New member who desperately needs help!
 

Hi everyone, I'm a new member to this forum, dutch by nationality but living in Italy where quilting is not very widespread as a hobby (therapy?) and so it's very hard to come across reliable info. I am a beginner (so far I made 8 quilts, mostly handquilting them as my singer cannot deal with bulk) about to buy a new machine and I also do some garment sewing for my one year old from time to time. I was evaluating the Janome 4120 QDC and the MC 5200. Although the latter is no longer being distributed in Italy and I can't seem to find out why. They did tell me however that they could find one for me if needed. I cannot test the machines as we have exactly 1 dealer where I live, who can order me a Janome but does not have them in store :-( They did mention the Pfaff quilt expression 4.0, but again, no way to test it. Did anyone ever test these machines or own one or more of them? Any help to point me in the right direction is welcome!!

Hi, I wish I could answer your question, but I don't have any experience with either one of those machines. I used to have the Janome 9000 years ago but up graded to a Babylock. My MIL has always had a Pfaff but can't remember which one and would never use anything else. Good luck in your search. I'm sure someone on here can give you some helpful advice. Saying welcome, and waving from across the pond , in NE Ohio, USA. :)

I have a Janome 6600. I like it very much. I have a computerized Kenmore also. I'm not familar with that model, but Janome is a good machine.

Hello .... A few weeks ago I bought the Janome 6600; but I did see and sew on the Janome 4120 QDC and really liked it. The 6600 has a few more features (and so, of course, was a few more $$$$). And I really like it. However, I did struggle a bit between the two, but I know, IF I had bought the 4120, I would not be able to upgrade to the 6600 later. We are retired and my husband loves these words: *fixed income* ... lol

The 4120 is a little smaller and cuter too!!! One thing I actually liked better on the 4120 was the LCD screen, it's blue and VERY EASY to read. The 6600 has a green screen; and I just think the blue is a little easier to see.

Good luck and happy quilting :)

jody

I never sewed on either machine but just wanted to say welcome from Massachusetts. You will find all the answers here.

I have never sewn on these machines, but would like to send you a big welcome from Southern CA.

Welcome to the forum. You will find all kinds of help and information here. You can spread the passion for quilting around Europe. Is it more typical for people to do knitting where you live? I know here in America a lot of people who quilt also knit. I do, socks mostly. I love hand knitted wool socks. It would be great if you would include what country you were from in an automatic signature line. It would help give us context when we answer your questions and you wouldn't have to write it all the time. Hope you find a machine that you like.

I have the 4120 QDC and the Quilt Expression 4.0 and both have great features. The 4120 QDC is for traveling to classes, retreats, etc. and I use the Quilt Expression at home.

The 4120 is lightweight, portable, and user friendly. It sews smoothly without the machine jumping because of the speed. The thread cutter, needle up-down is nice too. The only short-fall is that the harp space is a little small compared to the Quilt Expression.

The Quilt Expression is absolutely wonderful. I just purchased mine about a month ago, and have had no problems. I got mine used, and I couldn't be happier. It was a bit of a learning curve going from a Janome MC 6300 to the Pfaff, but man are those features nice. The thread cutter, needle up-down are standard for this machine, but I especially like the automatic foot raiser for pivoting on corners and after the thread cutter is enabled. The only thing I don't like is that the guide for the 1/4 inch foot is silver, which reflects the fabric I'm sewing and makes it a little difficult to see how accurate I am in my piecing, whereas the Janome 1/4 inch foot has a black guide on the right side.

Welcome, from Texas!

When I was choosing a new sewing machine, I did a lot of searching, through Google. Look for reviews and comments, about each machine. By the time I went to the store, I knew exactly what I wanted. Fortunately, I was able to see the machine, in person, but I had already fallen in love with it! :)

could you put a little paint on guide or color it with a sharpie to make it fit your needs? coloring the guide should in no way hamper the foot from operating correctly.

Thank you Jody, that is very helpful. I initially evaluated the 6600 as well until I heard it doesn't have a free arm, which might make garment sewing for my little girl a bit tricky, or have you tried this without any problems? My husband also mentioned that it might not make sense investing a lot in a machine while I am about to start working fulltime again... I do understand your reasoning though :)

Thanks and happy quilting to you too,
Loes

Hi Cheryl,

Now that would be a wonderful idea, but then I would have to set up a fabric shop as well as most fabrics here cost around 35 dollars a metre which I think puts a lot of people off. Thank goodness there is online shopping and low delivery rates! I don't think knitting is very widespread over here, but crocheting is being practised by quite some people, especially in the south of Italy. I did some knitting as a little girl with my mum, but forgot just about everything. One day, when I have more free time on my hands or need a lot less sleep :)

Thanks for the idea on the signature, I immediately inserted one!

