The Sewing Place

Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?

BrendaP

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2018, 21:10:05 PM »
If you ae going to test drive any machine it's a good idea to take your own bits of fabric - what they are likely to have for you to try sewing is something like craft weight cotton (P&Q fabric) which is about as good natured as fabric gets.

The leg from an old pair of jeans would do just fine to see how it copes going over doubled fell seams (3 + 3 layers of denim) but also take something quite flimsy to try it in the other extreme.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

StitchinTime

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2018, 21:12:58 PM »
@Lulu The British Sewing Centre is ringing alarm bells with me. The address (Delta Court) is the same as was used by Cooper Sewing Machines which featured on Rogue Traders and/or Watchdog.

arrow

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2018, 23:35:40 PM »
For test stitching I would bring a densely woven cotton duck or heavier canvas. Regular denim jeans isn't difficult to stitch through at all, the challenge is where pices with flat felled seams come together, and the lay up on legs where you have then folded twice (three layers of flat felled seams add up to quite a bump). Corduroy is a fabric some machines struggle with. One popular janome model haluted in a fabric with a fusable inner lining, something that in theory isn't very hard to stitch through. It all depens on what you will end up working with. Some machine are totally incapable with top stitch thread regardless of needle size, others adjust very easily for various thread weights. This is one of the reasons my cast iron 201 is still my favorite machine.

Lizzy777

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #18 on: April 06, 2018, 05:55:52 AM »
@Lulu The British Sewing Centre is ringing alarm bells with me. The address (Delta Court) is the same as was used by Cooper Sewing Machines which featured on Rogue Traders and/or Watchdog.

I think you are right StitchinTime, it rang bells with me too last night. I was going to post about it this morning.
The company trading as 'The British Sewing Centre' is shown as FLC Distributors Ltd (this is the Company name shown under the terms and conditions on the British Swing Centre site). And if you look on Companies House one of the directors is a gentleman called Jay Cooper and further information shows that FLC Distributors Ltd  'used to be known as 'Coopers Sewing Machines Ltd.

https://www.britishsewingcentre.co.uk/pages/terms-and-conditions

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00975232






StitchinTime

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2018, 08:31:36 AM »
@Lizzy777 Thanks for confirming my suspicions about the British Sewing Centre - Jay Cooper has indeed had his 15 minutes of fame on the TV with regards to his previous company.

@Lulu When testing the machines for heavy weight material, make sure the needle is changed to a 90 or 100 or jeans needle as this will give a much better indication of how the machine can cope than trying it with a standard 80 needle.

Lulu

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #20 on: April 06, 2018, 23:26:47 PM »
 @Bogwoppit  Thanks Lisa, you know I think I'll just be doing the odd bit of denim as well.. although I do have a real penchant for denim dungarees on my little boy..maybe a pair for each new size he moves into?  0_0 They are something which consistently we find his legs are too long for from the high street.

@BrendaP
I didn't see your message before we left yesterday, so we haven't trialled a flimsy fabric, but we did bring along with us an old pair of jeans..

I indicated the crossover seam at the bottom of the leg (is that what you call a double felled seam?), but the sales assistant said that no domestic machine would be able to cope with that..? She mentioned a technique she used to finish off those areas, but as the word was not familiar, it has completely gone out of my head.
I presume some kind of hand stitching with a denim needle?

@arrow The assistant did fold the denim over several times to try it, I know she managed to get through at least 3 layers with both of the machines she was talking about. The M50 did not sound as healthy going through as the DKS30, even though one of the selling points of the M range is meant to be their extra power. I hadn't caught your message either before going, so I've not tried the densely woven material.

@StitchinTime  You know, she did use the standard needle with the denim...was this part of some ploy then to get me to buy a more expensive machine..?

@StitchinTime  @Lizzy777
By the way, you are eagle-eyed angels for picking up on my comment about the British Sewing Centre..we just looked at the Trust Pilot rating and thought they looked good. We'll steer well clear of them then!

Lucky I did resist impulse buying..I decided that I'd prefer to get the machine locally if possible. Too much of the high street disappearing, and it is so much easier to go in and see someone in the event you have issues.

The machine the lady thought most suited my needs was the DKS30, which is very similar in features to the 601 - but more heavy and powerful (& £80ish more expensive). The M50 is the same price (on offer), but has a bunch of extra feet and twenty more stitches, including some pretty embroidery style ones.

I couldn't make my mind up between the two as I wanted the embroidery stitches, but had heard the M50 struggle over several layers of denim. The DKS also had the handy thread cutter button.

