mmncsw

Thank you all!

shasta5718

I have a Jukie and have had it on a frame. It sews like a dream and I have had no issues with it. Good luck on your decision. If you liked the one you had, you can go on ebay and maybe find one just like it. Never hurts to check.

salederer

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with the post about a brother and babylock machine being renamed! I know for a fact that babylock and brother are made by the same company, but not the Juki. Now that's not to say they don't all have the same basic features. Just wanted to clarify.

Wintersewer

What is the harp size, between the needle and the post? The ad describes it as "large"....but many do and they are not. They refer to the sewing space, but measure that which is to the left of the needle....that doesn't matter as many put the machine in a table. They think we're pretty dumb!!!

Cari-in-Oly

You wouldn't believe how much overlap there is between all the major manufacturers. All of them build machines or supply parts for everyone else nowadays.

Cari

Belfrybat

The Brother 1500 and Juki 2010 both have a 9" harp. But because they are not zigzag machines, they have a small housing above the needle, so you can get much more of your quilt sandwich in there. I have a Janome 8900 and really like it. It has an 11" harp, but since the housing above the needle is so large, I find I can FMQ quilt a larger quilt more easily on the Brother. Actually the Brother does a better job of FMQing than the Janome. And at a fourth of the price.

If I were replacing machines, I'd go with the Brother 1500 or Juki 2010 and buy a cheap computerized from Walmart for decorative stitches. I have a Brother CS6000i that I really like. It's a 3/4 size machine, so is small enough to be easily portable but has enough stitches to do just about any decorative I want.

Jeanne S

I have the Juki TL2010Q and love it. Had it over 3 years and it has never skipped a stitch. The speed control is really great as is the foot control thread cutter. A real work horse.

NZquilter

Personally I second the idea of a vintage Singer or something like it. I was originally seriously thinking of buying a Brother 1500 or a Juki 2010, but realistically it is out of my price range right now. So now I've been looking for a vintage Singer for my FMQ, as the throat space is about the same and I can service it myself if needed. Those old gems of machines have proven their weight and gold by lasting so long. I have a 105 year old treadle that I'm working on restoring. It's throat space is 8.5" by 5.5", and I got it for $50...

mea12

Interesting that an earlier post said the juki same as the brother/babylock. About 15 years ago now, a dealer once told me the same thing and I left not really believing it but he is someone I trust. All of these machines, including the janome 1600p, are so similar - that price would be my guide if i were buying today. I might lean toward the 1500 for its pin-feed and because for years now I hear how wonderfully they FM. I have owned several vintage singer straight-stitchers and once sold a perfectly fine 201 so I could replace it with a 15-91. I must say, I do prefer the 15 for FM and I believe garment sewers prefer the 201 for a ss only machine for their own reasons. Now you do miss the auto thread-cutters and needle up/down and speed-control, but for a couple hundred you can get a very nice, solid machine recessed in a perfectly made all-wood cabinet that can keep up with anything we buy new today. If only the brother 1500/juki types offered just a FEW more stitches..zig-zag and blanket...and left everything else the same, it'd be wonderful. I was excited about the babylock jazz doing just that but reviews on that one have not been inspiring. I really appreciated the above post comparing the Janome 8900 to the ss models...how interesting that the housing can displace some of that extra space making it not noticeably better than the single-stitchers!

susie-susie-susie

I have a Janome 7700 QCP and I love her. She has the self threading feature that I cannot get to work. I'v taken it in 2-3 times and it works everytime. Just can't get it to work at home--I think she is playing tricks but I've gotten over it and don't even try anymore. Small price to pay and I don't even miss the feature. She is easy to thread so it's no big deal.
Sue