Possibly getting a new Janome sewing machine, need advice & opinions!

[Kitty Vane]

Well, I guess you don't need another opinion anymore, but I'll give it to you anyway! I bought a bottom-line Kenmore, the one made by Janome, years ago, and have used the life out of it, and it's still going strong, now have a Janome QE Something or other, absolutely love it, and now just bought a Janome MyLock 744D, which I haven't tried yet, but have only heard good things about, too.

I'm all about the Janomes, lol. I got two of my friends buying the identical Kenmore I had, but a later model, and they both love love love them, as well. No regrets, ever!

I'm also all about the Janomes now, I'm a total convert!
The thing that really did it for me as far as deciding to go with the Janome was that the worst anyone had to say about them is that the white plastic gets dirty easily and that if you hold your arms a certain way when you sew the accessory box might pop open.

[ImaHoundDog]

I just got a Janome serger for Christmas and so far it's really good, it even came threaded all ready to go!

[Muria]

I bought myself a Janome Harmony 8080 (discontinued, floor model was the last one they had, for $100) at the beginning of December, and I really like it.  It's a lot like my old Kenmore (12 years old, and still works great, but the new one has some fancy stitches too), probably because most Kenmores are made by Janome.    I know there are much higher end machines (and more expensive machines), but it's good for what I sew.

[Kitty Vane]

I know there are much higher end machines (and more expensive machines), but it's good for what I sew.

My Janome is also a very basic model, but even though I sew a lot, I really don't need any fancy stitches or extra bells and whistles. And the less fancy features a machine has, the less there is to break down! I love the fact that the Indigo 14 is completely mechanic and if anything goes wrong with it, it'll be easy (and therefore cheap) to fix.

[spirals420]

I absolutely LOVE my Janome!
I bought the lowest end model when I was 14 (so 5 years ago) and love love loved it. Even the base model has a lot of really nice features. The only time I ever had problems was when I threaded the bobbin wrong, but that was my own stupidity. The stitches are really nice and even, and the machine it's self is really sturdy. I put that thing through some misery, sewing denim and paper (!!!) and it never had a problem.
But then, when I was a senior in high school, I won a brand new $800 dollar Janome DC3050 from the sewing machine store!
So I'm all about Janomes. My new one has an automatic needle threader which is probably the best invention ever. The new one has a bunch of fun novelty stitches (hearts and checkers and all that stuff) and has a little digital screen to show the stitch length and width.
So basically, in my experience you really can't go wrong with a Janome. Where I got mine from, my machines have a really good waranty (which I've never had to use) and everything the salesman told me has turned out to be true.

this sounds exactly like my machine. and i love it.. i do wish i had gotten one without the electric screen doodad because it is going to need maintenance eventually. but boy ohboy do i love my gnomey (thats my name given to my janome)  im very happy with my purchase

[babygoinplaces]

I'm too late to say "go for it" since you already did!

I have a Janome 419S.  It's pretty basic and it has been very useful and low maintenance.  And I have a sewing business, so it gets used OFTEN.

I love it so much I bought a Janome embroidery machine, the MC300E, and a Janome serger.

I'll be sticking with Janomes.  I hope to trade up my 419S in the next 6 months for something with more decorative stitches.

You'll enjoy yours for a long, long time.

[Neveth]

Hey - I know this is an old thread, but I'm really clueless as to what I'm doing here - I'm having utter trouble finding out what kind of bobbins I need for my Janome 525s... Does anyone know anything? They told me at the store to only buy Janome bobbins, but that store is kind of a drive away, and none of the local stores carry Janome brand bobbins... Someone elarlier said her Brother feet worked perfectly with her janome machine, so would Janome bobbins work? *is SO confused*

[spirals420]

i just use ordinary ones from fabricland the metal ones with like 6(give or take) holes in them... they seem to work just fine.

[Neveth]

hokay, awesome!

please forgive the typos and such in my last post - I had my wisdom teeth out and am still kinda drugged up from it.

[Muria]

The Janome I bought from Sears came with a metal bobbin, if that helps. I went to the local Janome store to buy feet (mine was on clearance and only came with a zig zag foot), and bought some bobbins while I was there, but I use the better metal ones from my Kenmore from time to time, too (some of mine are kind of bent up).