Sweeterthanwine

I just bought a "mini" Janome sew mini sewing machine to use in the motorhome when we travel. Has anyone else had any experience with this machine? It had good ratings on Amazon thats why I chose it over the others listed. Any thoughts?

debbie52000

This sounds interesting. Did you buy from a dealer or online? I'm thinking it could replace the Singer featherwieght?

Sweeterthanwine

I bought it online thru Amazon

BellaBoo

I bought the 3/4 size Janome for my granddaughter. It sews fine. The 1/2 size was more like a toy machine, very clackaty sounding and slow. I had room for a portable machine in every camper or RV I've been in. Even the pop up one I was stuck in for a week on a kids camping trip. If DH had room for a tackle box (and he found room), I had room for my machine.

Prism99

Is this the one, for $59?
http://www.amazon.com/Janome-Sew-Min...dp/B005TL10AY/

This is the one that a lot of quilters get for a child, or for taking to classes:
http://www.amazon.com/Janome-11706-H...dp/B0012PTMAG/
It's available in plain white too, but I'm not sure of the model.

The Janome Jem is another one quilters often get for taking to classes. The Jem comes in different models (gold, platinum, etc.) with the most basic being the gold, I think. Other models are the same size but offer more stitches, etc. The Janome Jem has an excellent reputation among quilters. Here is a link to the Janome Jem Gold on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Janome-Jem-Gol...dp/B000FLH2VE/

Sweeterthanwine

Prism99 - yes the one for $59.00 from Amazon is the one I ordered. Hope I didn't make a mistake. Maybe when I get it if I don't like it I can return it. Amazon is good about returns.

Prism99

I've always seen positive posts about the Janome Jem (all versions). If you're not satisfied with the mini, I would definitely return it and get one of the Jems instead.

The "Hello Kitty" is good too if you want a really simple machine and don't mind the color. (Someone said they will eventually be collectible, but I don't really know about that......)

If you do a search on Amazon for Janome Jem, you will see some of the different versions of it. I would think for piecing the Gold would be more than enough.

rjwilder

I have that same machine and I love it. Works great, wouldn't want to sew on it all the time, I like all my bells and whistles on my QC1000. For sewing strips, squares, etc., it's perfect. It is light weight, travels well in the RV and not noisy. I can sew at the dining table while hubby watches TV and he can still hear it.

Bicycle Hobo

I only buy simple mechanical sewing machines for many years. Most of the time (with some very rare exceptions like buttonhole making), I sew only straight stitches. Sometimes I have use for a zig zag stitch for about 5% of the time. With Sears no longer offering their Kenmore line of sewing machines, I have been buying sewing machines like the Janome Hello Kitty 11706 and one of the last Kenmore made mechanical sewing machines in 2010. Both of them are very light weight at about 12 pounds (the Janome 3/4 in size) and 15 pounds (the Kenmore regular sized) respectively. The one I am looking at next when it becomes available at my local Ikea is the SY Sewing Machine. It appears to have much more important features that the Janome Mini does not offer-like a built-in light, more stitches even decorating ones, actually 3/4 size vs. just 1/2 size, and various exchangeable feet like zipper foot, buttonhole foot, cleaning brush, etc. The advertised retail price is competitive to the Janome Mini at 59 dollars. If it is similarly constructed in a durable fashion (and I believe it is with a aluminum frame), and is able to sew over several layers of fabric like my other sewing machines, I will buy the SY too.

Sy Sewing Machine:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60208974/

sewbeadit

Sounds like a good idea.