Originally Posted by
terriamn
My sister is thinking about buying the Janome Skylark S9 and asked my opinion. One of my machines is a Janome that I love but have never heard of the skylark series.
It's the Skyline series, not Skylark
The S9 looks like a revamp of the Janome 9900 - very similar specs, but Acufeed on the S9. I am seeing the 9900 on clearance for about $2K around here.
I have the Elna twin (Expressive 860) to the 9900. It sews beautifully, but I would not want to quilt larger quilts on it. Piece, yes - love it for that, but the throat isn't large enough for a bed-size quilt.
I only have the machine because I got a "smokin'" deal on it ($1400 - literally "smokin'" - I bought it at Marden's in Maine when they picked up all of Pocono Sew and Vac's inventory after the fire a few years back) and use it as my travel machine (I currently have a 7700 as my home machine)
The only issue I've had with mine was bobbin tension, but that's to be expected since it was never dealer-tested before I bought it. I adjusted the bobbin case myself. It does stitch beautifully - better than my 7700 and the piecing foot and stitch are perfect right out of the gate for a scant 1/4" seam.
Michelle