Janome 4120QDC-T: Computerized Quilting and Sewing Machine with Bonus Quilt Kit: Full Review

Janome is a top sewing machine brand known for its innovative technology and high-end features. Founded in Japan in 1921, Janome has grown into one of the world's leading manufacturers of domestic and industrial sewing machines.

Janome is dedicated to bringing easy-to-use, computerized sewing machines to home sewists and quilters. Their line of sewing and quilting machines strikes a balance between advanced functionality and simplicity of use. Janome aims to make sewing an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all skill levels.

The Janome 4120QDC is one of Janome's newer computerized sewing and quilting machine models. It comes packed with features tailored specifically for quilting and sewing projects. Keep reading to learn more about the capabilities of this Janome quilting and sewing machine.

Overview

The Janome 4120QDC is a computerized sewing and quilting machine. It's model number 4120QDC-T. Janome is known for making high-quality sewing machines that are easy to use even for beginners.

The 4120QDC is feature-packed and designed for quilting, sewing, crafting and home decor projects. It combines automation and ease of use with precision stitching. This machine can handle everything from basic garment construction to detailed quilting work.

For those seeking a more advanced option, the Janome Memory Craft Horizon 8200QCP Special Edition: With Exclusive Bundle is a great choice. This special edition model comes with an exclusive bundle of accessories that enhances its versatility. It provides ample workspace and integrates advanced features suitable for more complex quilting and sewing projects, ensuring both efficiency and a professional-level finish.

Features

The Janome 4120QDC sewing machine comes with a wide range of impressive features to make sewing and quilting projects easier and more enjoyable. One of the standout features is the computerized controls, which allow you to select your desired stitch and adjust settings right on the LCD screen.

This machine has 120 built-in stitches to choose from, including 7 buttonhole styles and an automatic needle threader. The extension table provides extra space for managing large quilting projects or sewing room to work with bulky fabrics. Dual retractable spool pins allow you to wind bobbins without unthreading, saving time and frustration.

Additional features that make sewing and quilting easier include a memorized needle up/down setting, a built-in thread cutter, and a knee lift lever to raise the presser foot without using your hands. The Janome 4120QDC also comes with a hard cover to keep the machine protected.

With its computerized controls and wide range of features, the Janome 4120QDC offers excellent convenience for tackling all types of sewing and quilting projects. The LCD screen and intuitive controls allow you to easily select stitches, adjust settings, and start sewing faster.

Another excellent option to consider is the Janome HD3000: Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine with 18 Built-in Stitches + Hard Case. This model is designed for durability and comes with 18 built-in stitches, making it ideal for heavy-duty sewing tasks. It also includes a hard case to protect the machine, ensuring longevity and reliable performance for various sewing projects.

Stitches

The Janome 4120QDC sewing machine comes with 120 built-in stitches, including 7 automatic one-step buttonhole styles. It has all the basic utility stitches you'll need for garment sewing, quilting, and home decor projects.

For utility sewing, it includes straight, zigzag, blind hem, and stretch stitches. For decorative sewing, there are stitches like honeycomb, heirloom, satin, and cross patterns. It also has an alphabet for basic monogramming.

The machine excels at quilting with stitches like hand-look quilt stitch, stippling, feather, and echo quilting. There are even stitch functions dedicated to quilting such as quilt mode, which allows you to set stitch length to suit thicker fabrics. Overall, the wide variety of stitches covers all the needs of sewers, quilters, and crafters.

Quilting Capabilities

The Janome 4120QDC is packed with features that make it an excellent machine for quilting. One of the standout features is the extension table which provides a large work surface for managing large quilts. The extension table is easy to attach and remove as needed. When quilting, the ample work area makes it easier to control the fabric and achieve smooth, even stitching on your projects.

Another great feature for quilters is the included walking foot. This special presser foot helps feed the layers of a quilt evenly and prevents the layers from shifting while quilting. The walking foot ensures smooth stitching over seams and thick areas without puckering. Having this foot included in the accessories is a big perk for quilters. The Janome 4120QDC truly shines for quilting thanks to features like the extension table and walking foot.

Ease of Use

The Janome 4120QDC sewing machine is designed for ease of use, making it accessible for beginners while still meeting the needs of more advanced sewists.

