Originally Posted by JustAbitCrazy

I don't know what the features are for the Baby Lock Melody, but I have a Baby Lock Serenade which I love. It has dual feed dogs (upper and lower), "needle down", and a vertical bobbin just like my older beloved Pfaff machines had. It also has some features which my older Pfaff doesn't have, which I really love and use: knee lift for the presser foot, thread cutter, huge clear plastic table to fit around the machine. The mark on the throat plate for a quarter inch seam is accurate. As already advised, learn the features of both machines from the internet and read reviews on each before you go. Know exactly what features are most important to you and list them on paper, then test drive both machines. Both brands of machine are good, so I don't think you can go wrong here. The only drawback I remember to the Janome 6600 is that part of the bed doesn't pull off to sew around a narrow opening, like the cuff of a long sleeved shirt or infant's clothes (no free arm). That may or not matter to you.