9.3
Sewing machines / Free arm
Selected brands
Free Arm Sewing Machines
Updated 2026-10-28
Removable compartments that make it easy to sew sleeves and pant legs 39 sewing machines · 12 brands
For beginners
Mini
With kits
Handheld
DIY craft
Mending
Travel
Affordable
For adults
With foot pedals
12-stitch
Dual speed
Quilting
Heavy duty
Multi-stitch
For kids
With LED lights
Leather
For jeans
With extension tables
Computerized
White
Cordless
Serger and overlock machines
Industrial
Black
With cases
Embroidery
Free arm
16-stitch
Blue
Manual
Red
Purple
Fits 13 inch
Green
Gray
Best Free Arm Sewing Machines
9.3
9.3
9.3
9.1
9.1
9.1
9.1
9.1
9.1
8.9
8.9
Bernette
Computerized sewing and quilting machine
$599
For beginners Quilting Multi-stitch With LED lights Computerized
8.8
8.8
Janome
White computerized quilting machine with free arm
$189
Quilting Multi-stitch Computerized White
8.8
8.7
American Home
Portable serger with differential feed system
$260
For beginners With kits Serger and overlock machines
8.7
SINGER
Heavy Duty Sewing Machine with Extension Table
$277
With kits Heavy duty With extension tables
8.5
8.4
8.3
7.3
Janome
Black heavy duty sewing machine with quilting kit
$469
Black With kits Quilting Multi-stitch Heavy duty
7.0
MEGLE
Multifunctional household machine with automatic rewind
$32.99
For beginners With foot pedals Dual speed 12-stitch With LED lights
Brother
Thirty seven stitch free arm machine with stabilizer
$170
For beginners Quilting Multi-stitch
Brother
Computerized Denim Sewing Machine with Sixty Stitches
$180
Multi-stitch Computerized For jeans
Chunara
Electric sewing machine with 42 piece kit
$65.89
For beginners With kits DIY craft With foot pedals Dual speed 12-stitch
Chunara
Mini sewing machine for DIY crafts
$65.89
For beginners Mini With kits DIY craft With foot pedals Dual speed
6.2
Common questions
Free arm sewing machine questions
Do I have to remove the whole compartment to use the free arm?
Yes. The compartment slides off the bed and exposes the narrow arm. On some models the compartment also holds accessories, so you need a place to set it while you sew.
Can I sew a closed sleeve with a free arm?
Yes, if the sleeve tube fits over the arm. The arm is narrow enough for most sleeves and small pant legs. Large cuffs or heavy fabric tubes may not clear it.
Is a free arm machine also good for flat sewing?
Yes. With the compartment in place, the bed is flat and you sew hems and seams normally. The free arm is an extra shape, not a replacement for the flat bed.
What the free arm does at the machine
A free arm sewing machine has a removable compartment on the bed. Slide that compartment off and the bed narrows to a slim arm. The arm lets you slip a sleeve, pant leg, or cuff around the needle area instead of fighting the full flat bed.
On the samples, the arm is the same metal or plastic platform the rest of the bed uses. The compartment that covers it doubles as accessory storage on some models. When the compartment is on, the machine sews like a flat-bed machine for flat seams and hems.
How free arm models are built and what to expect
The arm is short and narrow, so it only fits small tube shapes. A sleeve or a child’s pant leg slides on. A large jacket cuff or a heavy denim leg may not clear the arm. The arm length is fixed by the machine body, not adjustable.
Most free arm machines in this group are mechanical or computerized multi-stitch models. The SM2700 has 27 stitches, the SM3701 has 37, and the SM1704 has 17. The CP2160F is computerized. Colors on the samples are black and blue.
A free arm does not replace a serger for hemming knits. The serger sample in this group uses differential feed for hemming and sewing, which is a different function. If you mostly sew flat seams, the removable compartment stays on and the machine behaves like a standard flat-bed.