I have a new Bernina quilt frame (a nice metal frame made by grace) I am in LOVE and my quilt assembling is going so well! :D

The only issue is my sewing machine (Viking sapphire) is not compatible with the Grace speed control. (or the Grace stitch regulator) .... so i need a new machine. Also, I would like to avoid switching the machine on and off the frame if i have a choice.

I test drove the Janome 1600p at Quilt Odyssey. Sturdy metal construction, 1600 stitches per minute. I love it and it is available locally for $1000. (web price is $800) The Brother is also available locally, but special order so there is no test drive. Juki is available web only, AFAIK.

My needs: fast, large throat, sturdy & reliable. I believe these are all 9" throat machines, my Viking is a 10"-er.

Any opinions?Happy users?

I have a Brother 1500, love it. Have upgraded but still use the Brother for attaching bindings and using the walking foot. Mine must be about 10 years old now, still love it:)

I just got a Brother PQ1500s, love it!

I have the Juki... and it does just fine on my frame. I have the pinnacle from Grace Co with the Juki machine. Love the regulator. that is why I purchase the set up because it had a regulator.

I beleive the PQ1500 does not have an auto thread cutter?

How ironic..... I am debating between the same 3 machines! I will definitely be watching this thread. I have not test drove any of the machines.


From the specs that I have read ---
---- The Juki throat is 8.5 inches. I believe the other 2 have 9 inch throats.

---- Brother does have a thread cutter.<response to 1000projects post)

You press a button to have it cut the thread, I don't have mine on a frame, I use a drop in table.

Here is a pic of my Brother PQ1500s
The two buttons located under thread length dial are
Left - thread cutter, right - needle up and down.

bluegrass gurl ... do you have a frame? let me know what you get. :-)

Ok, that makes 3of us wandering the same thing. I also have a grace frame that I use with my brother 1250d embroidery machine. I am stuck on brother machines, absolutely LOVE them, and can get one locally here for about 800. bUT was wandering is that extra inch and a half really worth 800 dollars?

I don't have a frame.... yet. Shopping for that too.

Have you looked online to see if you can get a better price? I got mine online for $599 free shipping, no tax.

Bluegrass Gurl ... you can probably get a frame used. they take up a huge amount of room, so when someone is done with it, they area really DONE with it. I got mine on craigslist :-) it had been listed for more than 6 months, I believe, with a reducing price.

My Brother has a thread cutter. Just not one in the foot pedal. I know a few people that have the Juki with the thread cutter in foot pedal and they all have disconnected it as they were accidently cutting thread when they didnt mean to!

To me being retired, and on a budget, that still seems like a lot of money for 1 1/2 inches.....do YOU think it would be worth it? I've thought not having to move my machine back and forth would be nice, but........
Then I think if I ever dropped it trying to get it on the tray, I would loath myself for not getting one...

Oh, I have the Janome 1600p and I absolutely love it. One thing about Janomes...they are quiet. You get going at 1600 spm and you need a quiet machine. It has a thread cutter which is a plus for quilting. I have mine on a Pinnacle quilting frame and use a Stitch Regulator with it. I also have the Janome 10000 since 2003 and that thing just keeps humming along.
They must be a best kept secret because I had never even heard of a Janome before I went in to buy a new machine and one test drive had me hooked. If you test drove it and loved it...get it...you won't regret it at all! Not only that, you will have a shop you can take it to if you do have problems or want it cleaned and they will also show you how to use it. Great warranty on them too.
I have two friends that also bought Janomes after using mine.
Good Luck!

I found that the machine is well worth the money I spent. It has what I need compared to the other ones I looked at.

I have the Brother PQ1500S machine and it works great. It has the thread cutter. I have it set up on my HQ2 frame with the Grace stitch regulator and a laser. The set up is perfect for me right now. I bought it on ebay for $700, free shipping.

Yes, it is a lot of money for 1.5"! With a frame, it might be worth it.

