewing stuff. The pin cushion I just loosely throw in there. I just store the file box on a shelf in the laundry room. Tip #10. It is so cheap, why not buy it? If you have very few sewing needs, you don't have much room for storage, you are willing to take your time learning it, and can be careful not to break it (it is pretty fragile and made of very cheap plastic), then this is the sewing machine for YOU!

If I could give this item a zero stars, I would, but I can't. At first glance it is cute and my hopes were high. I had read the reviews and hoped we were one of the lucky few that it worked for. Sadly, we are not. My 7 year old daughter saved her money (and she is a spender so saving was HARD work for her! ;) to buy this. We excitedly opened the package, found it was already put together. We put the test fabric underneath it and began. It is quite different from a regular machine: 1) there is no bobbin. 2) The "on" button is a CONTINUOUS sewing button, not just turning the machine on. 3) There is a fast and a slow setting which is a REALLY nice feature for beginners. That said, the thread did not feed through properly. I felt the need to adjust the thread tension but it made no difference. It was too tight so the thread would jerk through and just decide not to go. We thought maybe they used cheap thread so I got my own out and we started using it, same thing. We read and re-read the joke of instructions to make sure we were doing things right. I am a nut about reading instructions! ;) Also, it is a special needle and if the needle breaks...which it feels like it could do at any given second, I wouldn't want to have to deal with trying to find a replacement. Maybe we just got a bad thread tension-never could get it to adjust, turning the knob made no difference either way. In any case, it doesn't work and since we left for 2 1/2 weeks on vacation just after we got it, our return window has expired. I think I will give my poor daughter her money back so she can buy something else with her hard earned money. Still disappointed, can you tell? Big sigh. Please, don't gamble with your child's money or hopes: DON'T BUY THIS! (PS-I am an optimist and have never left a bad review anywhere-but I wanted to make sure others were not as disappointed as we were.)

- I got this for a very specific reason, which is that I have pressure on my spinal cord and can't deal with messing around with trudging upstairs and getting the regular (heavy!) machine set up; I'll be having surgery in a few weeks and *definitely* won't be able to do that at all. So I started looking for something smaller and lighter, especially something I could use on my DIY lap 'desk', and came across this type of mini-machine. - All I wanted was something that could do basic stitching - my full-sized machine, even though it's a "basic" model, has all sorts of stitches I've never had any use for, so what I wanted was something that can stitch more evenly and much more quickly than I can do by hand, AND something as small and light-weight as possible. This little machine isn't even as heavy as a 15.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes ;) , so it's certainly light!!! It also has a tiny footprint, about the size of an average mass-market paperback. - The prices on these little machines seem to vary wildly., so, when I saw this Michley brand (which seemed to have the largest number of positive reviews, versus the "no-names") new for $16.80, I jumped on it. - I haven't done anything extensive on it, but it seems to work just fine - if that changes in the near future, I'll post an update. So far, it's exactly what it's described as being. Also, there is a good amount of information about it on-line, including instructional videos. So, yes, the instruction sheet (or so-called "manual") is barely comprehensible because the English is just *so* poor, However!, there are pictures, AND there are resources on-line, including those instructional videos, if one does a search on "LSS-202". - Several reviewers repeatedly belittled it as being a "toy" - I suppose it depends upon how one defines "toy". If it performs the task that a person needs it to perform, who cares what it's called? But more to the point, if you want a fully-capable machine, PAY FOR IT. Too many "reviewers" on Amazon seem to give 1 star because they expect a $4 item to be made like, and have exactly the same capabilities as, a $40 item. It makes no sense. - Some reviewers described it as being loud "for its size", but that shouldn't be surprising, given that the lightweight materials and small size simply lack enough mass to dampen the sound created by the motor and gears. It's not actually any louder than my own larger machine which is also made largely of plastic, but the *pitch* is higher, so it might be more annoying to some people and therefore *seem* louder than it is. ((My old *metal bodied* machine is, of course!, also the quietest, but it's also heavy, and I need to find a couple replacement parts...)) - My LSS-202 came well-packaged and was definitely *not* "just thrown in the box", as some reviewers seem to have experienced - mine was fully assembled, fully threaded, and tucked into form-fitting styrofoam, which had molded-in spaces for the pedal, the power cord, and the little baggie with extra bobbins. -Of course, I *did* order mine from a highly-rated vendor who also offered"Fulfillment By Amazon". The price is typically not "the lowest possible" for those vendors, but Ive never had any problems when I've gone with both options, and I wonder whether that accounts for the difference between a good LSS-202 purchase and a problem purchase... - Anyway, so, it stitches. Forward only - you need to turn the fabric if you need to back-stitch. For something that costs less than a lot of kids' toys, HEY, that's how it is ;)

