Originally Posted by
annesthreads
I've decided that I have to give up on my lemon of a machine and invest in a new one. I have a Featherweight and a 201 which will take care of piecing, so the focus is on FMQ, as this is where my current machine has failed most dismally. I'm considering a Janome 6600 or 7700 (the latter is the absolute top of my budget) and have had plenty of feedback on those. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has another currently available machine that has proved to be good for FMQ. A couple more pieces of info - Bernina is out of my price range, and I don't come across very many second hand machines, though I do look.
I have a Brother Nouvelle 1500s which is also marketed as PQ 1500 and I've seen the same machine as a Baby Lock and a Juki. Juki made them for the other companies, I think. It is the best machine I have for quilting. It is a straight stitcher only, has a 9" throat and a wide, flat bed with an extra extension table and the pressure on the foot is adjustable. You can also buy an embellishing attachment to fit the machine. The stitch is very nice. I suggest you have a look at it.