Meet my newest friend and helper - a Juki Kirei HZL-NX7. We are quickly becoming very good friends!
I had been looking into getting a new machine for a little while now. I have a Juki TL2000qi that I've had for a few years and I've totally loved it. It's a straight stitch machine. It's fast, it's durable and it sews perfectly. I've made many, many project bags, quilts, pj's, napkins and other odds and ends with it. But you can only sew straight.
As a cross stitcher, I cut and trim plenty of linen. I've always zig-zagged the edges of my linen before I begin a project. So every time in the last 5 or so years that I've needed to do a zig-zag stitch (or any other specialty stitch) I would have to drag out my Bernina. I don't have the space to have two machines sitting out, so that wasn't an option.
My husband bought me the Bernina as a birthday gift just a couple of years after we were married. I was doing a lot of quilting and patchwork, and the Bernina Activa PE was just right. It seemed very fancy at the time, and I did a ton of sewing and quilting on it.
I started looking for a new machine to replace it because it had begun to freeze up after I'd been sewing for a while, and the machine had gotten warm. I did a little research and found that it would be an expensive repair. Not one I was willing to invest in a 15+ year old machine. But it was a great machine for many years, and I could still use it. I just had to stop and let it cool down if I was sewing more than 15-20 minutes solid.
I do also have a Singer Featherweight that belonged to my grandma and then my mom. But I don't use it and it's really a sentimental thing more than a practical thing.
Anyway, I thought I would share some of my research and how I narrowed down my choices. I made a spreadsheet with 4 or 5 machines to compare and made some categories that I was most focused on. You can see my Sewing Machine Comparison Sheet, if you're in the market for a new machine.
I originally looked at a new Bernina, but yikes! That was some serious sticker shock. I couldn't even remotely see paying that much for a sewing machine that didn't also cook dinner. I know they are great machines, and I loved mine for many years - but we paid $1500 for it. And even that seemed like a lot to a couple of newlyweds.
So here were some of my categories:
Price - of course. I'm a heavy sewer, but I just couldn't choke down the price of some of the machines I looked at - especially the Berninas ($$$!). This is why I considered a Bernette instead.
Stitches per minute - I like to sew fast, and I was used to the speed of my Juki. F.A.S.T!
Thread cutter - This turned out to be standard on most machines. My Juki TL2000 was my first machine with a thread cutter, and it spoiled me. I didn't want to do without it.
Expanded work area - I wanted at least a much room for quilting as the TL2000 had, which is 10", plus an extension table. I didn't want to have to buy one.
Lighting - This becomes more important the older I get! The Bernina has one small light, the TL2000 has more light, but I wanted as much as I could get.
Buttonhole Maker & Free Arm - I've been doing more and more garment sewing over the last few years, and these are necessary for easy garment sewing. I found some machines that were marketed for quilting didn't have a free arm. My Juki TL2000 doesn't.
Knee Lifter - Both of my machines have had a knee lifter, and once you get used to it, you don't want to go back to using your hand to lift the presser foot so you can pivot your quilt! Especially as you get older and your hands, arms or shoulders start squawking more. Which mine definitely do!
Smart Feed or Dual Feed System - I've used a walking foot on both of my sewing machines and I wanted that option, especially when working on thin fabrics and of course, quilting. I originally was interested in a Pfaff because of their Dual Feed System, and in the end I think it would have been a good choice.
So, in the end, the Juki Kirei won. I confess, I did feel more comfortable with a brand I had already enjoyed. If I could've had a chance to try out a Pfaff, it might have made a difference. But we don't have a Pfaff dealer anywhere near us.
The bonus was when I went to place the order, The Kirei was on sale and I got an extra $400 off the price. That was nice :)
Next week, I'll take you on a little tour of my new friend and show you some of my favorite things.
I'm Robin, the designer behind October House. You've found my blog, where I ramble on about stitching and sewing and anything else that catches my fancy!
I love quiet colors, gentle stitches and making things by hand.
"My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read." - Abraham Lincoln
