My cheap Brother machine has crapped out on me and I could get it fixed but I don't really like it that much. I was starting to look into a new machine anyway, cause this one was never all that fabulous anyway.
So I went to the wee sewing machine store that we have here and the lady showed me a bunch of machines - mostly Janomes, which looked really really nice. I was looking for a Viking or Husqvarna, since that's what most people on here say is the best, but the Janomes look pretty good too.
I'd like to know what people think of Vikings vs. Janomes. I'm looking for a machine that can take both several layers of heavy material and a single layer of sheer material. I want an eyelet stitch. I'd like a machine that has a good feed system because I'm not very good at holding fabric straight - this was one thing that the Janomes I was shown did REALLY well, I didn't even have to hold the fabric and it went through perfectly straight. I'd like it to have a good overlock stitch so that I don't need a serger as well, cause that I definitely can't afford. I want something that I'll enjoy using.
I think the Janome machines are over priced for the lack of robustness... Just my experience. I love my Husqvarnas.
If you want to do eyelets like my stitched ones, you do NOT want an eyelet stitch pattern. You want a machine that will take an eyelet plate and sew proper eyelets. The built-in or embroidery pattern eyelets are purely decorative. Husqvarna do eyelet plates in two sizes, 6mm and 4mm. There was talk of Janome doing one at one point, but I cannot find a reference to one for the current range.
My Husqvarnas will both sew the lightest silk chiffon and organza and heavy denim and drapery fabric with equal facility. The Lily 550 is now 10 years old. The Optima 190 I inherited from Big Sis is now more like 30 years old. Both still sew perfectly.
If you want a wider range of eyelet sizes, you need to buy a Bernina and the Bernina eyelet kit for the model of machine you get. The kit now retails for about £98.
I'm looking to do lacing eyelets on corsets and gowns, but because of a muscular disorder I have trouble both with hand sewing and with setting grommets - but I don't really like grommets that much anyway.
How do the Vikings do on feeding fabric? I need a machine that can pretty much hold the fabric straight for me, because again my hands are not that adept. I have limited fine motor control.
Sara, when I was buying my new machine, I found the reviews and the forums on Pattern Review (http://www.patternreview.com) to be of ENORMOUS help. People on there really know their machines, and they can talk really fluently about the differences among brands. I'm willing to bet there are people there who can address exactly the issue you're concerned about.
I've never had any trouble, except when there was a lot of heavy fabric hanging off the machine. The best way to solve that one is give the projects plenty of support and use an extension table.
I just bought a Janome Thread Banger machine and compared to my old brother it is great. I bought it with the intent to trade up in a few months The one I really wanted was an embroidery machine I cant recall the model # now but it was $1500 and has the superior fabric feed system in it which was really nice. The one I got I got for $500. But, at the store where I got it they have a program that if I trade up before I've had it a year I get the full $500 toward the next machine.
The Thread banger is a more basic model only a few embroidery stitches and it doesn't do as well with keeping the fabric strait as the more expensive one, but it does not require near the effort the Brother did and it seems to handle thick fabric well where I had to pull the fabric through the brother I just need to gently guide this one. I'm making an outfit for my husband right now and it is corduroy and some what stretchy and thick It has sewed like a dream. Sewed through 4 layers of the stuff like it was nothing. Best advice I was given for buying a machine. Go to the stores and try them out. Get the one that suits you the best for affordability and performance. My mother in law has an old viking and I like it as well it is an embroidery machine, it sews well and does a lot more of the fancy stuff. It was her mother's machine. It takes cards or something for the embroidery it does not hook up to a computer like the newer models but it does do a nice job. I depends on how much you are going to use it and exactly what you want it to do.