A sewing machine is one of the few appliances that is better bought from a person than a website. A local dealer teaches you to use it, cleans it when it jams and answers the phone when the bobbin thread nests. Utah Valley has two full dealers, three sew-and-vac repair shops with long records, and a handful of places to learn. This guide covers buying, keeping a machine running and learning to sew, with hours as listed on Google or each shop's site in October 2026.
For repairs of shoes, watches and small engines as well as sewing machines, our guide to getting things fixed in Utah Valley covers the wider repair trade. For quilting-specific machines and longarms, see our quilt shop guide.
Buying: the two dealers
Dave's Bernina, Provo
2017 North 550 West. A family-owned Bernina dealer and fabric store with stores in Provo and St. George. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday until 5; closed Sunday. Phone (801) 374-5520.
What makes it a dealer rather than a store is the class calendar. In fall 2026 it listed:
- Bernina Black Bobbin Sewing Mastery, $150, for owners of specific Bernina models (435, 475, 480, 535, the new 570 QE, 590, 770, 790 and 880). Sessions on October 21, November 17, November 30 and December 16, 2026. Doors open at 10 a.m., class starts at 10:30, with a 30-minute lunch break; bring everything that came with your machine, bright thread and thread snips. It covers using, cleaning and oiling your machine.
- A four-hour basic operation class for new owners of Bernina and bernette machines.
- Short project classes, such as a $15 Candy Wrapper Class (sewing pouches from candy and food wrappers) on October 22 and November 21.
- Embroidery Club sessions at $15.
Repairs happen on site. Google reviewers describe two machines cleaned in a few hours for a customer driving from out of town, and a technician who fixed a settings problem in ten minutes without charging.
Nuttall's Sewing Centers, Pleasant Grove
518 North 2000 West. A sewing store with a second location in Riverton. It keeps the latest hours of any sewing shop we checked: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday until 9, Saturday until 5. Phone (801) 763-1669. From downtown Provo it is about 18 minutes by car (OSRM routing, no traffic).
Reviewers describe buying entry-level machines (one names a Brother NS80e) with free sewing classes included, and staff cleaning and adjusting machines on the spot, sometimes free, including a serger that needed rethreading and a Bernina someone expected to send away.
Buying: how to choose
Decide what you will sew. Garments and mending need a reliable straight and zigzag stitch and a good buttonhole. Quilting benefits from a wider throat space (the room between the needle and the machine body) and a walking foot. Embroidery is a separate machine or a combination machine. Heavy fabrics like denim and canvas need a sturdier motor and the right needle.
Test-sew with your own fabric. Bring scraps of what you plan to sew, including a few layers of denim if you hem jeans, and sew on two or three machines at different prices. Listen for rough or clattering sounds.
Ask what comes with it. Owner classes, free first service, warranty, and who does warranty repairs locally. For a beginner, included classes are worth more than extra built-in stitches.
Mechanical or computerized. Mechanical machines are simpler to repair, and the repair shops below keep decades-old ones running. Computerized machines offer more stitches and automatic features, and need a dealer who can service the electronics.
Sergers finish seams the way ready-made clothes are finished and are usually a second machine, not a first.
Keeping it running: the sew-and-vac shops
Sewing machine repair and vacuum repair share shops across the country, and they do here. These three have long review records for older machines. All are closed Sunday.
| Shop | Address | Hours | Reviewers mention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wimmer's Sewing & Vacuums 360 | 1371 S State St, Orem | Mon to Sat 10 to 6 | A 58-year-old Kenmore restored; up-front quotes |
| A-1 Vacuum & Sewing | 571 S State St, Orem | Mon to Sat 9 to 6 | A 55-year-old machine saved; embroidery service |
| Budget Sew & Vac | 410 W Main St, American Fork | Tue to Fri 10 to 6, Sat 10 to 1 | A 50-year-old Husqvarna; about a week's turnaround |
Wimmer's Sewing & Vacuums 360 also has a South Jordan store. One reviewer used a new-customer coupon for a tune-up. Phone (801) 426-5302.
