Know Thy Machine

Shruti at 13 Woodhouse Road is hosting a Know Thy Machine blog hop. And, I thought it'd be fun to answer the questions here!

 

 

1. What machine(s) do you have? Brand and Model.

I have a Shark and a Janome 4120QDC

2. When and where did you buy it? What were the reasons for selecting this(these) particular model(s). What was its approximate cost.

The Shark was the machine my husband bought for me for our anniversary 2 and a half years ago--he bought me a cheaper machine because this was my first 'step' into sewing and I wasn't sure how I'd like it. I think it cost around $100.

My Janome is the machine I bought after a year and a half of fighting with my Shark. I bought this one after researching certain features I wanted in a machine and then I had my eye set on a Pfaff Ambition I believe. But, when I gave them a test run in the sewing store, I fell in love with this one and was not too impressed with how the Pfaff sewed. (It had some quirks that caused me a lot of grief with my Shark that I wanted to avoid at all costs like major bunching of the thread in the back mid way through sewing.) Oh and the approximate cost was around $800 I believe.

3. What do you like about your machine? Have you named it? Have you made a cover for it?

I really like how my Janome sews knits--I don't need a serger. (This was a major selling point as well--that it did knits really well!) To do this, it has a foot presser pressure dial and some great stretch stitches.

Ha, and what do I like about my Shark? Well, not a whole lot anymore--it's a bit of a clunker and I'd not recommend it to anyone! Though it did me well for a year and a half and I sewed on it a lot!

Other than naming the Shark, 'the beast,' I have not named myJanome or sewn a cover for it! I got a hard cover with it when I bought it.  

4. Does your machine give you any problems? Could you tell us a few?

The only problems my Janome has given me was a tension problem after I had tried mending some thick neoprene dog vests on it--yes, not a good idea! Other than that, I have no problems with it yet and I'm quite pleased with it!

The Shark had all sorts of tension issues, it clumped thread in the back, it was loud, it ate fabric, etc.

5. What do you sew on it mainly? Quilts, Clothes, Bags etc. How much time do you spend sewing on it? What are the features of the machine that help you improve your work?

I sew a lot of clothes, some diaper bags, rag blankets and other small items! I don't spend hours a day sewing--I have 4 kids five years old and under. But, I do usually spend at least a couple of hours a week on it!

The features that help me are the two I mentioned above (foot presser pressure dial and stretch stitches) plus needle down, thread snipper, and some really neat stitches to add a special touch!

6. What advice would you give others when deciding about which machine to buy?

Ask around and try a bunch of machines. Make sure you have a list of features you want in a machine and think about what you may be doing with it in the future as well!

7. Will you share with us a special memory associated with your machine?

I'm not sure if I have a special memory other than it was supposed to be my birthday present but I was too impatient and got an early birthday present!

8. If you had unlimited resources in the world, which machine would you choose to buy and why?

I honestly have no idea--I really like this machine although I've heard some good stuff about the Juki machines!

 

 

What kind of machine do you have? What are its pros and cons?