bebe

1/4 inch foot and a walking foot one you can buy attachments for later if needed,

sewgray

The first thing I look for is if it makes a really nice and consistent stitch.

sewNso

i think the main consideration would be, how avidly do you quilt and what size quilts do you make? and how much money you want to spend. if you make 3 or 4 laps a yr, and a few wall hangings, you could go cheaper and smaller and even used.
if you make a queen every 2 weeks, nothing but a janome 6600 P. and especially if you quilt them yourself.

blahel

my machine has a knee lift but i have never used it.. :oops: :oops:
maybe i will now..is it really that good??

blahel

having bought a machine when first starting quilting and not really having much of an idea, I would recommend you get a machine with the biggest throat space that you can find..that would be my number one pick as it is a pain trying to quilt a quilt and fighting with the machine to get your quilt into the right position. Needle up/down is second and I use that all the time and would not be without it. I also use my threadcutter on the side and I do love that and miss it when using my other machine. I also love my walking foot even though it isnt built in and check what feet you get thrown in as my walking foot cost me $150 (aussie dollars)
As to fancy stitches I find that you can manage without, it depends on what you want to do. There are lots of other features too which everyone else has mentioned and which are good to have but you have to decide what features you need the most. i wish my machine had a warning that the bobbin thread was low...
My best advice to you is to go to different shops and try the machines out. If the shop isnt helpful then go elsewhere because if they dont help you now they never will! Buy from a dealer and take lessons if buying new to fully get the most out of your machine. Buying from a dealer and taking lessons from them as well will get you familiar with them and when your machine needs a service they will look after you. Take some fabric with you both thick and thin as some machines do not like to sew over joins and in quilting some seams are sometimes bulky. Maybe an older machine might be better too as some of them are made of metal and are real workhorses. A lot of the newer ones are so plasticky.
Also computerised machines cost more to service (something I never realised) so check that out before parting with your hard earned cash. Let us know what you decide! Above all dont rush into anything!!

missgigglewings

I know this is a dumb question..but here goes anyway:
What is a needle up/down? (I may already have it)

gaigai

Amma, I'm with you. I have a Janome 4000, the most basic computerized machine. It has needle up/down which is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!! And I can adjust the needle left or right, and that too, I think is VERY important. It has a lot of stitches, but I really only use the straight, ziz-zag and blanket stitches, and not often on the latter, although I have used the decorative stitches and alphabet on occasion.

When I got mine, my best friend and quilt teacher had a top of the line Bernina. I'm talking the multi-thousand dollar one. Well, I was a brand new quilter (and sewer) and during the course of making my grandfather's quilt, we swapped machines (we always sewed in her studio together). I wasn't that crazy about the 'nina (sorry 'nina lovers) and she decided that she thought my little basic machine sewed better than her top of the line 'nina. Sooo, now she has a 1600P.

I LOVE my old Janome 4000, and it does an awesome job. BUT, I can't wait to get the 4000 with it's built in even feed and the automatic thread cutter!!

If you are only going to be quilting, then the aforementioned functions are all you really need. The rest is bells and whistles.

Good luck with your decision. In the end, it's completely up to you, not any of us, with our bazillion different opinions.

gaigai

MGW (I adore your name, by the way), it is where you push a single button to raise or lower your needle, and make sure that when you stop sewing, the needle either goes up or stays down in the fabric. In machines without this option, when you stop sewing, the needle automatically stops in the UP position. But by stopping in the DOWN position, you can pivot your material or raise and lower the pressor foot without losing your exact sewing spot. It is, in my NTBHO absolutely essential. It is the one feature I ALWAYS use.

ceegee

Kenmore. It is made by Janome and uses all of the janome products included their supoport which I found out recently. I waited for a sale and bought my Janome computerized with about 50 some odd stitches and iio functions. Watch for a special. My Kenmore was broken in the airport and they replaced it for nothing so I gave it to my daughter It sells for 299.
Wish you luck. I alslo have a janome sitting on the floor in case I need it for any other reason, I really can/t think of one.
ceegee

Quilter7x

Picture yourself with both your hands on your fabric as you're sewing/quilting. You decide you want to move to a different area but really don't want to move either of your hands. That's where the knee lift lever is so handy.

You have to at least try it to know whether you will like it and/or get used to it. When I was looking at machines 12 years ago, that was a big feature that sold me on my MC 9000. I wish Janome would add that feature to their Jem machines.