10 things to Consider when Shopping for a Sewing Machine

Written by Brittany Lloyd

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I'll never forget that daunting feeling of researching my first sewing machine. Actually, my very first machine was my grandmothers 1970-something mint green Kenmore. It was rock solid and while it definitely got the job done, I eventually wanted an upgrade. After a few months sewing on her trusty machine, I decided to retire it and purchase my own machine.

Again, I had no idea where to start, but I wanted something that was entry level that wouldn't break the bank. There was a local quilt shop right down the road, so I decided to pay them a visit. They happened to be a Janome dealer! Since they were already so helpful with my fabric selections and such, I decided that I wanted to go with Janome so that I could always come back to this quilt shop with my sewing machine questions.

I went with the Janome 2212 purely for budgeting reasons. It was one of Janome's cheaper machines and honestly, since it was early on in my hobby, I was nervous to make a big investment. What if I changed my mind and decided that I hated quilting. (yeah, right!) Anyways, this machine did all that I needed it to do, which was sew in a straight line and quilt baby/throw size quilts.

After about a year(ish?) of sewing on it, I felt like I was starting to outgrow it. While it was a trust-worthy machine, it had the bare minimum as far as "bells and whistles" go. I was interested in finding a machine that had a larger throat space, as well as speed control and a drop-in bobbin case. These were the minimum requirements that I knew I wanted, but I didn't really know about other features that machines had. Little did I know, I was about to have my mind blown with all of the features and technology!

I went to a local sewing/quilting expo and tested out the Janome 6700p (my current machine) and I fell in love with it! But holy cow, the price tag! There was a really nice "show" discount, but I ended up dragging my feet and decided that it wasn't the right time. Turns out, it took me FOUR months to convince myself that I needed this machine. haha. I was also waiting for the perfect sale to come around, so when it did, I pulled the trigger!

My Janome 6700p has quilted TONS of quilt tops. As a quilt pattern designer, I use my sewing machine a LOT and I absolutely love it. The pattern featured above is my Knitted Star quilt pattern, which can be found in my shop. I'll write up a seperate post about my Janome 6700P. :)

Flash forward a few years to present day Lo & Behold. I recently joined the Janome Maker team! It's so surreal to think about how several years ago, I was shopping for my first machine....now I'm partnering with the best sewing machine manufacturer (in my opinion!) to share about these machines with you all! I am truly a big Janome fan, so it's an honor to be able to partner with them!

So when Janome told me that I was joining their Maker team, they then asked what machines I wanted to sew on. Wait what?? What a dream come true! Honestly, I was already sewing on my dream machine and while there are nicer machines out there (hello, Continental M7), I decided I wanted to go a different route. Remembering my very first Janome, the 2212, I wanted to revisit what it was like to look for a beginner machine. You see, when I was a beginner, I had no clue what to look for. I remember doing my "research" but again, I didn't really know what was important. Hindsight is always 20/20, right? If I could go back in time, here is a list that I would say are the "most important" features for a quilter.

Speed Control- I remember being TERRIFIED of my Grandmother's Kenmore. I would lightly tap the pedal with my toe and it would zoom off without any notice. I didn't know that speed control existed until I tried out the Janome 6700p. Well, it turns out LOTS of machines have speed control...even entry level machines! This may or may not be important to you, but I would definitley recommend trying machines that have it and machines that don't. Believe it or not, speed control lands at the top of my list for me.
Needle up/down- It is SO nice when you are piecing or quilting and the machine stops with it's needle in the down position. Again, you may or may not find this important. If you plan to quilt your quilts on this machine, it's a really nice feature to have.
Ability to move the needle- This isn't a necessity, but it is helpful to have this option when you need to adjust your seam allowance. If the machine doesn't have this option, research how you would adjust your seam allowance with that particular machine. Some machines come with various presser feet and markings on the needle plate that would be your 1/4" reference.
Walking foot- A walking foot is crucial if you plan to quilt on your own machine. Keep in mind that there are some "after market" walking feet that you can add to your machine if it doesn't come with one.
Wide throat space- Again, if you plan to quilt your own quilts, having a wide throat space is nice to have! Compare the throat space between machines. Some feature a large area to the right of the needle (like my 6700p), while some are more petite for traveling.
Extension table- I've found these to be helpful, particularly when piecing my quilt tops together. It helps alleviate some of the weight/pull of your fabric as your sew. Some machines come with them, some don't. You can also purchase an after-market extension table if you decide that you really want one, but your machine doesn't come with it.
Travel capabilities- If you plan to take this machine on the road, having a light-weight machine is important. It's also a nice bonus if it comes with a hard case.
Drop-in bobbin- I absolutely LOVE my drop-in-bobbin. So quick and easy, and you can glance at your bobbin thread to better predict when you'll run out of thread. My first machine had a bobbin that was in a case that was hidden underneath the needle plate. I didn't know that my bobbin was out until I looked back at the fabric that I *thought* I was sewing, only to find that I had ran out of bobbin thread 10 minutes prior. haha. Decide if this is a deal breaker for you.
Thread cutter- I reached out to ya'll on Instagram to see what your sewing machine "must-haves" are and the overwhelming majority of you said automatic thread cutter. Interesting! Most machines come with a little thread cutter on the side of the machine that you can manually use to cut thread, but if you want to take it up a notch, more advanced machines will cut your thread while your presser foot is still in the down position. There is typically a little button with scissors on it that'll do that.
Price- A sewing machine is an investment. You get what you pay for. If you are just starting out, you don't necessarily need the latest and greatest, top of the line machine. However, if you have a sewing/quilting business, or even if you just do a lot of sewing in general, it might be worth it to set aside some money whenever you can so that you can get a machine that will serve you well.

