Originally Posted by lab fairy

Is Janome the only brand you have considered? You might want to broaden your scope and look at others. Things I feel are a must have some people don't consider important. I'd do a lot of test driving, make a spreadsheet of features, compare things YOU think are important.

My must have list is simple: built in walking foot (all the Pfaff machines I've ever owned had them), 9 mm stitch width, needle up/down, etc. I think throat width is important as well. Get the biggest you can afford because you will find that trying to quilt something big on a small throated machine is a stinker. Probably one of my biggest must haves is dealer support i.e. Warranty service on site, new owner classes, etc. Come to think of it, I guess I'm picky about my machines.