So I decided overnight, and this is where you will all really groan..to spend even more and just get the DKS100 (next model up), as this would be the best of both worlds..and anyway, we can pay it off bit by bit on the credit card right?  :D

So I contacted our local shop for a deal and they have agreed to throw in the quilting kit for free if we buy that one. And the plan is to pick it up tomorrow.

Just going to duck and hide somewhere now.. while everyone sensible shakes their heads disapprovingly, lol xx
 

arrow

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #21 on: April 07, 2018, 00:18:10 AM »
She tested three layers of denim? It's nothing much at all, any machine should do it. A flat felled seam is four layers and you have it three fold in a few seam bumps. Most good machines can handle the bumps with a bit of tweaking and hand maneuvering. I'm comparing everything to an old Singer 99 and a 201 which might be a bit unfear, but still, these are basic domestic models. My old vintage zigzaggers manage well too. There's plenty of capable new models, they are more pricey though. I'm sure most on this forum have machines that does these jobs with out too much struggle. Perhaps I'm stressing this a bit too much, but it's impossible when what you think of as basic stitching feels like it's too much for the machine and you haven't even reached the seam bump. I want to sew colothes and my machine has to handle coat weight wool, tweed, denim and cotton duck. I sew odd things like plastic, edging leather pieces for bike seats, and card board, some times. I long as it fits under the presser foot I almost expect it to work. I'm so used to the old straight stitchers by now I'm keeping them. I can easily get expensive to push a more delicate machine with plastic gears and weaker parts through the same. Generally it's much lighter work for my 201.
« Last Edit: April 09, 2018, 22:38:30 PM by arrow »

Bogwoppit

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #22 on: April 07, 2018, 08:29:57 AM »
@Lulu  a thread cutter is the one thing I'd love on my machine. Hope you enjoy it!

@arrow that's why I'm keeping my eye out for an old singer - tough work and a decent straight stitch plate and foot. Can't justify the space but if a bargain pops up locally I'll be there.
Lurking in Lancashire, improving my sewing when life gives me time.

BrendaP

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #23 on: April 07, 2018, 09:18:01 AM »
@Bogwoppit 

I indicated the crossover seam at the bottom of the leg (is that what you call a double felled seam?), but the sales assistant said that no domestic machine would be able to cope with that..? She mentioned a technique she used to finish off those areas, but as the word was not familiar, it has completely gone out of my head.
I presume some kind of hand stitching with a denim needle?



My vintage 201s (top end domestics in their day) will sew through 12 layers of denim.

A felled seam is the type that you often get down the sides of jeans with two rows of stitching.  If you happen to be sewing jeans you would need to be able to sew across two layers of those seams which means six layers of denim - indeed it could go to nine layers when hemming the bottom of the legs.

The ability to sew through heavy fabric is the difference between a decent machine and a cheapie.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Iminei

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #24 on: April 07, 2018, 09:40:30 AM »
My Janomes have all had a black button on the side of the standard foot that enables them to cope with and stitch through bulky seams ...

Vid
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

StitchinTime

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #25 on: April 07, 2018, 09:52:01 AM »
@Lulu No groans from me at hearing you went for the next model up - it shows sewing ambition and long term planning  :)

Ellabella

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #26 on: April 07, 2018, 10:22:43 AM »
@Lulu I'm sure you won't regret spending the extra money.  Buying the best you can afford is so sensible.

There is no way anyone in here is going to groan at the thought of you spending money on sewing equipment.  Many of us indulge our habit as much as possible :P.

Lulu

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #27 on: April 09, 2018, 22:25:12 PM »
Thanks for the vid @Iminei  I'll have a look for that black button! Maybe that combined with a denim needle would see me through those hemmed double felled seams?

@arrow  @BrendaP
Ahh, it really was the most robust thing in the shop that I could stretch to buy (and over budget if I'm honest at £529).. I do hope that I have bought something decent. I'd be quite mortified otherwise!

@Bogwoppit Yes, I'm already enjoying the thread cutter!  :D

@StitchinTime  Ha, I certainly have ambition!
 I already had 6 patterns printed out and 2 big bags of charity shop clothes ready to cut up..all before I'd even brought my machine home.

@Ellabella
 I need to get you all in a room with my husband, so that you can repeat some of these soothing words..sensible, long-term planning etc etc  0_0
 ‎

arrow

Re: Janome XL601 - any good for a total newb?
« Reply #28 on: April 10, 2018, 01:29:42 AM »
You have bought something decent, no doubt about it. In that price range they tend to be better built, and the differences should be down to the finer points. You have to let us know how it stitches through flat felled seams, handles top stitch thread and notice levels too ;- )  A new machine like this is always very exiting.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2018, 01:34:07 AM by arrow »