Sewing Machine WOES!!!

4/7/2014

Well, I've had my new sewing machine/computer for about 2 weeks. I thought I wasn't going to be very busy this month and would have time to get to know my new machine. But the opposite has happened. I'm currently on 3 ... yes 3 pattern projects for Simplicity that have to be finished by the first week of May AND I'm making a few things for myself to wear at Costume Con.

I have tried very hard to have an open mind after the bad experience I had during my "lesson" picking up the machine. And I have to say, when this machine works ... it's great! I love all the features and am pretty comfortable with all the controls and settings now.

I was starting to like this machine ... until ... Bum Bum BAH!! (ominous music) I started sewing a corset yesterday. This machine does not like 2 layers of coutil with bone tape on top.

Look what happened!!!

See the looping. The tension went WAY off. The only way I could get it back to normal was take the whole bobbin/throat plate area apart and get the lint out. And you know ... there was not a lot of lint there. I can't have a machine that is so temperamental that is goes out of whack with a small amount of lint around the feed dogs.

I'm going to give it one more day, but I'm not hopeful. See it's actually good I'm busy now, even though I don't have TIME to mess with a temperamental machine. But, this machine is getting a realistic workout.

So, opinions please, what about a Juki? They are known for hardiness and there is a model that does everything this Bernina does. The only real difference is the zig zag is only 7 mm wide compared to the Bernina's 9 mm wide zig zag. Not a big deal to me.

Read all about it here.

Really, I feel so stupid to have been SO Bernina loyal. I just have had, for years, great experience with many Berninas. I was figuring you get what you pay for and I was will to PAY. My husband was equally loyal to Volvo cars until they started getting bad reviews in Consumer Reports. Companies change, that's a fact. Before the 1970's Singer was the "go to" reliable brand.

Oh ... I need to whine ....This is going to be such a headache to pack up and return ... OY!

But, please what do people think of this Juki, or other machines?

Here are my requirements.
Must haves: knee lift, up-down needle control, zig-zag and stretch stitches, sews fast and very strong and good buttonholes
Desires: Large working area (the harp), some nice fancy stitches and an alphabet would be cool.

Thanks

7 Comments

Sheila Lenkman

4/7/2014 12:01:30 am

I won't say anything more about Berninas ( you know I don't like them), and I don't have any experience with Jukis. I have had many Brothers over the years; have you looked to see if there are any models that have the features you want? I have been very impressed with the level of dealer support, too.

Lisa Logan

4/7/2014 03:25:00 am

I have had very good luck with my Janome 6000. In fact, I have two of them!

It has a 10" arm, sews 1000 spm, has a built-in walking foot option. Comes with a great variety of feet plus there are some good additional ones you can add to your collection. (I had never thought about feet until my sister once said "Switch from Bernina? Are you kidding? I have waa-aaay too much invested in Bernina feet!" Janome parts are cheaper and they are easier to get service for. However, I have never had any major problems with mine and I've owed the first one since around 2005.

I haven't sewn much on the model that may have replaced it. ON that newer model, I did like the built-in needle hole adjustment (you have to change the plate out on the older model, if you want a straight-stitch needle hole) but I didn't like the dial mechanism for changing stitches. And it may be different now. But I cannot imagine having trouble on just two layers of coutil and some bone tape! That's crazy! I can sew anything from leather to silk chiffon on mine ... and half the time, I don't even bother to change the needle!

Good luck! Let us know what you decide!

4/7/2014 03:39:29 am

One thing to check, though, before you throw in the towel. And I admit, it may sound really stupid but ... it did happen to me!

The first project I decided to tackle on my new Janome 6600 ( I think I wrote the wrong model number on my previous post) was stretch lycra bell-bottoms for a hula hoop teacher. Sounds divine, I know. Well, I have never been very good with stretch materials, most likely because my old Bernina 930 was not particularly inspirational. I couldn't wait to try out all the stretch stitches on my new machine.

Well, I thought I was going to rip my hair out! The tension on this stretch fabric went in and out, in and out; at times it was okay, and then, for no apparent reason, it would be horrendous. It was so bad that it's the first and only time I ever reneged on a project and told the client I couldn't do it. (She wasn't paying enough to be worth the suffering; $35 for a pair of pants!)

However, I finally realized ... well, duh ... this was a major case of operator error. You see, I was used to "riding" the knee lift on my old Bernina (kind of like riding the brakes in a car). I did not realize, on my new machine, that I was, again, "riding" the knee lift. Not enough that the computer would pick it up and tell me that my presser foot was raised, and then refuse to sew, but just enough that the tension wheels would disengage and totally screw up the tension. And, of course, being unaware, I was only doing this sometimes --- which is why the perfect tension kept coming and going. So ... just make sure you're not having a similar oversight, before you throw your new machine out the window!

Andrea

4/7/2014 04:29:27 am

That machine looks great ... I'll consider it. and I know what you mean about riding the knee lift. I've been known to do it, but I don't think I was. Although the machine is behaving itself today. I think it knows it might get taken back!

Ginger

4/7/2014 11:35:12 am

I'm sorry to read your woes with the new machine. My 20 year old mechanical Bernina is my favorite and I hope it lives forever. I haven't looked at new Bernina's in years. Having said that my local quilt shop is a Babylock dealer. Over the last 6 months I've noticed several new top of the line Bernina's popping up in their trade ins for sale column. So maybe you are on to something about them not being made like they used to. If I were in the market for a new machine I would take a look at the top of the line Babylock. Nancy Zieman makes them look good on tv. :-)

Lex

4/7/2014 06:35:07 pm

I'm not sure you're getting my comment submissions as they don't seem to appear.

For me, Alarm bells would have begun ringing when you were able to completely disable the machine by accident during testing. I'd have reconsidered at that point.

I have no experience with heavy duty machines but for me, the old adage 'Less is more' is never more relevant than when sewing.

As a fairly 'casual' sewer LeBoyfriend bought me a Singer Fashionmate 7256 for Christmas. I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT so much!

http://www.johnlewis.com/singer-fashion-mate-7256-sewing-machine/p231136646

Auto tensioning is brilliant for me. I was previously using an older Toyota model and it was ALWAYS locking up, scrambling the bobbin thread, messing up the tension. It was arduous. My new machine is so forgiving. I've been giving it a real beating the last couple of days and it's soldiered through like a champ. I'm making a 'Suit of armor' fleece hoodie for my partner (it looks awesome) and some of the seams (arm holes particularly) are a touch challenging - not for my machine. I've really put it through its paces in the last few days and it just takes everything I throw at it. I can thoroughly recommend Singer. Half the joy of sewing for fun can be sucked away by a temperamental machine. It leaves you procrastinating because you're not in the mood to fight with the machine. A machine shouldn't be this much hassle - you should be able to just sit down, thread it and sew.

Jen in Oz

4/8/2014 11:05:53 am

I would've suggested a Janome, except that my current machine often has me wishing for a tall building with a Janome technician standing at the base so I could drop the machine on him. Same applies to my Janome 1200D coverstitch/overlocker, sadly. It WON'T coverstitch on stretch fabric. And even sadder, I can't afford to trade them in for a Brother. I did, however, get a cheap Brother from Target a couple of years ago. It doesn't do any of the fancy stuff that the bigger machines do, but I did learn to make two or three tutus on the Brother when the Janomes spat the dummy at the courses I was at.

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