I thought I would take a break from my sewing this lovely long Easter weekend to show you my babies, both Janomes just by co-incidence. I did not buy them together and at the time I was looking for each I wanted the best and most reliable I could get in my budget. I read lots of articles, like this one from Consumer Reports. If you Google “how to buy a sewing machine/serger” or other variations that phrase, you will get hundreds of articles! Even Craftsy has an article. I thought this one was cool too. When I was looking, the winners were Janome.
My serger is a Janome “MyLock 334”. It has seen a few years. It is my first and only serger and still running strong, although I know it is pretty basic to what is out there nowadays!
I just found the pamphlet for it. It has handwritten on it $595.00 and 16/6/90 – I guess that means it is 24 years old?
It is pretty easy to thread, being an older serger. It even has a colourful diagram attached on the inside to follow when threading. It can do a rolled hem and a couple of other edging stitches.
Now unfortunately when I just opened it up to show you I saw a whole cupful of dust, thread, fabric cuttings and goo inside my serger. Eww. Long overdue for a clean out! TIP: when blowing crap out of your machine, don’t breathe in and close your eyes! 😖 (I learned that from experience.)
There, that’s better!
My other baby, my sewing machine, is a Janome “3160 QDC”. This I purchased in December 2011.
Even though I ran fabric through it sampling all 60 stitches, I still haven’t used it to its potential when sewing my projects!
You can remove the storage box and have a free arm for sleeves or …
it also came with a quilting table and quilting accessories – the most notable of which is the “walking foot”. Now I am not a quilter, but I just had to try it all out!
Quilted placemats – which I do enjoy making.
What kind of machines do you use? New or old? Are you happy with them? Love to hear from you!
Your sewing machines look awesome, I have an older Sears serger that I have owned for over a year and have played with it once, and have yet to put into use with a garment, It scares me. I own a Brother LB6800 with a bunch of stitches and I use about 8 of them, I love it though, it works great and has been relatively trouble free.
Ya sergers are scary. They are much noisier and stronger than sewing machines. It is like running a lawn mower on your table! When I first got my serger I sewed everything on my sewing machine, then I finished a couple of the longer seams with my serger. Now I am happy if I can make the whole outfit with my serger, even though it doesn’t have many stitch choices. Glad you are happy with your Brother. I wonder if anyone else has an impromptu sewing machine/serger review, just in case there is a blogger out there looking to buy?
Good timing on your blog! My 25 year old Elnita sewing machine has seen more action in the last 4 months than it has in the last 25 years and according to my spouse, “the gears have seized up.“ I am looking at purchasing a new sewing machine, so your blog couldn`t have come at a better time. I will definitely check out the consumer report. I love the place-mats! I will let you know what I end up purchasing. I am lucky though because a fitness participant has lent me her old Singer sewing machine so I`m not without. It`s much heavier than a kettlebell and comes in a wood case. 🙂
I miss those wood cases and the heaviness of those old machines. Now they brag about how light the machines are – which means they are all plastic and aluminum inside, I bet! I got a plastic cover with my serger – might as well have been a plastic bag! (Planning on making some matching quilted covers “someday”). Lucky you for the loaner. That was nice!
Ooooh, your sewing machine is so pretty! I use a Janome as well, although mine is a Magnolia 7330; I’ve had a really good experience with it since I got it last year. I’m a bit jealous that yours came with a big table and a walking foot, though!
I loved the look of the Magnolia. I remember looking at that one too. That flower on the front of it made it sooo special. I bought mine partly because of the quilting attachments and the extra table, but I hardly use those things! (I think that is called “up-sell”?). Glad you like your machine too!
I enjoyed seeing your “babies”!
Thanks! And thanks for reading/commenting!
i use fairly new machines! i use toyota serger and jeans machine and singer digital sewing machine. like you i have not yet used my singer to its full potential. but i am trying 🙂
Hello! I have just discovered your blog via a link in Dressing The Role so I am busily reading through your archives. I do love a good sticky beak into peoples’ sewing rooms 🙂
I have Janomes too, they don’t seem to be very hip these days but mine have done thousands of hours and served me well. My sewing machine is one of the first “computerised” machines (and I think that is a somewhat generous description of the technology!) that was the be all and end all in home sewing machines in 1988. My husband gave it to me for our 1st wedding anniversary after my previous little Janome was just tired out. Fabulous machine. My overlocker is a basic 3 thread machine bought in 1987, hasn’t got any fancy stitches but zooms along nicely. And is pretty easy to thread!
I also have my husband’s grandmother’s Singer, of indeterminate age, believed to be in working order although I have never used it. When his grandfather died and the house was being cleared out someone in the family decided that as I sewed I’d be a worthy recipient. It is one of the pretty black and gold ones and I really should drag it out of the cupboard and display it.
Nice to hear from you! I love my Janomes too. I didn’t realize that they might not be hip today. Guess that’s been my problem all my life! 😀 I still haven’t used my sewing machine to its limit and my serger is so easy to use. Oh I would love to see the Singer, you should put it in a blog one of these days!
Where’s the little tiny baby that you picked up in an antique store? I loved that machine (not that I sew or anything, I just thought it was cute!)
You still remember that one huh? You know that tiny baby is sitting safely on a shelf in my room where I can always admire it. It is cute isn’t it! A lucky find. I shall have to show it to everyone soon.