So I presented this list to Janome and we went back and forth about which machine met the majority of these criteria. We ultimately landed on the Janome 3160 QDC.

When this machine arrived to me in the mail, my first impression was the weight. It is a pretty light weight machine, weighing just under 13 pounds. This is great, considering my 6700P is almost double that! I also really love that it came with a hard travel case. This machine would be perfect for classes, retreats or any sort of travel. I was so excited to learn that despite its petite nature, it was packed with all of the features listed above! If you're looking for your very first machine, or even a secondary "travel" machine, this one is the way to go!

It comes with a variety of stitches (seen above). Honestly, as a quilter, you'll only need a straight stitch, but it's nice to know that you have other options if you ever want to branch out and dabble in any other kind of sewing.

The 3160 QDC has speed control (my number one feature), an automatic thread cutter, needle up/down, a backstitch button, and a "knot tie" button. Pretty impressive, right? These are all features that are on my list...and then some!

It also came with this extension table to give you more work space. I was so impressed with this and I love that it has a ruler on the bottom for quick reference if you need it.

I also wanted to mention that the machine came with these presser foot options. The two presser feet that I use the most often is the one with the 1/4" guide bar and the walking foot. I was so excited to learn that both of these were included with the machine!

.The only thing that I feel like this machine is really "missing" is that the throat space is a little on the smaller side. You can certainly quilt baby and throw size quilt tops with this, but quilting anything larger than a throw will be more of a challenge. That being said, if you know that you are going to create smaller projects, OR if you know that you aren't going to machine quilt your quilts (if you're a hand quilter, or if you have your quilts quilted on a long-arm), then it won't pose any issues.

Overall, I was really impressed that a machine like this existed. I wish that I had known about this machine when I first started quilting! It's such a great starter machine, or an "upgrade" machine if you started out like I did. And I know intermediate/advanced quilters that have used this machine for years and still love it to this day.

Check with your local Janome dealer to see what kind of prices they have. This machine is also available on Amazon, and it appears to be in the $500-$600 range, depending on where you purchase it from. Remember, your machine will be the best investment that you can make to set you up for success in this hobby. I 100% believe that this machine is worth every penny!

I've been sewing on this machine off and on for the last few months and it stitches beautifully! Peter has been helping me create some quilt tops and I'll let him sew on my 6700p while I sew on this 3160 QDC. It's so so nice to tag team projects sometimes! Of note: I create an entire throw size Metamorphosis quilt top, which is all half circles/curves and this machine handled the curves perfectly! I was really interested to see how it performed and and dare I say that I enjoy sewing curves on this machine more than I do my 6700P? The 1/4" presser foot is a little more narrow, which seems to help on a curved seam. Anyways, if you are wondering whether or not this machine can handle your curved seams, scant 1/4" seams, etc.....it can! :)

Let me know if you have any questions about the 3160 QDC or any other Janome machines. I love comparing machines and learning about what makes them different. The Janome website is also super interactive and really easy to navigate. You have to option to compare multiple machines if you like, so if you're torn between two (or a few), you can look at the machines side by side. I'll be reviewing my Janome 6700p soon. :)

Happy sewing!

Britany