A-1 Vacuum & Sewing shares its address and phone with a listing called A Valley Vacuum & Sewing; reviewers praise quick on-the-spot fixes, and one dress-shop owner credits it with repairing a 55-year-old machine another shop told her to scrap. Phone (801) 225-8181.
Budget Sew & Vac in American Fork is a family business whose owner, reviewers say, has been in the trade more than 30 years. Phone (801) 756-8158.
Before you take it in
Many "broken" machines are not broken. Try these first:
- Rethread from scratch with the presser foot up, so the thread seats in the tension discs.
- Change the needle. A dull or bent needle causes skipped stitches and thread breaks.
- Clean the bobbin area. Remove the needle plate and brush out lint.
- Check the bobbin is wound evenly and inserted the right way.
If that does not fix it, get an estimate. A Dave's Bernina reviewer reports being told, frankly, that a full service probably was not worth the cost on an entry-level machine, before the technician cleaned and adjusted it free. That honesty is what to look for.
Learning to sew
Sew Vintage, 744 South State Street, Orem. A sewing studio and vintage dress rental shop, open Tuesday to Friday, noon to 6 p.m. Reviewers describe children's classes that make beanies, stuffed animals, pencil cases, pajama pants and backpacks, a three-day beginner class for adults that covers using a machine, reading a pattern and cutting fabric, and an adult pattern-drafting class. Embroidery, weaving and other fiber classes are gathered in our fiber arts guide.
The dealers. Dave's Bernina and Nuttall's teach machine skills and projects, and owner classes come with many purchases. Dave's short project classes start at $15.
Harmony, 275 East Center Street, Provo. The downtown fabric and yarn shop is listed on Google as a school as well as a store; ask about classes when you visit.
Community education. UVU Community Education and the school districts' adult programs offer sewing in some semesters; see our community education guide. For children's art and craft classes more broadly, see kids' art, music and craft classes.
Farther afield. Handcraft Revival at 1365 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City is a craft shop and folk school whose reviewers describe sewing, quilting and embroidery workshops for adults and children.
Where to buy fabric now
JOANN's three Utah County stores closed in 2025, so fabric shopping looks different than it did. The Fabric Mill in Orem, Harmony in Provo, Hobby Lobby's Fabric & Sewing department, the quilt shops and the dealers carry it now, and Making Space Thrift in Provo sells donated fabric. Our guide to craft stores after JOANN lists them all.
Related Guides
- Getting Things Fixed in Utah Valley
- Quilt Shops and Quilting in Utah Valley
- Craft Stores in Utah Valley After JOANN
- Community Education in Utah Valley
- Wedding Dress Shopping in Utah Valley
- Thrift and Vintage in Provo and Orem
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy a sewing machine in Utah County?
Does buying from a dealer include classes?
Where can I get an old sewing machine repaired in Utah County?
How often should a sewing machine be serviced?
Is it worth repairing a cheap sewing machine?
Where can adults take beginning sewing classes in Utah Valley?
Are there kids' sewing classes in Utah County?
Where should I buy a used sewing machine?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Dave's Bernina home page and class calendar, Dave's Bernina. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Dave's Bernina: About Us, Dave's Bernina. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Making Space Thrift home page, Making Space Thrift. Checked October 20, 2026.
- The fabric giant Joann will close all of its stores by the end of May (updated April 29, 2025), Michigan Public (NPR). Checked October 20, 2026.
- Google Places listings: Dave's Bernina, Nuttall's Sewing Centers, Wimmer's Sewing & Vacuums 360, A-1 Vacuum & Sewing, Budget Sew & Vac, Sew Vintage, Harmony, Handcraft Revival (Oct. 2026), Google Maps (Places). Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM route service (drive times, no traffic), Project OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Checked October 20, 2026.
