Snooze2978

Back in 2007 I put my house up on the market so packed up my sewing room. Didn't realize the housing market would drop suddenly so it took 3 yrs. I got bored so went out to pick up a seeminly less expensive machine to sew with until the house sold. I got a Janome Runway machine which really wasn't all that cheap but it sewed terribly. Once I moved I tried to give it to my mother but she didn't want to have to learn how to use it so I gave it to another family who later gave it to yet another family. Have no idea where it is now but I know I'll never buy another Janome again. My quilting neighbor loves Janome machines so I may have just picked up a lemon. We each have our favorites and I've had a Babylock and Viking machines. Got rid of the Babylock a couple years ago when I decided to downsize. Then after 16 years I upgraded my Viking D1 to an Epic. Doubt I'll ever upgrade again as I'm quite happy with my machine. Luckily most all my machine feet works on the Epic and only a couple hoops didn't work.

sash

I have 4 Janome machines and love all of them. Gave my 350e to my daughter when I got the 15000 and never ever have regretted it. I bought that machine with some of my retirement money. Kept my 6600 though because I love that machine too and take my 3150dc to classes.

Onebyone

I didn't know Janome made the Runway machines. I have only seen them made by Brother. The high end Runway machines are very nice for the price.

juliasb

I can say yes to this. I bought a small Brothers Embroidery machine. I had drop in thread cartridges. The failure was almost immediate. If the cartridges were not seated just right it was impossible for the machine to work. You needed the cartridges for straight sewing too. After only a short time the cartridges were not available an the machine was a loss. It looked like it was a fun model but turned out to be not so good. I love brothers machines so I did by another upgraded model for the limited amount of embroidery work that I do. I gave the machine away years ago.

ckcowl

I have twice over the years. The first one was a serger someone convinced me I really needed. I bought one, watched the video it came with, threaded it, sewed about 4”, a thread broke. I put it in its case and it sat in the bottom of a closet for the next 5 years until I decided to get rid of it. Sold it for about 1/3 what I pair for it

the second one was a machine I purchased when someone who worked on my Viking told me it was not fixable. I was ( crushed) but needed a machine. Purchased a machine our LQS sold. Absolutely hated it. After dealing with it for a few weeks I pulled my Viking back out wondering just what was wrong- was it truly not working? I had taken it to someone who was recommended for a cleaning. Set it up- it worked fine. YEA! I didn’t have to spend that $800 on the new machine at all...I kept it thinking it would be a good travel / backup machine.
I started teaching some ladies at work to sew and took it there to use during breaks and down time we were making aprons and gifts for residents. One of my coworkers fell in love with that machine- thought it was the greatest machine ever. I sold it to her.

Iceblossom

We all have things we like and don't like and the perfect machine for one person might be perfectly awful for someone else.

My new-to-me modern Bernina 820 was an immediate regret of the first purchaser. She just hated it and by the time she decided she just couldn't adapt she could only get regular turn-in value, which was less than half price. She wasn't the only one, Bernina quickly discontinued the model and let's just hope they don't keep re-using old model numbers. Some of the machines seemed to have mechanical issues that were immediate and never fixed to the satisfaction of their owners. My model does not seem to be one of the lemons.

My friend who loves Berninas said she would buy it for half price and her friend agreed. My friend sewed with it for about 5 years and never clicked with it. She feels it is fussy with threads and replaced it with a 770 that she is very happy with. Last time I visited her we packed up the 820 and mailed it to me. I used it pretty hard for a year and overall I'm quite pleased with it. Then I had one of those "everything was working fine the day before" mornings a couple of months ago and I've tried cleaning and all the standard stuff and it needs to go to the shop. I like it well enough to spend as much for a servicing as I would to go buy a brand new or reconditioned vintage machine.

I'm accustomed to doing my own maintenance on my vintage machines but my vision is getting iffy for that... still, I find it hard to accept the idea of machines that need regular tune ups. But hey, they cost more than some of my cars so why not? This time anyway. Next time I can't fix it myself I'll probably go back to a machine that's more basic. I've got to say though, I love the knee bar for foot up, and the foot control has needle down that I like a lot. I've grown to depend on the bobbin sensor (but I'm unhappy that it is not a standard bobbin size). One of the biggest changes that I didn't expect is with the thread cutter I am much less covered with threads, and now that I'm using my portable cheap Brother, I'm using up a lot more thread.

And then with my vision issues, the fully automated threading of the Bernina is wonderful. But even my cheapo Brother has a threading assist. As is the lighting and the huge workspace makes it possible for me to machine quilt. I know some of you can do wonderful things just using a 221 or whatever, and I can stick my quilts together with my small throat vintage machines, but that 12" throat is just a wonder. So maybe I will keep on paying for tune-ups.

ruby2shoes

LOL, I bought a Janome 8900...hated it.....sold it after 3 months and replaced it with a Juki DX7 (the Australian version of the F models I think)! Love my Jukis and will never buy another brand...I'm sold for life...(I have a TL2010Q too)
I also had a Bernina 710 several years ago...big, and shiny with all the bells and whistles but boy that thing was so temperamental I sold it after a couple of years. Drove me nuts.

cathylynn

No. I've been happy with every Brother machine I've purchased - each an upgrade on the previous as my budget allowed.

aashley333

I love my Bernina 830. I purchased it almost 40 years ago, and it's still great. Metal gears, not plastic. I just use the straight stitch, zigzag, and the 20 automated stitches. I have several foot attachments that I don't know their purpose. Self-taught; never took a class other than Junior High homemaking.

P. S. I just discovered what the foot with a circle end is for (free motion quilting)! It's like having a new machine!

QuiltnNan

Congrats on your discovery