Have you ever stared at a ripped garment in frustration because you know you could fix it if you had a sewing machine? Maybe you can’t afford to buy one, or maybe you have no space to store such a large appliance. Have you ever wondered if you can rent a sewing machine?
You can rent a sewing machine from major sewing stores and peer-to-peer services online. The average cost for rental sewing machines ranges from $10-30 per hour and $30-$60 per day. You can also rent specialty sewing machines such as sergers, embroidery machines, and upholstery machines.
Keep reading to find out why you might want to rent a sewing machine and how to find a rental near you.
Can You Rent a Sewing Machine?
You can rent sewing machines from many different venues. Most rentals provide sewing machines for an affordable hourly or daily fee. Some provide options such as renting a sewing studio or other equipment as well.
Why would you want to rent a sewing machine? One of the most common reasons people rent sewing machines is to find out whether or not they truly like to sew. Better to give sewing a try before committing to a large, final purchase!
Perhaps you enjoy sewing, but know you will only have time to make one or two projects a year. It’s probably more cost-effective to rent the machine once in a while instead of buying your own.
Or maybe you don’t have space to store such a large piece of equipment, or your job requires you to move regularly and you don’t want to pack and repack a heavy machine all the time.
Then again, maybe you know how to sew but prefer to borrow a machine to complete certain brief projects cheaply because you can’t afford to buy an expensive sewing machine right now.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to try renting a sewing machine! Did any of these examples strike a chord with you? If so, keep reading to find out more about typical rental costs.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Sewing Machine?
Most sewing machine rentals offer either an hourly charge that ranges anywhere from $10-30 per hour or a daily fee of somewhere between $30-$60.
Some rentals also offer the option of renting to own a sewing machine. This means that every time you pay a rental fee, a portion of the fee goes toward the cost of the machine, and eventually, it will be yours to keep!
Another option many beginning sewers find particularly useful is the chance to take a class or rent a sewing studio that comes equipped with everything you might need, often including an instructor to help you learn the ropes.
A beginner’s class somewhere like Joann Fabric will cost around $40-$150, while renting a sewing studio typically costs at least $50 a day. Alternatively, some studios offer in-house use of machines for hourly fees as low as $15.
Remember that some rental companies require you to either take a course before you can rent their appliances or demonstrate your ability to sew before renting a machine. This may involve additional fees, so look into the prerequisites before committing to a rental.
Can You Rent Specialty Sewing Machines?
Though you may have to seek out a more select provider, you can rent many kinds of specialized sewing machines such as heavy-duty and embroidery machines.
Sometimes you need a specialized tool for a particular project. Even an experienced sewer who already owns a domestic machine may need to branch out with a unique machine for a particular task! This is a great reason to look for a rental.
Industrial Sewing Machine
Industrial sewing machine rentals typically cost between $40-$60 for a day.
An industrial sewing machine can run for hours on end, thanks to its durable design. These tough machines can accommodate very thick fabrics like leather, and they can sew incredibly quickly.
Domestic sewing machines often feature nylon or plastic gears and parts inside. These hold up just fine for the hour or two most home sewers can dedicate to a project. However, industrial machines have metal insides that give them extra strength and endurance.
Industrial machines also come in various designs depending on whether you plan to sew flat fabric together or stitch rounded items such as shoes and purses.
Serger
Many sewing studios offer serger rentals starting as low as $15 an hour or $90 a day.
A serger pulls from four or more spools of thread instead of the typical two sources of thread (spool and bobbin) of a domestic sewing machine. This allows the serger to wrap a neat casing of thread around the rough edge as it sews.
While a serger can’t replace the functionality of a regular machine, if you want a professional look to your seams, it’s the way to go!
New sergers typically cost anywhere from $300-$1,500, making renting this appliance look a lot more appealing!
Upholstery Sewing Machine
You can find upholstery machine rentals for about $35 per hour, though some studios offer daily options that might suit your schedule better.
Also known as heavy-duty sewing machines, upholstery machines feature large needles and serious motors that allow them to sew through multiple layers of thick upholstery fabrics. They require a lot of floor space since usually they come attached to a table.
If you plan to go into business refinishing furniture, you probably need to buy an upholstery machine for yourself–though this will set you back anywhere from $500-$2000, or even more! Because of their high cost and the amount of space they take up, you may want to rent one if you have just one or two upholstery projects to complete.
