I’ve owned and used a Singer 7442 sewing machine for about one year. It has features I love and some that I either don’t like or I wouldn’t miss.
Features 30 Stitches
This machine has thirty stitches to choose from. The stitches I use the most (other than straight and zigzag) are:
Straight Stretch Stitch
It’s much stronger than a straight stitch. It locks three times – forward, backward, forward. I use it most often on the crotch of knit shorts for added strength in a high stress area.
Decorative Stitches
I use the honeycomb, star and green key decorative stitches when I make purses. The machine sews these very well, without skipping or any other problems.
One Step Buttonhole System
The buttonhole foot is included with the machine. You just attach the foot and place the desired button in the back of the foot. The button will be just the right size for the button. That’s all you have to do for a perfect buttonhole!
Automatic Needle Threader
This was one of the features I was most excited about but turns out to be the feature I use the least. I thought using the threader would mean I wouldn’t need glasses to thread the needle. I still need glasses to make sure the threader goes through the eye of the needle to grab the thread. The needle also has to be in right position for the needle to be threaded correctly. It’s faster and easier to thread the needle the old-fashioned way. This was one feature I didn’t need.
See Through Bobbin Cover
No more running out of bobbin thread in the middle of sewing!
Second Spool Pin
Having a second spool pin means it’s easy to sew knits with a twin ballpoint needle. Before this machine I used a bobbin spool for my second spool of thread when using a twin needle.
Included Accessories
Feet
This machine comes with a darning plate, zipper foot, satin stitich foot, blind stitch foot and buttonhole foot. I bought a ruffler foot and a walking foot separately. The first generic walking foot I bought didn’t fit. The second one fits and works perfectly because it was made for the Singer 7442 machine.
Don’t Skip the Manual!
I had a problem with it for a few weeks but it was user error. After I read the manual, I was able to solve my problem. The reason my machine wasn’t sewing very well was because the bobbin has to be inserted so that it rotates counter clockwise. According to the note in the manual if the bobbin is not inserted correctly, it can become unthreaded and cause sewing problems.
This machine includes class 15 J bobbins. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you don’t use any other type of bobbin. I don’t know what would happen if you did but my sewing machine repairman said that it was very important.
Conclusion
I don’t like that the machine stops with the needle in the ‘up’ position. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal but it does make it harder to pivot. Not impossible, just tedious.
It doesn’t have an adjustment for presser foot pressure or tension. This would be nice to have but not a necessity.
I like that I can sew denim with a heavy duty style 2020 needle and mercerized size 40 thread. Setting the stitch length to 6 makes a nice top-stitching on jeans. The stitching looks like it was store bought.
Other than small things, the Singer 7442 sewing does everything I’ve needed it to do for my various projects at the right price of about $250.00.
