I need a new "little" machine...Janome Gem Gold Plus?
 

My niece and nephew were visiting for most of last week, and to my surprise and delight, both kids (ages 8 & 12) were absolutely ENTRANCED with all my "sewing stuff"! I taught them both how to sew and set up a second machine so they could both sew together. I had my own little mini sweat shop! And now I have more miniature pillows and little pouches than I know what to do with! Best quote is from my niece, talking about the sound of sewing machines going: "That is the BEST sound in the whole world!" Well heck yeah, I agree!

When they had to go home (waaah!), I sent my Brother CS6000i home with them, along with a giant sack full of fabric, batting, thread, scissors, bobbins, etc. Of course I had to feed that addiction! :thumbup:

So, now I am without a little machine - I kind of need one because my "big" machine is a Janome 6600 so I have no free arm now. I don't use that a LOT but I do use it. I liked the Brother machine very well and thought about just buying another one but I'm thinking I want a small Janome this time, so it can share bobbins with the big one.

I haven't had a chance to get to the dealer yet, but I was looking on Amazon to get ideas and I found a very interesting machine: a Janome Gem Gold Plus. It has a "light serger system"....anybody use this before or have any idea how that works?

Here's the link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Janome-Portabl...sewing+machine

I wouldn't really be quilting a quilt on this machine - I'd use it for some piecing but mostly for mending, making plushies, etc. Maybe clothing construction some day, though, which is why the serger function interests me.

Anybody have this machine? Opinions? I'm headed to the dealer this weekend anyway (my 6600 auto threader mysteriously stopped working while the kids were here...just a coincidence I'm sure! LOL) but they tend to only have the bigger machines on hand so I'm doubting they'll have one of these around for me to play with. It's a tiny, tiny shop.

I have a Janome Platinum that I bought for classes...it is a regular little crackerjack...I love it.

I will be watching the responses to this thread.

My main machine is a Janome 4900 and I love it. But I hated taking it anywhere. So, last year, I bought a Janome Platinum 720 and it is a sweetheart. Lightweight, easy to transport, basic stitches and best of all, both machines use the same feet! Right now I have them both set up. One is dedicated to a top I am making, that uses the Angler and the other is used for everything else that is going on in my sewing room.

I don't have the machine you are talking about, but do have two Janome's. One has the free arm and it's the small one. A jem 760, I think. It's in it's case, so I'm not looking at it. I can exchange the feet and bobbins between it and the 6600. It's light enough to take to classes and retreats. I think that any Janome you get will do the trick. I have never heard of one that had serger system on it, but sounds good to me.

Did you read all the reviews on the machine? One describes the LSS as easy to use and way better than the usual serger attachment that used to be sold with low-end Singers (and that one, as I recall, did not cut fabric).

I bought a used janome dc2010 from a quilting friend once I started quilting a few years ago. She had loaned it to me for a quilting class and I feel in love with it. One day I would like a new machine- I'd test drive but would like to stay with janome.

No recommendations from me- just wanted to say what a great thing you did for them!

I have the Janome Gem 760 which I take to classes every week!! I love it!! A. Great little workhorse!! Would highly recommend it!! I also have the Janome Horizon 7700 which I treated myself to last year! I have that set up in my sewing den!!! I am happy working on either machine....the feet/bobbins are interchangeable.....works for me!!!

Get a Vintage Singer Featherweight and you'll never have to replace again. They take a lickin' and keep on tickin' as the Timex commercial used to say. Their stitch is the best you will ever find for piecing. They only weigh 11 lbs. The Singer 222 is a free arm version.