stitch678

Durability ...l purchased a Bernina 1030 in 1986, knee lift, needle up/ down with tap of foot.Started sewing draperies and openned a shop. It grew, and l hired/trained sewing staff, so bought a machine for each one. I got a used Pfaff industrial walking foot for slipcovers & cushions. It went thru everything! But most industrials are too hard on delicate fabrics. I found the Bernina 950 with industrial motor, table & lamp perfect. It combined the features of both domestic and industrial, with lots of stitch varieties. I then purchased a Janome 6500 for my latest recruit. I used it on her days off, and liked it. 9" throat, knee lift, auto threader & cutter to name a few. When l retired in 2009, l bought one just like it for myself. Meanwhile, as of last year, that old Bernina 1030 was still tacking pleats for the present owner!
Last summer, at a quilt show, l happened on a dealer selling a gently used Janome 8900 he'd taken on trade. I went to his shop following day, and bought it. Here l thought l'd never find a machine so well siuted to me as my 6500. Well! It has 11" throat, easy throat plate change/ remove, great for cleaning ease ( push button, up it pops!), knee lift, needle up/ down, many buttonholes & stitches ( l Love dec stitches!), convertable to sleeve arm, an acrylic ( large) extension table, high shank, ( ruler work bonus feature!), 9mm wide feed & feet, accufeed ( my 6500 didn't have), easy reach drop feed dog button, (does fantastic fmq!) , ability to loosen/ tighten preszure on foot,... & more goodies.l like that it's not SO computorized that it intimidates. I can still manually change tensiions ( though it has auto) ,and adjust variatikns on the many stitches. 4 varieties of buttonhole stitches,Feather & Fur! And, Zozee, it won't let me do some stitches when the single needle hole plate is in!