I finally did it! Today, I walked into 1st Sewing Center and purchased a new quilty and heavy duty machine (A Juki TL18QVP).
I've been doing all my sewing on my Brother Innovis embroidery machine for the past eight years, and it's worked fairly well. As an embroidery machine, it's a think of art and beauty. But my significantly increased sewing this year has begun to show all the holes in the machine as a workhorse. Let me list just a few:
It always defaults to a left-most needle position, but the quarter inch foot has a center hole. I have broken at least 2-3 needles a month, when it hit the foot (thank goodness I sew with plastic cheater lenses on!).
The needle plate has gotten loose, and it makes a funny noise when it makes a straight stitch too fast.
The ring holding the plug in for the pedal has fallen into the machine, and so I haven't been able to use it to sew and instead have had to use the button to start and stop the stitching and control the speeds. Gives less control and a greater sense of chaos.
Sometimes the tension and the straight stitch don't mesh well, and I have to p ick a row that went badly.
It can't handle much bulk and can be very finicky (it hates sewing multiple thick layers, like sewing bags with pleather and foam). It really had trouble with bulkier seems, which happen often in quilt blocks.
It wasn't always super reliable on the quarter inch seam.
The walking feet are largely plastic, and I'm on my second one... and using it usually leads to the needle falling apart.
The free motion function was not very well stitch regulated and fussy.
While none of these challenges were deal breakers, I was ready for a second machine (i'm still keeping Blue Backstitch for an embroidery machine) that was just a straight stitch workhorse. Super reliable and can handle very thick materials. Does a good free motion embroidery on a quilt top.
I have been quietly looking into what others use for months, and today decided to stop and see what might be possible.
With the pandemic, the stores have had trouble keeping machines in stock, and they had one that was lightly claimed. The owner felt comfortable he could get another, and so he set it up, let me take a look at it, and it came home with me.
While the threading is much more of a challenge, I love how well built, sturdy, and engineered the machine is. It's a home option for an industrial machine, and it stitches like a dream. Super accurate, and a good quarter-inch seam.
I can't wait to see what I make with this beautiful new machine!
Thanks for stopping by!
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