So I haven't spent much time working with it, but after a short test of my new mini sewing machine, here's my preliminary review: It is as good or better than I expected for $18. It functions exactly as it should, and seems to be capable of pretty much all of the things a full sized machine would be. There are some drawbacks though, and they all have to do with it's size. First of those is that there is very little space for your right hand when guiding your fabric. Second, the foot petal is so small (and rather cheaply made) that you don't have hardly any speed control. It's kind of all or nothing, and because I'm an amateur it's difficult for me to keep up with. There is an alternative to the foot petal which is a button, and a low or high setting for when you're using it. I don't find it helpful at all. I like to use 2 hands for guiding my fabric so using the button is awkward. Also, the low setting is still pretty fast. Third, I don't know for sure but can imagine it doesn't have a whole lot of power, so using it for denim or another thick material might prove challenging. All in all though, I am really pleased. I think once I get to know it it'll be super handy and I'm very glad I purchased it. Once I complete an actual project I will review again.

Note that I don't come with any sewing machine experience, but this machine worked for me despite the last SEVERAL 1-star reviews it received stating that it doesn't work at all. It did exactly what I would expect from a $20 tiny sewing machine, and for the throw away price of $20, it still gets 3 stars. Don't aim for any fancy sewing. It has one very simple stitch. I used it to make halloween costumes that I will only wear one time and for minor fixes. It also sews at a speed I would expect for something so cheap too but it was still 50x faster than what I had been doing which was sewing by hand. So I was happy. I hate that it doesn't have an instruction manual but I found an instruction video on YouTube ("LSS202 Sewing Machine Quick Start Guide") that was faaairrly helpful. It took me about an hour to really understand how the threading works and how to make it catch the bobbin, but after that was determined, it worked fine for me. Now here's a very important point I'd like to make for making the thread work and the instruction video I saw on YouTube. When I inserted the spool at the top of the machine in that extension stick that looks like an antenna, it absolutely would not work. The thread kept breaking and wouldn't even sew whatever I was running through the needle, and the thread kept breaking. However, when I took the spool out of the "antenna" thing and just used a bobbin in the second location (shown in picture attached)...voila! it worked! the thread no longer broke and it actually sewed! It took me a long time to figure that out, and that was in realizing that that's how the machine had come setup with thread by default. So I hope this helps some of you out there.

Short version: I've enjoyed working on the machine occasionally to fix it, have learned sewing basics from using it, and have been able to sew a few things. It was broken on my first attempt to use it, and one more time since then. The description given to a 2 star rating is that "I don't like it". Actually I have really enjoyed this little machine, but only because I have been able to fix it and I enjoy tinkering with mechanical systems. It arrived threaded and with a test seam sewn into a small patch of fabric indicating that it was working at the factory before shipping. When I first attempted to sew my first test stitch it broke immediately. I opened it up and a plastic mount was broken. This mount secured a metal arm coming off of the arm that reaches through the slot and bobs up and down while threaded. To fix the broken mount I drilled two holes in the body of the machine and used a zip tie to hold the end of the arm in place, and so far that fix has held reliably. After sewing a scooter cover and hemming a pair of shorts cut from old slacks, the machine became inoperable again. The timing between the needle and the mechanism that wraps the spindle thread underneath was off. The bottom spindle thread wasn't being picked up at all. So I had to open the machine again and this time force it to skip gears and test until the timing was functional again. The stitches are a little tight now, but it is working again.

