The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Sewing Machines => Topic started by: Pearl on March 03, 2020, 11:22:12 AM
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As I said on the March BOM thread, my Janome DXL603 is having a hissy fit today so I’m thinking it is time for an upgrade. I need a bigger throat for quilting but what other features would you consider essential or desirable?
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Stitch regulator - gives even stitch length when fmq’ing
Good lighting
Walking foot
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@Pearl
When reading your post, I instantly thought the Janome Skyline S3 would be ideal for you: greater throat, LED lighting, needle up/down, start/stop button, lock stitch feature, easy interface and very quiet SM. It has more power than your current Janome and more stitches of course.
I purchased the Skyline S3 two years ago and love working on it. The only thing I miss is the feature of pop-up needle plates as the Skyline S5 has. But I decided to go for the 7mm Skyline S3 because I could use all the 7mm snap-on feet I already bought for my Janome DC2010. Step up is the Skyline S5 with even more stitches, 9mm feet and two pop-up needle plates.
Both sewing machines get very good reviews and are reasonably priced.
Add
Forgot to mention that the name "Skyline" is used outside the UK. In the UK and Ireland this line of sewing machine is called "Atelier.
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Whats a Skyline ??????
Just read further ... Ahhh the Lovely Ateliers ...
I had The Splurge (5) for quite a few years which was lovely but I was made too good an offer to refuse with The Splurgess (7) which Im totally happy with ... verrrry nice machines!
Come try mine out @Pearliepops!
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A built-in needle threader is a great idea. As I get older, I am even more thankful I have one on my Bernina.
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Everything that others have mentioned, but the one feature I love the most on my Bernina 720 is the hover. It's totally adjustable in height - you can switch it off too - and saves so much time, especially in P&Qing. Love it. :loveit:
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Needle threader.
I have a Brother Innovis 1800q which I love but @Iminei didn't think much of it :'(
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Whats a Skyline ??????
Just read further ... Ahhh the Lovely Ateliers ...
I had The Splurge (5) for quite a few years which was lovely but I was made too good an offer to refuse with The Splurgess (7) which Im totally happy with ... verrrry nice machines!
Come try mine out @Pearliepops!
Thought you were a Brotherperson, @Lowena. Isn’t a Splurge a Janome?
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I like Pfaff.. the IDT...
Integrated Dual Transportation
What does IDT mean? Its stands for Integrated Dual Transportation and is the only way to feed any fabric with no slippage on a sewing machine for perfect fabric control.
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@Sewbee I am a Brother devotee It was @Iminei who posted about the atelier
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@Iminei , what are the differences between the Atelier 5 and 7? Is it worth the extra £££?
I have a 17 year old needle threader for those days when my poor old eyes are tired, but sometimes she’s busy or out with friends.
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The Atelier S5 is the entry of the 9mm SM and works with a normal high shank walking foot, whereas the Atelier 7 has the Acufeed Flex system (broad and narrow) that works in conjunction with the feed dogs.
The Atelier 7 has more stiches and buttonholes than the S5 and of course more accessories that comes with it.
See https://www.janome.co.uk/atelier-7 for the SM and https://janomelife.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/janome-acufeed-flex-what-exactly-is-this-and-why-do-i-need-it/ for the acufeed flex system.
Is the S7 worth the extra money? No idea, it depends of your needs and with what type of SM you feel comfortable with. I prefer the easy interface of the S3 and the S5, but that is merely a personal preference. DH works with a Janome 8200QCP SE with comes with the same interface as the Atelier 5 and has the acufeed flex system, so i am at ease when switching from one machine to another. The only minus with the narrow acufeed flex system is that you can't start at the beginning of the fabric when sewing, so not so ideal for garment sewing. You do not have this problem with the broad acufeed flex as the design of the foot is different from the narrow one.
Maybe you could be a visit to a nearby dealer who carries these Janome sewing machines to try them out?
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I don't know if a trip to Blackburn is doable for you, but if so, Hobkirks currently have a second-hand Atelier 5 listed on their Facebook page at £599 but it is for collection only.
www.facebook.com/hobkirks/posts/10158122543574241
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They dont make the 5 anymore! No idea why .. they brought out a 6 instead :S :fish:
But the 9 comes with an embroidery module to attach.
I think the main difference between the 5 and 7 is, indeed, the IDT .... You still have to attach a different foot and then press a button which greys out a lorra lorra stitches so a lot of the time I still use a walking foot (supplied) which means I can use the fancier stitches (ie serpentine stitch etc) when quilting ... and I like the click click click of the walking foot!
The other appreciable difference is the automatic presser footlifty thing ...
Lifting your presser foot yourself at the end of your stitching is soooooo last century Daaahhhhlink!
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@Sewbee I am a Brother devotee It was @Iminei who posted about the atelier
Oops! Sorry @Lowena.
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On the continent most dealers still sell the Skyline/Atelier S5.
Must say I like the large display with easy interface of the S6 a lot and it has the acufeed flex system: https://www.thesewingstudio.co.uk/janome-atelier-6-sewing-machine.ir
For sewists who like more computerised SM the S7 offers a lot more of course.
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If you do any free-motion quilting or embroidery, you’d want to be sure the feed dogs can be lowered.
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Thanks, @Sara-S . New machine is on hold at the moment. I have done a workshop on free motion embroidery and it’s something that I’d like to do more of.