caught up in my MQX quilting experience
 

I thoroughly enjoyed my first MQX experience... had so much fun in an all day class "FMQ from Feathers to Flames" with Leah Day and a classroom filled with enthusiastic quilters of all levels. Class participants were provided with brand new (out of the box) Janome Horizon 8900QCPs to quilt on.

OMGosh, I immediately fell in love... both with Leah and the 8900QCP. Within an hour, I sent a photo of the machine (from my Iphone) to my husband with no text or message, just a photo.... he responded kindly, "did you buy it?" I took that as a supportive response... so YES, yippee... I bought one.

Sadly, I have loved my loyal 6600p Janome for 4 years so I am having a very difficult time deciding if I want to sell or keep her. How to I justify owning two big machines?

No need to justify anything - if you will still use it (ie at classes) or to pass along to someone in the family, or as a "critical spare" when the other one is in the shop ...... Can you tell I can justify anything?
I still have my Singer 401, a Featherweight, an Elna 740 (primary machine) and I just got a Husqvarna Designer Ruby Royale for embroidery - I would gift the 401 to someone who truly wants to start into sewing, at least that's what I tell myself, but then I talk myself out of it because it's such a work horse! So good for sewing canvas etc and I've had it for 45 years, bought it used!

All this extra sewing machine stuff came in handy this past winter - my friend from out of province came to town for a quilt retreat and I "loaned" her one of my machines so she didn't have to bring hers via air.

Well... if your machine ever goes in the shop for awhile you will have a backup machine. Sometimes they don't give you very much for a trade in too. I have quite a collection of machines. Newer model Bernina 830, Bernina 200 Bernina 1630, Singer featherweights, Singer 66-1 Redeye Treadle, Singer 15-30 Treadle, Gammill Classic Plus, Babylock Evolve Serger. Life is short.

Don't get rid of it!! You need a backup machine! :D

Do you go places and sew? The 6600 is really heavy. You could consider selling that one and getting a nice light one. I have the 6600 and a smaller Janome. I think it is the perfect combo. I have a back up machine and a lightweight one to take places.

I agree with the others - you should keep them both. In my sewing room I have my Singer 15-91 which is in a cabinet, a Damascus treadle, a Viking/Husqvarna Topaz 20 (it is set up for embroidery right now on a cabinet) and my Janome 6600P which is set up in the Janome table it came with. Each machine is used for something else - and when my friend comes over to sew with me it is usually to use my embroidery machine - but it is all set up and ready to do.
(I also have a Eurpro to take traveling and 2 FW's to take for classes.)

I would keep it. When you favorite baby is in the shop getting a tune up (just like a car), you have a back up DSM.

Great way to get a new machine. What a sweet hubby you have!

And what is MQX? I feel so behind the times LoL.

I agree. What is a MQX?

MQX is Machine Quilter's Exhibition. It is a national quilt show.

No need to ever justify more than one machine.... I have a Janome 607, 4900, 7700 a brother 4000D and a Pfaff 16.0 Powerquilter, and I would buy another in a heartbeat if I thought DH wouldn't complain about the lack of space in the house!!!!

Hugs

Caroline

Yes, MQX is a large quilt exhibition... The New England show just ended today in Manchester, NH. I met quilters from all over. www.mqxshow.com

I took a few photos of AMAZING quilts on my Iphone but will have to figure out how to post them here. I spent part of the afternoon bonding with my new machine. : )

the 8900 must sew REALLY well in order for you to consider giving up your 6600. I just love mine and take it everywhere I sew. I know others think it's too heavy, and buy a smaller machine, but I just love how it sews. If I had a smaller/ different machine, I'd always wish i were home sewing on my 6600 instead of at retreat or at sew-ins. Keep the 6600. It will come in handy, or you can use it as your travel machine. (I plan to use mine for everything until I'm too weak to lift it in and out of the the tutto bag.
Congrats on the new machine.

you will kick yourself if you sell it!!!!

I love all of my machines and I plan on keeping all of them. lol

Congrats on the new machine! Neat that hubby is so tuned in and supportive~

Congratulations on your new machine. May I ask what the price was on the new one? I am borrowing a used one for right now til mine 6500 gets fixed.

When you have the new one set in free motion and are working on quilting a quilt doesn't it take a few days to get it done? I have the 6600 set up to sew. You need both.

I almost hate to admit it, but at one time I had 10 sewing machines, from my very first sewing machine to my last and everything in between. Eventually, I had to make a decision on which machine to keep and which to give away. I will add that some of the machines I had purchased at yard sales for $25, and others were given to me. I had loaned one to my sister when her machine died, and when she passed away I was going to take it back, however, my niece (her oldest daughter) asked if she could keep it for her daughter so that Kelsey could have a machine that her "MiMi" used, so I said yes, at least I knew it was going to a good home. I gave one machine in a cabinet to my DIL and eventually wound up with two machines, my Janome 4000 and a Brother (the brother I acquired at the local Incinerator where people brought things they no longer wanted but didn't want to toss out), which has come in very handy when my Janome is in for servicing. The rest of the machines found good homes.

I agree with this idea. When my 8900C goes in the shop, I'll use my FW.