Thank you very much. I would like to ask you some specific questions I still have as you actually own both machines (now that would solve my dilemma, wouldn't it!!). Firstly, have you tried sewing with light weight fabrics on the machines as well? I read some reviews saying that the pfaff has a tendency to "eat" the fabric. Secondly, how do they behave on bulky seams? And last but not least, have you experienced any thread breaking on the pfaff? Thanks again and apologies for firing questions at you like that :o

That is true, but there are so many reviews out there and not being very experienced half of the time I don't even know the purpose of the features people are enthusiastically describing! Lol!

Hi, Welcome from Maryland. I am a devoted Bernina fan so I don't know much about the other machines. I have discovered that sewing garments, especially those with lightweight or sheer fabrics are harder on the machines that have the wider stitch capacity. Just yesterday I was working on some little dresses for a local charity project that required the armholes to be bound. The binding extended to make a strap that tied at the shoulder. I have a Bernina machine that also converts to an embroidery machine. The "feed dog" area is rather wide. The machine actually sucked the narrow binding I was using down into the bobbin area and chewed up the binding. While I love being able to do all kinds of decorative stitches with the machine it it is not nearly as stable when it comes to working on delicate fabrics. Many machines offer an alternate "throatplate", with just a small hole for the needle to pass through. I will have to look into getting one for my machine for when I just want to straight stitch, if they are available. My first thirty years of sewing that was the only kind of machine I had. You may love the decorative stitches for decorating garments for your child but for basic garment construction and quilt construction, the basic machine will do a good job.

I agree with mpspeedy on the trouble of having a wider stitch capacity. My Bernina is hard to use when sewing the 1/4" seams when piecing my quilt tops. Also, the fabric seems to 'skate' around when trying to sew 1/4" seams even when using the single hole needle plate and the quarter inch quilt foot. But....I love my Bernina for everything else, including quilting smaller items! But, because I wanted perfect 1/4" seams I just bought the Juki TL Q98 machine and I LOVE piecing on it. It has the knee lift just as the Bernina, but it also has a separate "RED" button next to the pressure foot that you use to cut the threads. It makes it so much easier to work quickly when piecing. And, because it's a straight stitch machine with a larger work area, I am able to sew perfect 1/4" seams without problems!

Loes ...

As for the the 6600 not having the free arm, I did give pause to that; but I have my 43 yr. old Bernina if I need a free arm ... and I do have a grand baby on the way (girl ~ due July 26th), so I'm sure I will be using the Bernina if I need that feature.

Someone mentioned sewing on *light* fabrics. Well, one of the demos I was shown on the 4120, was sewing on Kleenex (tissue), and it sewed beautifully on this tissue. I couldn't believe it. Of course, this shop only sold Janome, so they did say it was pretty much a feature, only Janome could do. True or not ... but it was impressive (and NO puckers/wrinkles either).

As I said, I probably would have bought the 4120, but the shop I got it from does not do the *trade up within a year* program; and I know, IF I wanted to upgrade, it would not set well with my husband. He thought there was nothing wrong with me sewing on a machine 43 yrs. old .... and I finally told him: *hey, it's "almost" a half century old* .... and I think he got the picture!! lol

Again, I think the 4120 is just a great sewing machine and you could not go wrong with it .... or the Janome brand.

jody

Hi and welcome to the board! You will probably find many supporters for each machine you mentioned! I have a Pfaff 3.0 and love the built in walking foot and the wide throat. Maybe reading some reviews on the internet will help. If you google "sewing machine reviews" you can see some places that are not affiliated with any brand.

Let us know what you decide on!

I have the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 and love it. The only drawback is its weight, but I have an old Elna that I take along for classes, etc.

I have the MC4800 Janome and love it.

I am a devoted Pfaff fan. I had a 1473, which I gave to a friend when I got my Pfaff 7570 with embroidery unit. I love the Pfaff's. I have an older New Home (Janome made) which I let my students learn on, and I also have a Brother CS6000i which I let my students use, and which I also use. I love the buttonholes it makes. But best of all is my Pfaff. I am sold on Pfaffs. Hope this helps

I have the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0. My only complaint is that I HAVE to hold the thread when starting to sew. I cannot just put the fabric in and start to sew. I love the extra room to the right of the needle, needle up/down, thread cutter, threader, built in walking foot, variety of stitches. I don't know about sewing on *light* material but I have the single hole needle plate and would probably use it if I did any of that type of sewing. I have the extension table and when I am going to stitch the whole quilt I either paste wax the table or put the Supreme Slider on it so there is no drag on the quilt.