One of the biggest ease of use features is the large LCD screen. This full color touchscreen display makes it simple to select your stitch and adjust settings. The screen displays the stitch you have selected along with the recommended stitch length, width, and tension. This takes a lot of guesswork out of stitch selection.

Another great feature for ease of use is the superior needle threader. With just the push of a lever, it threads the needle instantly. For those who struggle with threading, this is an invaluable time saving tool. No more squinting and fumbling with thread!

The machine has easy to follow guides printed right on the machine that show you where to thread in each spot. This is perfect for beginners who are just learning how to thread a sewing machine properly. There are also guides that show you how to wind the bobbin and insert it into the machine.

Overall, Janome designed this sewing machine to be user-friendly for sewers of all levels. The combination of an intuitive touch screen, superior needle threader, and printed guides on the machine itself make it one of the easiest to use computerized sewing and quilting machines available. Both beginners and experts will appreciate the thought that went into the ease of use.

Accessories

The Janome 4120QDC comes with a generous selection of accessories to get you started quilting and sewing right away. Notably, it includes a bonus quilt kit with a high-quality quilting ruler, rotary cutter, and acrylic quilting template. These tools will be extremely handy as you cut fabric pieces and blocks for your quilting projects.

The machine also comes with 7 different presser feet for various techniques, such as a buttonhole foot, zipper foot, blind hem foot, and open-toe satin stitch foot. Having multiple presser feet allows you to easily switch between different stitch types and applications without having to purchase additional accessories. It's a great value-add that expands what you can do with the machine.

To aid in quilting, the 4120QDC includes both a 1/4" quilting foot and a quilting guide bar. The 1/4" foot helps you perfectly sew accurate 1/4" seams, which is essential for piecing quilts. And the quilting guide bar attaches to the machine to keep your quilting lines evenly spaced.

Other handy accessories are the seam ripper, bobbins, needle set, screwdriver, spool caps, lint brush, and auxiliary spool pin. With this broad assortment, Janome provides everything you need to start sewing and quilting a wide variety of projects. The bonus quilt kit adds even more value if quilting will be one of your main activities.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the Janome 4120QDC really delivers. This machine has a maximum sewing speed of 820 stitches per minute, which is very fast for home sewing. The powerful motor allows it to sew smoothly and steadily at high speeds through multiple layers of fabric without slowing down.

The stitch quality produced by the Janome 4120QDC is excellent. It has a 7 piece feed dog system that keeps the fabric feeding smoothly and evenly. The stitches are very even and consistent, even at high speeds. Whether sewing straight lines or doing decorative stitches, the stitch formation is precise. Even at low speeds, the stitch quality remains high.

The Janome 4120QDC performs well sewing all types of fabrics, from lightweight silks to heavy canvas and denim. Its strong motor powers through thick seams without hesitation. The heavy-duty metal interior frame also allows the machine to handle thick fabrics without flexing or movement that could impact stitch quality.

Overall, when it comes to performance, the Janome 4120QDC delivers both speed and beautiful stitch quality that will satisfy advanced sewers. Its powerful motor and sturdy construction allow it to sew high-quality stitches evenly across all fabric types at fast sewing speeds.

Pros

The Janome 4120QDC sewing machine has several notable pros that make it a great choice for quilters and sewers.

• Large workspace: The machine has a nice wide sewing bed that provides ample room for managing large quilts or other big projects. This extra space is invaluable when sewing quilts.

• Many built-in stitches: With 120 built-in stitches, including 7 automatic buttonhole styles, this Janome offers plenty of decorative stitches to embellish projects. The stitches are high quality and easy to select.

• Excellent stitch quality: Users rave about the beautiful, consistent stitch quality produced by this machine. The stitches are even and smooth on all types of fabric. The machine sews through thick layers easily.

Cons

While the Janome 4120QDC is a great sewing and quilting machine overall, it does have some drawbacks to consider:

• Limited stitch selection - With only 120 built-in stitches, creative sewers may find the Janome 4120QDC lacks some of the decorative stitches available on higher-end models. The stitch selection focuses more on utilitarian stitches.

• Smaller throat space - The throat space measures 6.5 inches wide by 4.1 inches high. This may feel cramped for quilters working on larger quilts. The smaller throat space limits the machine's ability to handle thick fabrics.

• No automatic thread cutter - Having to cut threads manually after each seam can become tedious. Many competitors in this price range include an automatic thread cutter for added convenience.