Well, I'm what I consider a fairly advanced sewer, and I felt I knew what to expect ordering this machine: something slightly above a chain stitch which could help me travel and sew with a couple friends. After all, how much could Michley give me for such a relatively CHEAP price!? That was my goal... and to my surprise those expectations were exceeded! Michley gave me "more". :) I received this sewing machine fast... and was pleasantly floored to find that it not only performs well on the portability factor and makes more than adequate stitches, but - in fact- this was my first choice to finish tailoring a shirt that I promised I'd fix for a friend of mine. THis machine literally helped me get my project done in record speed - and I had fun doing! it! My project had begged me to complete it for months lol (my poor friend lol). I have such a feeling of accomplishment now! And I am very happy with the sewing results. The fabric fed evenly through the machine and I did not notice having to hold down the light sewing machine despite the heavy cloth I was sewing through. But, wait... there's more! Pros: . it seems straightforward and easy to thread both the bobbin and the main top thread. . it sews through not-so-friendly fabrics too . I LOVE the button start/stop feature, the two speeds, and the foot peddle (though the foot peddle can be a bit temperamental... to someone who has used the quality sewing machines, you may find it annoying that the sewing stops if you accidentally easy off the peddle at all). The start button on the frame was one of the main reasons I bought this: my mom has arthritis in her hands and feet so the foot peddle isnt the best way to go for her, but she is a long time seamstress who wants to take up quilting again... this will be easy for her to use, I'm happy to say. mission accomplished. :) . Everything is easy to find. . almost any kind of spool can be used for the top thread (I recommend strong thread though...) . it IS great for travel :) Especially a dorm room (if you don't have a picky roommate who hates machine noise) I'd say, or RV travel, etc ;) . the lock stitch is even and consistent . even though I went ahead and bought a used model, it is in great shape and is giving me no problems. Just wow. Let me assure you, I find this to be a great deal, and would purchase again at full price if necessary! It's worth every penny. cons: you HEAR this one coming... if you live in a house that needs quiet, then be aware that you hear the insides of this mini sewing machine. It doesn't purr... it gallops (only in sound). Someone commented that they couldn't take it to their hotel room for fear of waking people up... For me, that is not a concern because it was within noise permitters.,... but just barely. the pressure foot is a bit too close to the body of the unit. What this means for you: sewing through thick cloth (which i did for the shirt tailoring project) takes a bit of maneuvering to first get the cloth to go under the foot... I used it just fine though. There is no "reverse" on this sewing machine... and no zig zag stitch. other models by this company have that, but I don't know anyone who has one for me to try so I can't comment on the other models. Amazon,... Michley: Thanks for my new sewing machine... I really am amazed at how much it can perform - even up against my picky sewing habits formed on the "real" (but not portable) machines, Michley's LSS-202 lil Sewing Machine held it's own and charmed me into using it for my WHOLE project instead of just the test I sat down to do with it. And my expensive machine was sitting unused right beside it. lol That's charm! Note: if you are new to this and have run into an issue with your sewing machine- don't give up on this little baby. BIG tip: Know how to set tension. That will save you with ANY sewing machine. Know how to thread it BEFORE you rely on the pre-threaded bobbin or you will regret it.... go on youtube for instructions if you want. It DOES matter what direction you thread through the needle etc. Thanks guys.

I purchased this machine for my daughter for Christmas. She always wants to learn on my machine and I thought it would be better for her to have her own. I also know that the child sewing machines never work well. I found this one on Amazon and was impressed with the positive reviews, especially for the price. I cannot get the machine to make stitches. It seems to be unable to pull up the bottom thread. I am an experienced sewer and I tried everything I know possible to try and get the machine to make stitches. I even consulted the manual to my own sewing machine b/c there is no trouble shooting section in the manual for this little one. The manual is awful. I believe there to be typo errors that could be confusing to a beginner sewer. The instructions are lacking in pictures and explanation. For example, when describing how to load the bottom bobbin, it doesn't tell you which direction the thread should be moving. I am not sure if it matters or not on this machine but it does on my real sewing machine. I believe the instructions would be difficult to follow for a beginner. There is no reverse. I really wanted this machine to work. It seems more like a machine than the child machines I've worked with before. But for the life of me, I could not get it to make stitches. My daughter is disappointed and I am too. Thankfully I will be getting a refund from Amazon and Amazon gave me a prepaid return label to return the machine.

I had ordered michley's sewing machine but i got 'yuta'. Amazon should deliver d exact product which d customer orders. This machine is working fine so far on cotton clothes, even denim material, haven't tried it on any other material. it's okay for d small mending purpose. It's light weight, occupies very less space.

Absolutely love this handy little sewing machine. I have not used a sewing machine since I was a child so the starting process was a bit of a pain for myself but after figuring it out it was a breeze. The size is perfect for what I need and it's easily stored away. Delivery was very quick and it arrived in a nice little package. Overall, very happy with my purchase.

For a small sewing machine, it does a good job.

Lo compre para mi mama y la cerdad nos sorprendio, aunque parece de juguete cose increíble, un puntada muy fuerte, perfecta para cualquier pequeño detalle coció inclusive pantalones de mezclilla él problema es que con telas muy gruesas cuesta que pasen por debajo de la patilla de sujeción pero él motor es capaz de coserlo. Aparte que use 4 pilas AA (usamos pilas recargables y duran muchísimo) la hace súper práctica con o sin pedal es fácil de usar. Ampliamente la recomiendo

Ordered Michley but got "Ming Hui"... Amazon should send the correct brand. Have used it and it is working fine. But it is my first ever sewing machine. Am happy with it. Worth ₹1000/-..... Has in built light and scissors...