Brett Banfield from Sew-Works

We interview sewing machine center owner Brett Banfield to find out about his background, the sewing machine center and how to look after our sewing machines:

Hi Brett, please tell us about yourself, how long have you been involved in the sewing industry?

I have been in the Sewing machine industry since 1988, after I had completed my 2 years National Service in the South African Defence Force. 

What made you decide to pursue that career route?

My parents owned a couple of Bernina Franchises in South Africa and I decided to start with them as a trainee technician. I opened my own franchise in 1995 in Durban, South Africa.

Before opening your sewing machine centre in Surrey you were servicing machines, what made you decide to open a shop as well?

The opening of the shop was always going to be a natural progression from just doing services and repairs from home. I missed the “buzz” of running a small business and dealing with satisfied customers & great quality products.

Tell us more about your store, what do you stock and what services do you offer?

We stock sewing machines, overlockers, embroidery machines, Embroidery Software, Roller Presses, Horn Sewing Furniture, Mettler cotton, Spares, Scissors, Schmetz Needles and sewing haberdashery. The services we offer are:  services & repairs to machines + free training on any product bought from us. At a later stage we will offer other sewing, quilting & embroidery courses.

Why do you choose to stock only Bernina, Pfaff & Frister + Rossmann?

There is a large variety of sewing machine brands around and with today’s sewing computerised models, it is extremely difficult to be a expert on all of them, hence my decision to select 3 brands and master these.

Do you sell any sewing supplies as well?

Yes we do. We stock Mettler thread and have a wide selection of haberdashery, but we do not stock fabric.

Do you offer any training or classes to help people learn how to get the most from their new machine?

Yes we do. When purchasing a new machine from us we provide a free set of lessons on how the machine works and how to use it.

You still offer machine servicing through your store, how often should people be getting their machine serviced?

It does depend on how often the machine is used, but a rough guideline is every 2 or 3 years. The new top-of-the-range models tell you when they need servicing.

Can you give us a few quick tips to help keep our machines in good running order?

1. Change the needles quite often.

2. Clean out the hook area and remove the needle plate.

3. Oil the hook area as this makes the machine run smoother. Visit our website www.sewworks.co.uk to see how it is done.

What are the most common problems you tend to see on the machines you repair?

I would say blunt or damaged needles cause many problems and not threading the machine correctly.   Change and use the correct type of needles more often and use a good brand of thread on your machine to prevent this problem. You will be surprised how important this is.

Talking of advice what sewing machines(s) would you recommend for a beginner?

I always recommend models and brands that are reliable and easy to use. A lot will depend on the budget that the beginner has, but you would want to buy a model that does at least Straight stitch, zig zag, buttonhole, overlock and blindhem stitch. If it is for embroidery or quilting you need to look at the Bernina or Pfaff brands.

What do people need to consider when buying a machine?

You need to buy a reliable machine that runs smoothly with a good tension. Purchasing from an approved sewing machine dealer is most important, especially when it comes to the backup service and lessons.

What models were your bestsellers in 2011 and why do you think that was?

The Bernina 330 and Bernina 550QE were very popular models. In the Pfaff range the Ambition 1.0 and Hobby 1132  were the best sellers for us and in the Frister & Rossmann range it was the Cub TL. These are all very popular models and were priced right for the market, hence their popularity.

Where can people find out more about you online?

Our website is www.sewworks.co.uk and we have a facebook page here.

Do you have any special events/offers/plans coming up in 2012 you would like to tell us about?

We have just become agents for the Pfaff Steam Roller Press. This is a great product and a valuable piece of equipment for any busy household, guesthouse, pub/restaurant, small hotel or nursing home. We look forward to promoting this product and brand and hopefully seeing the sales figures grow. For more info on this please contact us at our shop or via our website.

We have some plans for later in the year, join our Facebook page to be kept updated. 

GIVEAWAY

Sew-works have recently set up a new Facebook page and will be running a giveaway when they reach 100 followers.  'Like' their page to get details of the giveaway once they reach 100 followers.