The saga continues.  The machine was collected last Thursday, to be delivered to the shop on Friday 'for inspection'.  I had hoped to hear something.  Heard nothing Friday or Saturday, so emailed Monday late afternoon, asking if it had arrived safely and been inspected yet.  Got a reply Tuesday to say the courier had tried to deliver it Friday, and Monday, but had arrived too early to be accepted.  They hoped it would be delivered Tuesday.  No emails or calls to me Tuesday, they dont work Wednesday - so the best I can hope for is tomorrow.  I know there are bigger things to worry about, but this has been hanging around since March 8th -  I have paid out a lot of money for nowt!

So, generally I'm feeling that I am living two sorts of Groundhog days!

Its funny, how I was really excited about having a new machine, but the yearning seems to have quelled.  I hope you don't feel the same @Puzzler.  I do agree about going and trying them out in the shop though - shame I didn't do the same!

I have looked at the Janome 6700P with interest, but fear that it may be the same as the JukiDX7  in that it seems to promise a lot, but does it perform?  It looks very much like my old Juki straight stitch, which is all metal and as solid as they come.....but? who knows?

@KayK  I am glad you are progressing with the return, just out of nosiness which Bernini have you ordered

I have ordered the Bernina 475QE - it seems to have the functions I covet!  Like, thread cutter, patchwork foot, walking foot, a good deal of quilting stitches, free hand system.  I dont need hundreds of fancy stitches, but just some quality and reliability. They offer a 7 year guarantee if you have the machine serviced by the engineers every so often, which I am prepared to do!  I would really, really like one of the 7 series models, but no way can I afford such - so this is a mid-price, mid-range machine which is a good size without being huge!

Well if it's any consolation, @KayK, I have been putting my Juki through its paces and I have found that I may have made a mistake as well. I will wait til after the lockdown to trade in for something else. I won't be returning it unused though. I did try it out in the shop but it's not until you really get down to some heavy duty sewing that you really see how the machine performs. No idea what I will get instead.

Oh that's awful that you have now found it's true colours!  Such a shame as it really did have hefty promises.  I didnt really get to put mine through its paces as I was bothered it wouldnt cope too well.  I am sure it would cope with some pretty basic sewing, but at that price, it should really be pretty good.  Can I ask about your issues too?

Agree with the needle and bobbin being in and threaded the right way round - a quick look on You Tube will show you, as sometimes the little instruction books that come with them are a little difficult to read - or have pages missing!

Such a pity you didn't like the Juki DX7, I have one and have the industrial thread holder that clips onto the back.  I do have a Bernina 550 which I prefer to use for free mtion embroidery etc and do prefer it for art work.

I hope you manage to get a machine which you love.

I sold the Bernina 550 to help buy the Juki, and really wished I hadn't!  I had read really good reports of the Juki, which pointed me towards it, but I am guessing I have bought a lemon!  Unfortunately the things that dont work properly were exacerbated by the things I didnt like!

Oh I am such a pain!  In fact, I think I have seen a machine that would suit me down to the ground - an industrial Bernina with a range of stitches, about an hour's drive from here......its oldish - but looks good - however with the 'lockdown' it's a  no go at the mo!

 In my (usual) quest for the perfect sewing machine - or should I say - one that I really like - I have made an utter blunder!  I am part of the way through a potentially 4 year course of creative stitching, and this takes up a lot of my time machining my way through different techniques.  My main go-to machine had its niggly quirks, enough to drive me nuts, so I had a chat with DH, who would 'loan' me some money to buy a 'good' one.  However I couldn't quite come up with the funds to buy what i really wanted (a 7 series Bernina - the basic one - if you could call it that!) So, already owning (a second hand) Juki TL98P, a heavyweight straight stitch only machine, I thought I would go for another Juki, the DX7 , which seemed to fulfil all my requirements (thread cutter, single needle stitch plate adjuster, foot 'hover',  tie off stitch etc)

It took a while to arrive - a problem with the Juki suppliers telling the retailers they were not allowed to send the machines out  (mail order) without the purchaser seeing them first.  Ten days later it arrived and disappointment was rife on immediately opening the box.  Plastic fantastic is an apt description.  Not particularly heavy, the feet were cheap and flimsy.  The vertical spool pin won't take anything larger than a standard Guterman reel as it bends with the weight and the thread won't reel off.  The bobbin will only wind the thread in a barrel shape, and stops about half full.  The auto needle threader has a spring which you wouldnt put in a ball point pen, and the plastic cogs which operate it dont quite meet.  I started to stitch and the thread caught in the tension and shredded every time, despite trying various threads.  Funnily enough it worked with Moon thread.  I then decided to try some free motion stitching, which really is my 'thing' and it was not good!  The feed dog drop can only be accessed by sliding the accessory tray off to leave a free arm, and is very flimsy as well.  I couldn't get the tension right, no matter how I tried, (despite having a good look at the tension arrangement'  The foot was nearly all plastic, and creaked loudly when in use, I thought it was going to snap!

The comparison with the other Juki? None whatsoever,  It wasn't a cheap machine by any stretch, I was so disappointed.  I have arranged with the retailer to exchange it when we can all get out and about.  I purchased a little Brother Innovis 15 to take to classes, and it is far, far better for about one eighth of the price!  I really expected this to be the last machine I ever purchased, and one of the first 'new from the box' ones (all my others have been second/third hand).

Oh well, enough moaning!  I think I really need a sturdy machine like my Juki TL that does zig zag as well!

My cousin had a Singer Starlet and I was seriously envious - this was in (I think) the late 60's or early 70's.