Sometimes, you just want something easy. Easy to handle. Easy to thread. Easy to understand. After all, it’s the sewing that matters, not how complicated or expensive your machine is. Fortunately, easy doesn’t have to mean “cheap and unreliable.”
The Singer Curvy 8770 is a convenient, easy-to-use and affordable machine for home sewing, quilting and embroidering. It’s not a heavy duty or industrial model, by any means. But I’m counting it as a “serious sewing machine” because it provides some new features that help people with low eyesight and other physical issues.
Although you might not find this model in your local fabric store, at least you won’t have to search a web site or mail order accessories like bobbins, needles and thread. That’s the beauty of Singer brand sewing machines and sergers, they are fine using common supplies found at your local sewing shop. Plus, you can get things like portable cases as a gift later on.
Two awesome features set this model apart for home sewers.
What makes this model special is the revolutionary threading system. If you hate threading up, down, and through all the little holes on a regular machine, you’ll love the simplicity of the SwiftSmart ™ threading system and one touch needle threader (also available on the 8763 model.) It’s ideal for seniors and sewers with less than optimal eyesight.
Until now, to thread a sewing machine you had to thread the spool, guide the thread down along the groove, then U-turn the thread, pull it up again, thread the take-up, and pull it down again to thread the needle eye. Now using the SwiftSmart Threading System, you simply guide the thread from the spool to the needle along the groove at the front of the machine. Another feature, the One Touch Needle Threader, will even pull the thread through the eye of the needle. No need to go through a complicated threading process (you’ll have to find something else to swear about.
The new Drop and Sew(tm) bobbin system comes with a specially designed thread track and new needle plate, there is no longer a need to manually raise the bobbin thread.
Some serious sewers don’t really care about the color or style of their machines, but sometimes it’s nice when your beautifully decorated studio has pretty machines to match. It’s amazing how many online comments for this item and related categories include references to the new curvy profile and contemporary colors.
Standard Features for the Singer Curvy 8770 Sewing Machine:
- Exclusive SwiftSmart ™ Threading System
- Exclusive Drop & Sew ™ Bobbin System
- 3 StayBright LED Lights
- Electronic Push-Button Stitch Selection
- 173 Stitch Patterns
- 6 Styles of One-Step Balanced Buttonholes
- Exclusive Buttonhole Underplate
- Exclusive 3-Step Infinite Length Bar-Tack Buttonhole
- BuiltIn Alphabet
- Built-In Stretch Stitches
- Hand-Look Quilt Stitch
- Center Zigzag Taper
- Automatic Tacking Stitch Function
- Automatic Tie-Off Function
- 7mm Stitch Width
- Electronic Twin Needle Control
- 13 Needle Positions
- Programmable Needle Up and Down
- Sewing Speed
- Automatic Tension
- Automatic Presser Foot Pressure Control
- Extra-High Presser Foot Lifter
- Top Loading Jam-Proof Bobbin System with Clear Cover
- 6-Segment Feeding System
- Box Feed
- Drop Feed Dogs
- Direct Drive
- Optimum Power Control
- Snap-On Presser Feet
- Portable and Cabinet Mountable
- Free Arm
As I said earlier, this new digital technology makes threading a cinch! All you have to do is guide the thread directly from the spool to the needle area through a single groove. Then, you automatically thread the needle by pressing the threader lever on the side of the machine. One-touch threading…it’s about time!
Simply drop in the bobbin, then pull the thread through the specially designed needle plate and track. No more manually raising the bobbin thread. That’s easy.
Not 1 but 3 nice bright lamps illuminate the sewing surface which means less eye strain and longer sewing sessions. The long-lasting bulbs (100,000 hours) stay cool, even after hours of sewing.
With just the click of a button you have selected the stitch and settings for length, width, balance, pressure and tension.
It’s pretty standard these days to get a large variety of stitches for construction, fashion sewing, quilting, heirloom, crafts, home decorating and decorative sewing. Some stitches can be mirror-image reversed with the touch of a button. I don’t know if anyone really needs 173, but they’re there if you want ‘em.
Your choices show up on a 2-Line (17mm x 56mm) liquid crystal display window with backlight for easy viewing. Thank goodness you don’t have to memorize the names of all 173 designs.
More choices…This time you can choose from 6 different one step buttonhole styles. Each side of the buttonhole is sewn in the same direction, creating beautifully balanced buttonholes.