Embroidery Machine
You may need to commit to using an embroidery machine in-house at a studio to get a cheap rental, but the good news is that the fees can be as low as $20 per hour!
Embroidery machines convert a digital image into a machine-stitched, satiny piece of thread art on your fabric. Many companies use these machines to stitch logos and decals onto fabric objects like hats and t-shirts. These advanced machines let you personalize or decorate fabric in millions of lovely ways!
New embroidery machines can cost as much as $8,000, so you can see why you may want to rent one for your project instead of investing in such an expensive piece of equipment.
You may enjoy learning how to use an embroidery machine, but if you find this task overwhelming, some sewers hire out this part of a project.
Is it better to rent an embroidery machine or partner with an existing, expert embroiderer? It will probably cost more to hire someone else to do your embroidery, but if you don’t have time to learn how to use an embroidery machine, you may want to consider this option.
Renting Sewing Tools
Sometimes your projects require specific tools like a Cricut. You may find these items cheaply on eBay or Craigslist, but you can also rent many kinds of crafting equipment if you prefer this temporary solution.
Many sewing and craft providers like Joann Fabric rent Cricut machines, as well as other crafting paraphernalia. And, of course, if you haven’t already checked out your local thrift stores, be sure to give them a once-over for cheap fabric, sewing supplies, and even vintage patterns!
You can also check your local library for free sewing patterns and keep an eye on your local freecycle if anyone is getting rid of a batch of crafting supplies.
Rent a Sewing Machine Near Me
There are three main ways to find a sewing machine rental near you: seek out a big-name craft and sewing store, find a small-scale local sewing studio, or explore peer-to-peer renting options.
Sewing Stores
Joann Fabric is probably the best-known craft and sewing store in the United States. Does Joanns rent sewing machines? Yes, but only for in-house use or within the parameters of a class offered by the store. You can book a reservation at your local store through Joann’s website.
Joann’s classes allow you to use many different kinds of sewing machines and learn how to do projects at varying skill levels. However, you have to do the class project and won’t get to explore your interests.
Michaels Arts and Crafts do not offer rentals, though you can purchase sewing machines from their online store. They provide a variety of art-type classes but do not have any sewing tutorials or classes available at this time.
Hobby Lobby is probably the other best-known craft-supply store nationwide. This store does not offer equipment rentals. However, they frequently offer sewing courses that can cost as much as $100 for a 2-4 hour class.
Local Sewing Studios
While not as prevalent as big corporate entities like Joanns, you can often find small studios near you that provide in-house rental of sewing machines. Some even allow you to reserve the whole studio for several hours or a day.
Studios like Made Creative in Illinois and Sewing Escape in California feature a cozy environment stocked with the appliances you need to create your projects.
One word of warning, though: many small businesses who sell hand-sewn items call themselves sewing studios, too! Not every studio offers rentals.
The good news is that sewing studios usually offer low rates, such as a mere $15 per hour for a sewing machine!
Peer-to-Peer Rentals
Peer-to-peer rentals allow you to directly borrow an appliance like a sewing machine from another ordinary person who happens to have a machine available to share. Websites like Zilok and Craigslist facilitate these connections.
Fees and the quality of machines can vary, but you may make great connections in this more personal type of interaction!
Learn How to Sew Without Buying a Sewing Machine
If you want to learn how to sew but can’t buy a sewing machine, you can also try networking with local sewers and crafting enthusiasts.
Public libraries and community centers often provide free (or low-cost) classes and sewing circles. Some towns have local sewing guilds that may also host free events and will happily direct you to local resources. Craft and sewing stores will likely post information about community events and classes as well.
If you’re brave enough to strike up a conversation with a stranger, sewing stores are a great place to meet fellow sewing enthusiasts, too! Once you get chatting, you can learn a lot from other sewers.
Finally, you can also keep an eye on your neighborhood social media groups for any local events. This is also a great way to spot any sewing items your neighbors may discard for free!
Conclusion
Are you inspired to find a rental and start sewing? Now you know how much you can expect a rental to cost. You also got the down-low on finding the right kind of rental sewing machine. Hopefully, you have a better idea of how to find an affordable rental location near you as well!
What kind of sewing project do you plan to work on next, and have you ever tried a sewing machine rental before? Let us know in the comments below!