Nammie to 7

I love my Bernina and wouldn't trade it for the world. If you like Janome and have a dealer near you that would be your best bet in my opinion. My dealer provides free classes for learning the features of your machine and provides a lot of good advise.

MimiBug123

I have 3 Janomes and love them! I also love my vintage Singers and my featherweights.

MadP

I love my Janome 7700 QCP.

IrishgalfromNJ

I just want to say that if you find a machine on line that you like, don't be afraid to buy it. I purchased two machines fronm allbrands.com and both have been wonderful. I purchased a Singer XL 3400 in 2002 and I have not had a bit of problem with it. Last year I purchased a Juki serger from them that I also love.

jmoore

As with many QB members, I love my Janome MC6600 and would not part with it... but I chose it over a Bernina as there was a local Janome dealer where I live in Maine where as I would have had to travel a distance if I needed service on a Bernina.

Maire

For quilting I would recommend checking out the Brother 1500-it is a straight stitch only & has a larger harp, 9 inches. Great for free motion and also piecing. I just finished free motion on a full size quilt, not a single loopie or mis stitch. The 1500 stands for 1500 stitches/minute. Very fast & strong. I've had mine almost since that model came out, over 11 yrs ago. It has needed only one small minor repair, when that happen I took it to a retired sewing machine tech who was working part time-he was so impresed with that machine. He had never seen one & had a bunch of question & called it semi industrial. And new they are about $600.
I think maybe there is another Brother with 1500 part of the name, but can't think of it, but that is a multi stitch computerized machine and not the one I have. Mine is staight stitch only.

Pixquilt

I have a 30 year old Pfaff that I'll never part with it. I then worked my way up-- buying and selling used Janome machines off the internet and garage sales. to eventually get a Janome 7700 from a dealer in the last hour of a large Quilt Show at a great price. Love it! The large harp, accufeed feet, and lighting are wonderful for quilting! I also have a upgraded Brother CS6000I, purchased at Costco, that lives in my car and travels back and forth to classes with me.

MOLLYDOOKER2

Whatever u get make sure it has needle down. I bought a machine without that feature and am not thrilled with it. When quilting i miss that feature and would make sure my next machine has that and probably automatic thread cuttin as well as the larger throat for bigger quilts. Those would be my "have to have" features on my next machine.

judi wess

Yes, a dealer close by is a good thing. One of the features on my 11year old Pfaff QE has that has proven a must is the needle down feature. I wasn't looking for that feature when I bought it but can't imagine doing without it now. Janome seems to be a good reliable brand, hope you love your new machine as much as I love my 11 year old one.

vschieve

I have two Pfaff mechanical machines, a 262 and 130 that have 8" harps. I love them for FMQ on smaller projects. I have a Pfaff 2170 with IDT, which is sooooo convenient to just pull that little lever down instead of switching out to a walking foot if doing SID. But the throat or harp is too small also for large projects and would love to have a Pfaff Quilt Expressions 4.0. I also have a Viking Diamond Deluxe which has a 10" throat and I did SID and FMQ a queen size quilt. However, with a touch screen in area to your right the bulk of the big quilt, if you aren't careful, will push onto the touch screen and change your settings and you may not know it. Otherwise, the FMQ on this machine is fabulous. I still would like to have a Pfaff QE 4.0 where the settings are up above and out of reach of the quilt bulk. I also would consider the Viking Sapphire 875 because even though the settings are in same area as the Viking Diamond Deluxe they are not touch screen, but then the Viking does not have the convenient IDT which is a Pfaff trademark and quilters love. For SID on the Viking I do have the Walking Foot with the three interchangeable feet to attach to it which works great.

So I say, test drive, go home and think, test drive test drive test drive.