Sewing Genie Product Review: As Seen on TV Portable Compact Sewing Machine

When The Sewing Genie first came out it was priced about 50 bucks, but now there are several places on the internet that sell it new for under $15. The As Seen On TV site still sells it for $39.95. The under $15 deal is an awesome deal. The Sewing Genie is a small portable Sewing Machine that was first advertised as an "As Seen On TV" product. It was shown as having bells and whistles for being compact and lightweight, being able to double stitch, and being easy to use. It ran on 4 AA batteries and it could also be used with an AC adapter which was included. It could use regular size spools of thread and also had a bobbin. It had a pedal for foot control and it came with an accessory kit and the real teaser was they showed this large tray of colorful threads that came as a bonus. It looked too good to be true.

Like most As Seen On TV products I viewed the commercial with a skeptical eye. There had to be a catch and surely this sewing machine couldn't work like a real sewing machine. I was particularly drawn to it because of the cost and my current vintage machine at the time needed to be repaired.

The repair would probably amount to more than the advertised cost of this Sewing Genie. I was intrigued. The Sewing Genie was about 8 inches tall and weighed less than 5 pounds and can be set on just about any flat surface.

It took a few more times of seeing the commercial before I finally caved in. It was near the holidays and I was looking forward to using it for some craft projects, such as making sachet pillows and other fabric crafts that required sewing. I also had some repair work ahead of me where some work pants needed to be patched. There was a money back guarantee at the time, so I thought what the heck, I'll give it a whirl.

The Sewing Genie took longer to arrive than I expected, but I was excited to receive it.

I carefully read the instructions and then reread them again. Unlike the Handy Stitch, which was a piece of junk advertised on "As Seen On TV", The Sewing Genie really does sew and it is easy to use once you figure it out. The hardest part about using it was the initial set up of figuring out how to thread the machine, since it didn't thread like any real sewing machines I have used before. Once you can figure out how to thread The Sewing Genie, you would be surprised how easy it is to use. You can put it on a small table such as a card table and use it without shaking the whole table the way a heavy sewing machine will wobble a lightweight table.

You only have one stitch option, but for most small sewing projects all you need is one stitch because you are just trying to attach fabric together or hem or finish off a seam or edge. The Sewing Genie is good for a beginning sewer and can be handy for more advanced sewers who just need something portable or something to sew on for simple projects or when your broken machine is in the sewing repair shop. The Sewing Genie could be handy for someone who lives in a dorm or small apartment and is interested in sewing but just doesn't have the storage space for a big machine table set up and housing a sewing machine case.

The Sewing Genie is convenient for sewing on a patch or sewing some straightforward curtains such as transforming sheets into curtains or pillow cases.

The Sewing Genie comes with spare needles and some pre threaded bobbins so you can get started right away. It may not be a good choice for a professional sewer, but for the light crafter or sewing hobbyist, this machine is simple to understand and there aren't a bunch of settings or control knobs to learn. Like a regular sewing machine, the foot pedal controls the speed of sewing. You will want to press your foot lightly and go slow and easy so you can get a nice steady and even stitch.

The Sewing Genie really doesn't have any fancy features or do anything miraculous, but it does what it promises, so that's all a person can ask for. And like most As Seen On TV products, they eventually end up in your local store discount department store like Target or Wal-Mart. So when you see the sewing Genie priced below $40, and at some places lower than $15, it's a good deal and would make a good gift for someone who doesn't own a sewing machine but is interested in sewing.