Sewing Machines

Our sewing room looks like a Janome showroom, so I am slightly prejudice. I have a 20 year old mechanical Janome that sews like it came from the showroom yesterday--have you taken it in for service? They do need yearly service to keep going strong.

In addition to my school mate (the 20 year old number), I have a Janome 634D serger, and a Janome 9700 sewing/embroidery machine. Since I already had a good sewing machine, i bought the "combined" unit, but if I hadn't had a good basic sewing machine, I would have bought the Janome 300E for embroidery and one of the better Janome sewing models like the memory craft

6600.

My wife and I make most of our clothes, all our home dec items (including slip covers and drapes), and tons of embroidered gifts--this year we made christmas tea towels--135 of them, last year it was embroidered throw pillows. Also other birthday, baby, and whatever else you can think of things.

I am convinced that Janome makes the best product around, I wouldn't have anything else--I made a terrible mistake and bought a Brother machine before buying the 9700---NEVER AGAIN will one of those pieces of (*& pass my door.

Jon

Reply to
Jon
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I'm looking to update my sewing machine. For the last 10 years I've been using a Janome MyExcel but it doesn't seem to sew very well anymore. I use my machine purely for dress making - on occassion I have sewn a quilt together - but not to embroider. I'm interested in a Bernina which I know to be very good machines that should last me for years to come. In particular, the Bernina Aurora

430 and 440 QE seems to have the functions I will use. I've also looked a the current Janome machines, which are about half the price of a Bernina. I'd love to hear your comments on the machine you use and what machine you'd recommend.
Reply to
Loz

My, that sounds familiar. I had been sewing on a (then) 20 year old White. It didn't work too well any more, and I decided I needed a new one. Bought a Janome 23L about six or seven years ago, and I love it, BUT...... The shop owner offered me a good price to service the old one, and as I thought I might give it to my daughter, I took him up on it. She turned it down at the time, and NO WAY would she get it now, it purrs along "like a sewing machine". They are both excellent machines, at first I only used the old one when the new one was in the shop or something, but now I use them both regularly - they each have different good points.

Treat yourself to a new one if you like, but have the old one serviced as well.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Reply to
Olwyn Mary

I currently have a Husqvarna-Viking 1+ sewing/embroidery machine (about

6 yrs old) and a new Viking 936 Serger. The Husqvarna machines are well built, solid, and sew like a dream. =20

I am saving my $$ in hopes of getting a new or gently used Designer SE later this year or next. When I get it, however, I will still keep the

1+ as it is an awesome machine.

Now, one of the main reasons I went with Husqvarna in the first place is because there is a local dealer - I wanted classes and local help. The other local dealer is Pfaff, but I just was not as impressed with the quality of those machines as I was with the Husqvarnas. =20

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

Reply to
IMS

Well my sewing/computer room looks like a Janome showroom too!! Currently I have 4 of their machines sitting on the sewing tables with another (3018) tucked away for my DGD's and while it's an older model, it too, purrs along and the only reason it's not on the table is purely and simply there is not enough space.

I've only owned one Bernina and that was in the early 70's, so can't help with their current models.....been a huge Janome fan since that machine and can't see me changing because the stitch quality and ease of operation are both important points.

My suggestion is to have your current machine serviced and if you 'must have' a new machine why not get a 6600P for quilting/home dec or a 350E (or it's predecessor 300E) embroidery-only machine (if your budget allows), this way you have the best of both worlds. Owning two machines can be extremely handy at times as I have both of mine doing embroidery, while I'm using the Compulock or CoverPro.

Hope this helps? Why not join some of the Yahoo groups for the various machines, this way you will get to see the type of projects produced on each machine.

Bronwyn ;-)

Olwyn Mary wrote:

Reply to
HC

Hi there, this is more of an aside since I have not used either machine, in fact I am new and have only used my brother. What i wanted to say was to see if you can try each machine out...I don't know where you're located but in Chicago I can think of a place called Quiltology that has a Bernina sewing lounge and you can either pay a little bit for a chunk of time or even talk to the shop owner Collette who is super nice and ask her thoughts. Maybe your local machine shop or sewing class location has them on display and I'm guessing they would allow you to check them out since you are inevitably going to buy one or the other. Just a thought! Best of luck with the new machine! Take care!

-Laura

Loz wrote:

Reply to
lldelso

I have an old, purely mechanical Bernina. Which I love. It does not do everything that I want it to do, but it has only been in the shop for 1 repair (aside from routine maintainance) in the 16 years I've owned it. The repair was for the circuit board in the foot pedal which got saturated during a flood. I also have an Artista 185, one of the high-end Bernina machines. Contrary to how I felt when I first got the machine, I would not now recommend it. It has nice features - positive needle up-down stop, knee lift for the presser foot, a needle threader, and it makes gonzo button holes. However, I made only 1 light wool skirt, 2 cotton blouses, 1 linen blouse, and a cotton suit this year before the machine had to go in for tuning again. The timing is constantly 'out'. I don't have very much time to sew these days, grad school is taking up far too much time, but I really would not expect to spend $85 bucks after sewing 6 garments. Of course, because I have the chance to sew so rarely, this $85 was for a whole year. Oh, it has a thread cutting feature that 1 out of 5 times unthreads the needle for me. Which means I get to use the nifty needle-threader again. Anyway, my two cents worth.

liz young

Reply to
Elizabeth Young

I bought a vintage singer-as all I want to-do is have a m achine that makes a straight stitch--and yes it is perfect!

Reply to
ilaboo

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