I have 3 featherweights - which I love but lately it seems that I have 1 or 2 in for repair all the time!! I use them to sew on ALWAYS!! My question is if you were investing in a "modern work horse" what would it be. I would like to have the thread cutter and needle up and down as part of the features. Is there such an animal??? 4js

I like my Janome MC6600

It has the auto cutter and the auto down feature. It has a side bar for my leg to lift the pressure foot but I am kind of a short person; 5'3, and I have a hard time using that but otherwise I couldn't ask for much more.
I will be adding a Janome 300e or 350e in the near future, like for Christmas.

Happy Shopping

Tammy

I must admit that I like FRISTER&ROSSMAN machines as I find them so reliable, I have an old one and a neighbour had one too, her family gave her a new one for Christmas, a Singer, so she gave her old one to her grand children, she wish she didn't have to as she so preferred her F n R and the best thing about them is the price :shock: Check them out you might get a pleasant surprise.

If you just want straight stitch, I love my Juki TL98Q. Has the cutter,knee lift and needle down. I can't tell you how many quilts this baby has made and I drag it to Kansas for quilt retreat. She's a real workhorse, does great free motion and has the 9" throat so a little more room. I think they have a newer model now, but I think this one will last me a LOT longer, so I'll just keep her!

If I was buying one today, I would buy the Janome 6600.

Hands down a Bernina!

I just love my new Juki 2010!! It has what you are looking for and I got mine for $700

While you have only mentioned two features, there are so many more that may affect your choice. I don't like to overbuy, though I am cautious to not buy "just" what I need, and then a year later discover I have outgrown what I have or say, oh, I didn't know that feature existed.

Thus why I bought the MC6600 instead of the MC6500 which I was first considering. A professional seamstress I met after I purchased mine, told me it's her favourite machine ... except when she wanted a workhorse (goes through thicknesses when sewing wedding dresses) her favourite is the Janome 1600. Great machine .... but nothing more than a straight stitch, forward and back! Most of us want a little more!

Go to your local dealer(s) and try some out and start your wish list!

Ditto what she said! I've had my 6600P for 5 years & I love, love, love it! Worth every penny it cost.

Bernina 300 series.