Juki are not only a straight stitch machine. They have other models. If you are a diehard quilter then most likely you would want the straight stitch Juki. I personally have a Brother Luminaire, Janome 6500, a Bernina B570QE, an old treadle singer and an Elna. I sold Vikings at one time. I just sold my Pfaff to my daughter in law so she would have a good machine. My suggestion as a former sewing machine store employee is for you to hit all the dealers in your area. If you are really into bags or think you might be. Take the soft and stable along with some cotton fabric with it attached to both sides. Then take a new package of top stitch needles like Annie uses and ask the person helping you to set up the machine for you to try out after they show you a demo. And after you have got to the price you believe you can live with. Remember their is always financing available and at certain times of the year dealers have the opportunity to offer it for free, yep no interest. Don’t be afraid to ask anything. If they want your business they will work hard for the sale. Also buying from a dealer will get you classes. Take them they truly help. Ask about the classes. Is there a timeframe you have to take them in? Can you repeat a class say two years down the road. People have a tendency to learn what they are interested in. Meaning you are interested in say bag making & maybe quilting. In two years something changes and all of a sudden you find yourself wanting to make clothes whether it is for a doll, grandchild or yourself. You may want to go back and get a refresher on the stuff that you know your machine will do but you can’t quite remember all the tricks the teacher was showing you. Last thing to ask about is the warranty period on the machine and their service department. I was a top selling salesperson in machines. If they don’t work for the sale then you don’t want to buy from that dealership. It tells you how important you are to the staff and the service you will receive. I retired almost 2 years ago. I still help my former customers if they call, text or email me. Plus I became friends to many of my customers. Machines now days generally do not make you unscrew your ankle. They are snap on and off. With the push of a button. The needle threader on a Brother or Babylock cannot be beat. Babylock’s are made by Brother. Vikings, Singers & Pfaff’s are all made by the same company. Bernina’s may say Swiss engineered but unless you buy top of the line your machine is made in an Asian country. Engineered and made are two different things. Juki’s are made by Juki.
I have got to say I wouldn't want anything else but a Bernina machine . I have sewed on a Singer and I owned a Viking in the past until I inherited my Mom's Bernina. Since then, I have owned a Bernina 440QE and now own a 790 plus. I love all the features of the 790 but really wish I hadn't traded my 440 QE.
I have a Baby Lock, a Viking, and a Featherweight. I like the Baby Lock for piecing, the Viking for fancy stitching and embroidery and the Featherweight for piecing, bag making and tuff stuff. I’ve seen and tried the Bernini, but when first buying a “good” machine it was out of my price range. I bought the Viking and used that or over 25 years. When I joined a quilt guild I needed something lighter and more portable, and I bought the Baby Lock, which I really like. It has enough fun stitches and does free motion great. I like using a manual lever for raising and lowering the pressure foot when quilting and bag making. I feel it gives me better control. Good luck....shopping for machines is fun!
My first sewing machine was an entry-level Kenmore, from when Janome was making Kenmores, and it is a work horse. I haven't really found anything it won't sew through yet. HOWEVER, I was making a Running With Scissors and I got to the point of sewing the outside zipper to the outside panels. I needed a walking foot that was also a zipper foot, so I turned to my Bernina 750, and that was a game changer. Being able to use any of my favorite feet as a walking foot option makes it so easy to deal with vinyl and zippers and layers.
I am a Bernina lover. Think about stitches you want to use. I love the free hand system, needle down, quarter inch foot and the duel feed. Get a machine from a reputable dealer that provides instruction and maintenance.
Thanks for this. I am a vintage machine person and they are fantastic. Don t forget that they also make awesome machines. The Kenmores have the zigzag if that what someone needs. Thanks Annie. Safe trip.
For bag making I love my Sailrite! I got the model that does both strait and zig zag. It doesn’t have needle down 😞 but I’ll go for heavy duty over needle down. And if something goes wrong, you service your machine. It’s not gone for weeks at a time! Customer service is outstanding. Look up Sailrite on utube. Good luck!
Hi Annie... I was wondering if you could show a tutorial on the "Changing Station" for babies? I am going to a baby shower March 20th, and would love to make one of those, and I am so much better when I watch a video/tutorial. Thank you!
What suggestions do you have to make your patterns with thick, multilayered seam easier to sew. My expensive embroidery/sewing machine balks at the thick seams.
I have made the first 3 mentioned and have the Easy Does It in preparation mode, it's my next project! I didn't make them in the order you have suggested...oops. I made the basket, then the Call Me, then the Piecekeeper and now the EDI....but in between those I have made Flipping Out, the smaller version, and I agree-- make the larger one first (lesson learned).
Juki are not only a straight stitch machine. They have other models. If you are a diehard quilter then most likely you would want the straight stitch Juki.
I personally have a Brother Luminaire, Janome 6500, a Bernina B570QE, an old treadle singer and an Elna. I sold Vikings at one time. I just sold my Pfaff to my daughter in law so she would have a good machine.
