ILoveToQuilt - that area on your machine is called the harp area. My Janome 6600 has a harp area that is 9" and makes it so much easier to do my own machine quilting. There are machines that have larger yet harp areas. Good luck in your search for a new machine.

I have the Brother 1500 and love it. Straight stitch only. Use if for piecing and quilting. Work horse.

I've been exploring machines online and found that the JukiTL2000q is the top rated machine for quilting. I have a Viking Sapphire which frustrates me so I have been researching other machines. My question is : does anyone know what the difference is between the 2000q & the 2010Q? Since the 2000q is top rated that is what I'm probably going to buy but I'm curious about the difference.

There are improvements from the TL-2000 to the TL-2010.. the 2010 has speed control, a sub-tension and I believe it comes with both a 1/4" and 1/5" quilting foot. Both machines get wonderful reviews.. Then there's the new and improved TL-2200qvp mini that comes with several add'l feet including a walking foot..

Can't go wrong with any of them!

Going out tomorrow to test drive the Brother PQ1500SL and a Baby Lock Jazz. The Jazz is on sale for $700 and has a larger harp (12") and has 28 stitches as opposed to just the straight stitch on the Brother and Juki. Since the Jazz is now in the price range, I will definitely consider it. Both of these are available locally (tax free!) but the Juki dealer is a bit of a drive and would add 6.25% tax (an extra 40.63) bringing the Juki price up to $700 as well. I have seen the Brother as low as $599 on Amazon and up to $700 at JAF. Don't know what the dealer will charge as yet.

Thanks everyone for your input! A new machine might be coming home with me sooner, rather than later! Yay!

Be sure to let us know when/what you get. How exciting!!! :)

please read reviews on the Jazz. It doesn't have needle up and some quilters have other issues with it. The baby lock Jane is the sister machine to the brother. I have the Brother 1500 and love it. I have never missed the speed control.

Test drove the Jazz and I like it. Neither the Brother nor Juki are available in my area. One dealer was nasty when I asked it they could order one...not unless I buy it sight unseen. Huh? At another dealer I was told that the Juki was discontinued and replaced with a higher priced machine (the 2010). One Brother dealer was pushing me to order the Jane at $500 more than the "equivalent" Brother. I will be looking at the reviews of the Jazz. I think that I will probably be going with that machine. It seems to have everything I am looking for and the dealer is local, offers free instruction classes (as many as I need), increases the free service warranty to 2 years and has been in business for many, many years. I spent almost 3 hours "playing" on the Jazz and will take DH to see it this weekend.

Thanks again for all your help!

Please be sure you don't want needle up/down which the Jazz doesn't have. You can order a new Brother 1500 or Juki on Amazon. They really don't need classes to operate.

Hello, I just got the Juki TL 2010Q a few weeks ago from Overstock and used a coupon and store credit for writing some reviews, so my total price came to just under $805.00, for a machine I've not been able to find at that price ever. I had been doing my piecing with a Brother Limited Edition Project Runway and having issues with sewing over several layers in the seams. The Juki plows through those seams like butter! I have yet to try fmq, but I'm sure it will go better than my few (feeble) attempts on the Brother. Good luck on your journey!