If you sew a lot of buttons, you’re going to love this feature. Singer includes a system that sandwiches fabric between a lower plate and the foot to ensure perfect buttonholes on multiple layers of fabric. Basically, you’ve got a mini-embroidery hoop and the machine feeds the attachment, rather than the fabric. It makes creating buttonholes possible in places that conventional buttonholers can’t reach easily.
Yeah, they went a little crazy on the buttonhole features. This one lets you create a buttonhole with endlessly long sides, ideal when sewing non-traditional sized buttonholes. There are no size limitations with this buttonhole-every one fits.
You can personalize projects by adding a monogram, name or phrase with the built-In block style alphabet. This one’s nice if you don’t already have an embroidery machine. A 20-space memory bank holds full names and simple phrases. And editing is easy with a simple cursor system. Really, it’s like you’ve got a computer inside your machine.
I sew a lot of dance and skating costumes, so these specially designed stitches are great. They add strength and flexibility to seams, especially useful when sewing on knitwear and super-stretch fabrics.
I’m not sure how they do this, but this stitch is designed to look like hand sewing for topstitching or quilting.
When tapering with the zigzag stitch, the Singer Curvy tapers it to the center, not the left or right, which provides a more attractive look when tapering into or out from a point.
One of the reasons I don’t use a lot of decorative stitches is they tend to unravel after a while. This machine ties off those suckers with four tiny tacking stitches so the start and end of the pattern is reinforced.
With just a push of a button the machine will sew 4 stitches forward and then 4 stitches in reverse at the start of Straight Stitching. At the end, press the reverse button again and the machine will sew 4 stitches in reverse and then 4 stitches forward and then stop. The Automatic Tie-Off Function reinforces the start and end of seams for stronger stitching.
What’s that they said on that car commercial? Wider is better. Most stitches on the Curvy can be set for a maximum width of 7mm. When sewing decorative stitches or satin stitches, these wider stitches are bolder and more pronounced.
Stitches are automatically adjusted for twin needle sewing with just the touch of a button. Twin needle sewing creates two parallel rows adding a decorative touch or a bit of added strength.
Needle position can be changed for individual projects, such as inserting zippers or cording and topstitching.
Select whether the needle is up or down when the machine stops. You’re going to want the needle to stop in the down position when appliquéing, quilting or pivoting fabric. When removing the fabric from the machine, it is easier if the needle is raised to highest position.
With a maximum sewing speed of 750 stitches per minute, this isn’t a production model. But most projects can be sewn quickly and easily.
Okay, this feature is awesome. I hate tension problems! This computerized system ensures stable stitch quality, whatever type of fabric is being used.
The amount of pressure exerted on the fabric by the presser foot against the feed dogs is automatic. Sew from the lightest weight tricots to the heaviest denim, without making presser foot adjustments. Sweet!
There are 2 heights to the presser foot lifter. The second height offers more clearance when you’re sewing multiple layers of bulky fabric.
No more thread jams–woo hoo! This mechanism incorporates a magnetic vertical axis rotating hook that ensures smooth, quiet, thread jam-resistant sewing.
This is a specially designed feed dog that makes sure the fabric is picked up and supported from the front of the presser foot to the rear. This makes for much more accurate feeding.
This is a feed dog motion that moves the feed dogs in a box motion, rather than the usual arc motion. That means you get perfect feeding throughout the entire feed process, as the feed dogs are always in perfect and equal contact with the fabric and presser foot.
A conveniently located lever will lower the feed dogs below the needle plates for free-motion embroidery, monograms, and for attaching buttons.
The needle bar is geared straight from the motor, rather than from a drive bar across the machine. This makes the machine more powerful and durable.
The machine senses when additional power is required to maintain speed through thick or changing fabric conditions. This feature is most useful when sewing through multiple (6-8) layers of fabric. Can you say dance costumes?
Change from one to another effortlessly with Snap-On feet. No need for screwdrivers to change presser feet.
It has a built-in carry handle, making it easy to transport. It can also be mounted into a cabinet.
You gotta have easy access to clothing parts like cuffs, collars, pant hems and other difficult-to-reach areas.
The Singer Curvy 8770 includes a US warranty of 25 years for the head, 2 years electrical, and 90 days parts and labor. Non-US warranties vary, so check with your dealer.
Sometimes people buying online come across a sale page and are happy to save a little money, but have concerns about machines run by computers. Fortunately reviews and information are easy to find. PDF manuals and video tutorial downloads give instructions, increase user confidence and provide loads of inspiration. And a 2019 blog post might give you details on a pattern created back in August 2018