I have the Janome 4120 and the 7700 -- I used to have the 6500. The 4120 is great for lighter weight fabric and has a lot of great features. The 7700 is a free arm with accufeed (which the 6600 also has-- this is a built in "walking foot"), but it is more money. I take the 4120 to quilting class and it works great, though it does struggle when a lot of seams intersect. The 7700 would probably eat fabric if I let it, but I always (on both machines) start sewing with a small (at least 1" square) scrap of fabric before I put my good fabric through the machine and I don't have a problem. The 7700 also has the single hole needle plate that is built in and slips out when you need it. It has more stitches (some really cool ones for doing little girls dresses). Here are a couple of places where you can get more Janome specific information:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Janome6500/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JanomeHorizon7700/

I don't have any of those brands,but want to welcome you to the board anyway, from Ky

I am not much help either, but do own a Janome and love it. Welcome to the board.

I know nothing about either machine but a great big welcome from the HAWKEYE state IOWA Good luck and Happy Quilting Lavada

A big welcome from Mid-Missouri USA, Sorry I can't help you with the machines.

I have the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 and love it! I have been sewing on Pfaff sewing machines for close to thirty years and there's no way you can go wrong with a Pfaff machine, especially one of that calibre. You could also go for a second hand Pfaff, just be sure that you get one with the IDT as it is really one of their best features. Can't help you out on the Janomes because I have never owned one.

Welcome from Michigan! I just have Babylocks so can't help with the decision, but I do have friends who love their Janomes.

Have a wonderful day in beautiful Milano :)

Welcome to our world of quilters, I have a Singer Quat. L500, love it for all my sewing. Good luck choicing your new machine.

Welcome from Missouri, USA. Pfaff's for sewing garments and piecing are wonderful machines. I've been using the 7550 for the last 20 years. I hear the newer Pfaff's are not as well made as the older models. If you buy a computerized machines will you be able to get service where you live? I am looking at the Juki TL2012QI to try my hand at FMQ. I don't want to ruin my Pfaff trying to do a lot of quilting on it. The Juki's have a larger harp to handle doing large quilts. But they are straight stitch only machines. The Juki's are highly recommended by some of the books I am studying on FMQ. They are mechanical all medal machines but I've not been able to see one in person yet. One dealer in Springfield, MO will be handling them but don't have any in stock right now. Personally I would consider one machine for your garment sewing and one for quilting. Also a hint passed on by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville is to use 3M repositional restickable strips to create a 1/4 in sewing guide for piecing. She says they don't leave a residue and will not harm computerized machines. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I absolutely love my Quilt Expression! I've never sewn on a Janome so can't talk about it, but the Quilt Expression is the best investment I ever made. Actually it's the second one - the second Pfaff that is. I went through a lot of cheap machines before I invested in Pfaff, and I tried most of the others before I bought the Quilt Expression. This is one place where you definitely get what you pay for. Great quality in addition to great features. I have a Brother machine which has many of the same features, but isn't anywhere near the quality of the Pfaff. I only use the Brother for quick mending jobs when the Pfaff is tied up on a project.

I would buy the Pfaff in a heartbeat. Have used them for years and they are workhorses that go over multiple seams without a pause. First company to have the built-in top feeddogs. This is a gizmo that slips into the back of most of the feet that keeps the top fabric layer feeding at the same speed as the bottom. Makes a huge difference. And best of all, you're not aware it is in place so it doesn't interfere with visibility.
SandyQuilter

I can't really help you with the machines, but a great big welcome from the North Central part of the Sunshine State!

Good luck with the machine.

Jeanette Frantz

I have owned a Janome 10000 for over 10 years, and I love it, I have never tried the 4120 QDC. Overall, I think the Janome's are quiet and have less vibration then most of the others, but I think that you need to test drive the machine you buy, and also test drive the new machine in the store where you purchase it before you bring it home.
I want to welcome you to QB, you will find that all stages of quilters are open to share their ideas, suggestions and humor. Welcome to QB.

Welcome from Wisconsin. Good luck with your quilting and have fun.

My machines are BERNINA 1630 and SINGER 301A, which I love.....so cannot advise on other sewing machines but as someone else mentioned you are really going to need the additional throat plate (one hole rather than zig-zag/embroidery slot) if you are sewing clothing for your daughter....and then there are bound to be doll clothes to sew also.....so much fun........you have a great time ahead of you, so glad you are on this quilting board...give a hug to your little girl from all of us.........she will someday soon want to sew also

Welcome! Let us know what you decide? I hope you'll stay around the board, it would be lovely hearing from you!

i bought my Pfaff Quilt Expression 4 in Germany 4 years ago. i love it. The harp ( space between needle and the body of the machine is big enough to do machine quilting on. i did a double bed size quilt on it without a lot of trouble. For me, the deciding factor was that, at that time, the Quilt 4's sold in Europe were still manufactured in Europe. i don't have problems with the quilting foot. Has plenty of nice stitches on it for decorative work on garments which is fun when doing small child clothes. button hole settings are ample and work nicely once you figure out the instructions.