Hi all,

This is my first time on this board. I have question. I have been quilting for many years. Well, I say I piece because I send out my quilts to be quilted. I have been looking for a machine so I can do echoing stitches and stitch in the ditch myself rather than paying someone to do it. I have a 25 year old Viking that is working great, but it is really difficult to get the quilts on and off.

So, I have been looking at the Juki TL 98 and found a new one in box for $749.00. But also was thinking about the Brother 1500.

Has anyone used these machines? Do you recommend them? Is $749.00 a good price (from what I see on the net, they run about $899.00). Is it worth spending the money on a new machine for an extra 2 inch area?

Or does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks ever so for the help.

i have just gone through that same thought process, and decided on the Janome 1600P-DBX, which has the same throat size as the Juki, but I chose the Janome because there was only two Juki shops in all of MN and the closest to me was 1 hr away!

I think that if you have the budget for it, to get a new machine that is built for the quilting. I have a small Kenmore that i use for piecing and it has some decorative stitches, but it just was not made for the quilting so I got tired of fighting with the quilts and purchased them a new machine!

Good luck - and what i have seen with my research, that is a good price! I'm sure you know this, but there are two juki 98s - one is the 98Q and the other is the 98QE - there is about a $100 difference between the two machines...

Hi Steph,

Thanks for answering my question. I was afraid I wouldn't hear from anyone.

Yes, I know the difference between the E and the Q. I will pay more for the luxury of having my threads cut and needle tHreaded, to me it is worth the extra couple of bucks.


Tell me, if you could have found a dealer closer for the Juki, would you have bought that rather than the Janome?

Thanks
Anna

Hi Anna,

That is a great question! I liked the idea of the juki since they are an industrial sewing machine company and I knew their machines would be great - but janome is such a solid machine and has such a great reputation for home sewing...I probably still would hve gone with the Janome because of how long they have been making home machines vs. Juki and the reputation they have for building great machines. I have sewn on a Janome and it is smooth, smooth smooth...! I also spent more for the top 1600P instead of skimping...I figured for the $$, I would get the best I could since I know I will have this machine for a really long time :D

Good luck - keep us posted!

STeph

Hi Anna, I have the Juki TL98Q and I love it! I paid about $900 for mine so it sounds like you would be getting a great deal. Are you sure it's new and not factory serviced? The Juki is actually considered a mid-arm machine because the throat space is only 9 inches. I can't afford to spend $3,000-4,000 on a longarm system right now, so I went for the Juki and a HandiQuilter2 frame. I am in quilting heaven with my setup.

Hi, I wish I were in your shoes! I took a machine quilting class and one of the students had a machine with a stitch regulator. Everyone was envious. The teacher said that was a real plus in machine quilting. So, if you can get that in whatever you choose, it would be good.

judee

Hi Cissy

Thanks for the pics! Can you explain the handi quilter to me? Is it the frame or just the handles or both? I see that the Juki fits it so I don't have to ask that. Is the HQII easy to use? Does it just do straight lines or can you make other designs?

I just ordered my Juki and I am nervous. I have never spent that much money on myself, rather, on a hobbie. But my hubby said after 14 quilts it will have paid for it's self by not paying someone else to do it for me.

Thanks for the pics...
And the advice...
I would love to have a long arm but the price is way outta my budget...
this set up looks doable..
Thanks again
K

Hummm, I will have to check to see if the Juki TL98Q comes with a stitch regulator. What do they do?

Hi again Anna. The HandiQuilter2 is the frame that you load the quilt onto. It sits on your table top and you put your own machine on the carriage. Here is the link: https://www.handiquilter.com//index.php?a=VP&id=124

The HandiHandles are made by someone else. They have a speed control but not a stitch regulator. In other words, you can adjust the speed of your sewing machine but not the length of your stitches. Here is the link for the HandiHandles: http://www.handihandles.com/

I'm not sure if there is a stitch regulator for the Juki. But I find that I don't need one. I just adjust my movement to the speed of the machine.

As far as quilting designs go, I have done lots of different designs with just free motion. I don't follow a set pattern or use a pantograph. I mostly do an all over design like stippling or loops and hearts, stars, etc. If you can doodle on paper you can doodle with your machine. :D

If you have any more questions, just let me know.

~Cissy