1.) What machine you have: Janome 11000

2.) What you love about it: It does it all, embroidery, quilting, sewing and without an extra add on. Has a built-in robotic arm
3.) What you don't love about it: nothing. I've had this machine for almost 4 years and it's still my favourite of the several that I own. I've had good luck with Janome and it's always been good value for the money.
4.) How much you paid for it (I know this may be a rude question, but I just really need to know what a "good deal"is on these machines... I walk into a dealer and feel like I'm a sitting duck!!!): not a rude question, but I had a trade it, so didn't pay full price. I'm not really sure, but it is their TOL machine, so it's pricey. I paid 4300 several years ago with a good trade in.

Do consider adding Janomes to your list of possibilities if you had a good dealer near you. The dealer is almost as important as the machine in some cases. I've had no problems with my Janomes at all.

I have a Janome and also an Elna. I love them both and they both are easy to sew with and do a nice job. The Elna is much more quiet than the Janome. Those are both embroidery/regular machines. If I am doing embroidery, then I also have a Brother and a Singer set up all the time. The Singer is always set up with dark thread and the Brother with light thread. Those I piece quilts with and do emergency clothes fixes. Often times I have 3 machines going at once.

This is the machine I sew with now. The Juki has the strongest motor in the market - -it's like the Industrial sewing machines in power. I've owned just about every machine mentioned. I'm mad at vsm corp, when they put Viking, Singer, and Pfaff under the same ownership. I bought the Pfaff CV for $7,000 and never had a moments peace with it, they replaced it finally, I sold it, bought the Viking Diamond and didn't care for that one either. The motors are too darned weak on these machines. You give them something unusual to sew and you get constant motor shut down - my friends Diamond is aging her - lol. She finally bought the Juki and is a happy camper. I have the f-600 and the 98qtl - wonderful, strong, and reasonable machines. Yes, I do wish it had a low bobbin sensor, but that's small potoatoes.
Judi in Ohio










1.) What machine you have

Juki F600

2.) What you love about it

the beautiful stitch, the throat size is 9 inches, the 200+ decorative stitches, the fonts for quilt labels, the large extension table, the numerous applique stitches, the quilting stitches, the needle up/down, the knee lift, the thread cutter, and the fact that i never have a tension problem or any type of machine problem.

3.) What you don't love about it

if i designed the machine i would have made a low bobbin sensor. but aside from that its perfect.


4.) How much you paid for it

$700 - also what i like about the machine, a great bang for the buck.[/quote]

I also love my Juki, sews a very straight stitch, runs fast and has a good work area. I know it's heavier but not that bad. I just feel it's a good running machine, I have many miles on it, as I told my friend and her reply was," And most of it was over the speed limit."

I worked in a sewing machine store for a while and was told that the reason the old machines stitched so nicely was because they only had the one stitch. So I had rather have a Juki than a feather weight any day. Of course there are other machines on the market that are straight stitch as well. I guess if you're nostalgic you need a feather wieght, but if I had one, I'd still be on my Juki.

I have a Pfaff Creative 4.0. I bought it last summer for close to $4000. I had been saving for a new machine for some time.

I love this machine. I don't have the embroidery unit becuase I barely have time to quilt let alone doe the embroidery. I can add that unit later if I want.

Things I love about this machine
It is a work horse.
I love the IDT. Wouldn't sew without it.
It has the 10.5 inch throat.
Hundreds of stitches.
Fantastic FMQ. I don't need a stitch regulator.
Love Love Love the thread cutter.
When the needle is in the down posistion and you stop the presser foot comes up slightly so it is very easy to chain piece.

I haven't had this machine for a long time so there is a lot I haven't learned about it. The only thing I don't like about it is how much it weighs. It is not easy to take it to classes and such. I have been looking into a small piecing machine for that.
But other than that this machine is my dream machine.

I have a Topaz 30 which I believe replaced the Viking SE. I LOVE it for a lot of the same reasons as below. Love the fact the sensor foot lifts the foot. So convenient - don't know if I could sew without it lifting automatically. You do have the option of it not lifting.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I have a Pfaff Quilt Expressions 4.0 and love it.

Features I love: IDT, needle up/needle down, low bobbin alert, 200 plus decorative stitches, beautiful straight stitches, feed dogs drop, foot "hovers" in needle down position. Additional feet have all cost me under $30 each (have heard that some brands are much higher). I don't use the knee lift at this time as I have never tried it. I love the space for quilting.

What I don't like--mainly the service that I have locally. The dealer is sweet as can be, but not the best communicator and I'm not confident in her knowledge of the specific machines. I have heard that they can be picky about threads but I just experiment with needle types, tension and such and so far have had no problems.

I was a sitting duck and paid about $2500. I know that they have sold for about $1500 since but not sure of current price.

There are so many good options out there that it can make a shopper crazed, but sounds like you are doing your homework. At some point we all have to bite the bullet and make a decision and I think that most of us always have a little "buyers remorse" after buying. I just know what features I had to have and didn't waver on that, which were
needle up/needle down, IDT, feed dogs drop, plenty of
throat space for quilting and am happy with those features.

Good luck!

For quilting I use a Pfaff Expression 2.0. I LOVE the 9" throat, the IDT, and the smooth stitching. It also has an adjustable lock for the pressure foot down position for FMQ. I wish it had a low bobbin sensor; they did a visible drop in bobbin. Paid about $1400 on year end close out. Pfaff makes an Expression 3.0and 4.0 with more features than I have (thread cutter and knee lift) plus more stitches. I have a Pfaff 7530 that I use for every day sewing. They both sit ready to go at all times, and they get regular workouts. I always have a quilt going, and make a lot of clothes for my 2 year old grand daughter.

The only buyer's remorse I've had is that I didn't bite the bullet and get a 4.0 at the time. Prices have come down since then (2 yrs).

I agree with this, find out where the local dealer is. The Viking guy I went to stopped being where he was, I had to go maybe another half hour to a guy, who knew about the old guy I bought from.

I bought a Viking/Husqvarna 630 back in the mid 80's for $800. I suppose it could have been high for that era, but I bought it because my Singer, which I bought new in 1979, wore out. Seems I used it so much the plastic in it wore out, so I bought something that was all metal

I have always been very happy with it, it does a few fancy stitiches, but the basics it does well, and that's what I like. I like anything I do to show MY technique and talent, I just wanted a machine that wouldn't fail me on the basics

[quote=Mkotch]"Test drive" all machines available and choose the one that seems to fit your sewing style. Consider service, too, because if something goes wrong you won't want to drive miles and miles to take it in/pick it up. quote]

I agree with this, find out where the local dealer is. The Viking guy I went to stopped being where he was, I had to go maybe another half hour to a guy, who knew about the old guy I bought from.

I bought a Viking/Husqvarna 630 back in the mid 80's for $800. I suppose it could have been high for that era, but I bought it because my Singer, which I bought new in 1979, wore out. Seems I used it so much the plastic in it wore out, so I bought something that was all metal

I have always been very happy with it, it does a few fancy stitiches, but the basics it does well, and that's what I like. I like anything I do to show MY technique and talent, I just wanted a machine that wouldn't fail me on the basics