My suggestion as a former sewing machine store employee is for you to hit all the dealers in your area. If you are really into bags or think you might be. Take the soft and stable along with some cotton fabric with it attached to both sides. Then take a new package of top stitch needles like Annie uses and ask the person helping you to set up the machine for you to try out after they show you a demo. And after you have got to the price you believe you can live with. Remember their is always financing available and at certain times of the year dealers have the opportunity to offer it for free, yep no interest. Don’t be afraid to ask anything. If they want your business they will work hard for the sale. Also buying from a dealer will get you classes. Take them they truly help. Ask about the classes. Is there a timeframe you have to take them in? Can you repeat a class say two years down the road. People have a tendency to learn what they are interested in. Meaning you are interested in say bag making & maybe quilting. In two years something changes and all of a sudden you find yourself wanting to make clothes whether it is for a doll, grandchild or yourself. You may want to go back and get a refresher on the stuff that you know your machine will do but you can’t quite remember all the tricks the teacher was showing you.
Last thing to ask about is the warranty period on the machine and their service department. I was a top selling salesperson in machines. If they don’t work for the sale then you don’t want to buy from that dealership. It tells you how important you are to the staff and the service you will receive. I retired almost 2 years ago. I still help my former customers if they call, text or email me. Plus I became friends to many of my customers.
Machines now days generally do not make you unscrew your ankle. They are snap on and off. With the push of a button. The needle threader on a Brother or Babylock cannot be beat. Babylock’s are made by Brother. Vikings, Singers & Pfaff’s are all made by the same company. Bernina’s may say Swiss engineered but unless you buy top of the line your machine is made in an Asian country. Engineered and made are two different things. Juki’s are made by Juki.
I have got to say I wouldn't want anything else but a Bernina machine . I have sewed on a Singer and I owned a Viking in the past until I inherited my Mom's Bernina. Since then, I have owned a Bernina 440QE and now own a 790 plus. I love all the features of the 790 but really wish I hadn't traded my 440 QE.
I have a Baby Lock, a Viking, and a Featherweight. I like the Baby Lock for piecing, the Viking for fancy stitching and embroidery and the Featherweight for piecing, bag making and tuff stuff. I’ve seen and tried the Bernini, but when first buying a “good” machine it was out of my price range. I bought the Viking and used that or over 25 years. When I joined a quilt guild I needed something lighter and more portable, and I bought the Baby Lock, which I really like. It has enough fun stitches and does free motion great. I like using a manual lever for raising and lowering the pressure foot when quilting and bag making. I feel it gives me better control. Good luck....shopping for machines is fun!
Lots of great info, thanks.
I have all three brands and use each of them for something different. Just a machine lover. I love, love, love my Juki for bag making.
Great show. Thanks so much. Enjoyed and learned a lot.
My first sewing machine was an entry-level Kenmore, from when Janome was making Kenmores, and it is a work horse. I haven't really found anything it won't sew through yet. HOWEVER, I was making a Running With Scissors and I got to the point of sewing the outside zipper to the outside panels. I needed a walking foot that was also a zipper foot, so I turned to my Bernina 750, and that was a game changer. Being able to use any of my favorite feet as a walking foot option makes it so easy to deal with vinyl and zippers and layers.
I am a Bernina lover. Think about stitches you want to use. I love the free hand system, needle down, quarter inch foot and the duel feed. Get a machine from a reputable dealer that provides instruction and maintenance.
Single/straight hole stitch plates are pretty much available for machines today. They keep fabric from being sucked into the plate.
Thank you fir for all the bits and tips.
Thanks for this. I am a vintage machine person and they are fantastic. Don
t forget that they also make awesome machines. The Kenmores have the zigzag if that what someone needs. Thanks Annie. Safe trip.
I have a pfaff 720 , i just love it
I have a Juki TQ 2010 and I love it for my quilting. I use the Brother Dream Machine for decorative stitches.
For bag making I love my Sailrite! I got the model that does both strait and zig zag. It doesn’t have needle down 😞 but I’ll go for heavy duty over needle down. And if something goes wrong, you service your machine. It’s not gone for weeks at a time! Customer service is outstanding. Look up Sailrite on utube. Good luck!
Love Bits n Pieces in Pelham!
Hi Annie... I was wondering if you could show a tutorial on the "Changing Station" for babies? I am going to a baby shower March 20th, and would love to make one of those, and I am so much better when I watch a video/tutorial. Thank you!
What suggestions do you have to make your patterns with thick, multilayered seam easier to sew. My expensive embroidery/sewing machine balks at the thick seams.
I love my new model Bernina 535, largely due to the 5mm feed dogs (in lieu of the 9mm on "fancier" machines)!
What bag works good for storing crochet hooks?
Not all Juki machines are straight stitch only. They have a lot of different types of machines.
I've been waiting for this ....
Thanks for your patience Nancy :) We'll be live on Facebook AND TH-cam next Wednesday.
I have made the first 3 mentioned and have the Easy Does It in preparation mode, it's my next project! I didn't make them in the order you have suggested...oops. I made the basket, then the Call Me, then the Piecekeeper and now the EDI....but in between those I have made Flipping Out, the smaller version, and I agree-- make the larger one first (lesson learned).
Thoroughly appreciate the Add-On videos.
@@jakeevans5338 thanks Jake....I don't do FB so I wait patiently for the videos!!!
@@jakeevans5338 I am VERY happy to see this comment!!!!!