Onebat

Hi there
Can anyone tell me if this is the best straight stitching I can expect from a Janome MC8200 or similarly priced machine?

All my work is straight stitching and it really needs to be close to perfect. I've been testing over the last several months and thought I had nailed it with a wool batting (light and moves through easily), a huge extension table to help with smooth passage through, straight stitch plate, Acufeed foot, a microtex needle, and a very slow speed. But now I realise that it only really looked ok because my thread close to the fabric colour - when I look at a dark thread on a paler ground, which I sometimes can't avoid using, it looks awful to me.

In this example I've really allowed the dogs to pull the fabric through on their own, just a very light hand keeping the sandwich from skewing. I've used various threads - left to right, there's a pale aurifil, a green machine embroidery thread, black Gutermann sew it all and navy Madeira Aerofil on the right. The Fabric is Kaufman Essex Linen, starched and the batting is heirloom wool. Changing the presser foot pressure seems to make no difference.

What do you all think - is this the best it gets? Do any of you get a run of stitches without a crooked one every 5 or so and if so - what machine do you have?

And anyone ever used an industrial machine to straight stitch - a geared one with speed control? I'm thinking this might be my only solution - I am an artist (targeting art collectors rather than quilt collectors) and they need to be as consistent as possible to justify what I need to charge for a piece to make any kind of living!

Thanks so much to anyone who can help.