One consideration for frame users - the janome has the cut button closer to the front - easier to use on the frame.

Can anyone post some pics of their quilting done with these machines? I would really REALLY like to see some...

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-123773-1.htm

This isn't fancy frame quilting, but it does show that you can do a jumbo queen on a Brother 1500S even if you are a beginner. The space is really wonderful.

I know Riversong has the 1500S also. She does beautiful things.

I wanted the Brother but the shop showed me the Baby Lock Jane and said it was the same machine.
I bought it with the Imperial table.
It is in layaway now but I am surprized by how many straight stitch machines are out there that I did not know about.
I also got a stitch regulator. They are not on sale and run $499.

Could anyone who has these machines answer a question for me? (I haven't been able to figure this out by poking around online...) Does either the Janome, the Juki or the Brother have a "Start/Stop" button on the machine?

I've "trained" myself to free-motion quilt using the Start/Stop button because I can't seem to get the hands/feet moving harmoniously together. I'm starting to wonder about buying one of these workhorse machines but that's a criteria I need to check into.

I have both the Brother and the Janome. The two machines are very, very similar.

Brother - no variable speed control except for what the foot pedal provides. Has needle up/down, automatic thread cutter, a needle threader.

Janome - variable speed control button, needle up/down. Doesn't have automatic thread cutter or needle threader. This particular model takes round needles. (Janome 1600P DB)

My Brother is my "daily driver" and the Janome is on the frame.

Just bumping this to see if anyone can answer my question about the Start/Stop button. Thanks!

The janome i test drove did have a thread cutter. 2 different models are available?

If you need a manual speed control (start/stop) there is a $50 attachment available from the grace company... This plugs in instead of the foot pedal.

Where did you find the Brother on sale. What is that square hoop.Does it help with FMQ.

The square purple thing is a tool to help you move the quilt as you are quilting. I can't remember the name of it....someone else here will, though. Sharon Schamber also sells one called the Quilt Halo that does the same thing. It kind of "sticks" to the fabric so you don't have to struggle to keep hold of the quilt.

There is no start/stop button on the Brother1500S.

Have you looked online to see if you can get a better price? I got mine online for $599 free shipping, no tax.[/quote]

Could you tell me where you bought the Brother for only $599. I just priced it here in B.C. for $1699.99. Hey it's under $1700.00.

Hi, I just ordered the brother, also, and got it for 599.00 no tax, free ship. It is due in tomorrow, and I can't wait!! If anyone wants to know where I got it, let me know, I am new here, but think I can figure out how to pm...also, the place I ordered from is an authorized brother retailer, I really like that, too...

Mine came from Texas, Sew Vac Direct, the gypsy hoop is something I got from Quilt in a Day, helps hold the fabric when you are doing free motion quilting.

The BabyLock Jane and the Brother PQ1500s are the same machine. It's like getting a store brand instead of the name brand price wise.

Brother PQ1500s does NOT have a start/stop button.

Could you tell me where you bought the Brother for only $599. I just priced it here in B.C. for $1699.99. Hey it's under $1700.00.[/quote]

Online - I googled BrotherPQ1500s and started looking at prices that the sites had. Sew Vac direct is where I got mine.

Retail for the Brother PQ1500s is between $1199 from what I have seen.

Can we put where we bought something on here? I just bought the brother, 599.00, no tax, no ship, but not sure I can list the on-line store...

I looked again at rules, think its ok to post where I ordered my machine. Its from Allbrands, and they also say they are Brother authorized dealer...hope this helps...

mine cutters by the push of a button, = auto cutter to me

The Brother has an automatic thread cutter, the Janome does not.

I picked up both my machines second-hand from private parties. I paid $400 for my Janome. My DH bought the Brother with a New Joy frame for $400. The Brother looked like it had hardly been touched - not a scratch on it, no lint inside it anywhere.

You might consider checking with your local guild and quilt shops, you might find someone who wants to sell their machine.