The Best Janome Machines for Advanced Sewers

The Best Janome Machines for Advanced Sewers

Janome is a top sewing machine brand known for high-quality, innovative machines. As one of the leading manufacturers worldwide, Janome offers advanced features and precision stitching. Their lineup includes mechanical and computerized machines to suit all sewing levels.

Advanced sewers have honed their skills and take on more complex projects with fine details or specialty fabrics. They need a machine with excellent stitch quality, a wide variety of stitches and functions, and features to enhance control and ease of use.

When choosing the best Janome for advanced sewers, key criteria include:

  • Mechanical precision for perfect stitch formation
  • Large selection of built-in stitches
  • Computerized capabilities to automate functions
  • Specialized presser feet for techniques like piping, zippers, or embroidery
  • Adjustable speed control for handling delicate fabrics
  • Advanced needle positions for specialized stitches and sewing in tight spaces
  • Ample work area to manage large or bulky projects
  • Heavy duty motor and interior metal frame to power through thick fabrics

Janome offers several models that meet and exceed these standards for advanced sewers. The machines highlighted below have the features, reliability and performance needed to excel.

Mechanical Precision

Advanced sewists require a machine with mechanical precision to form stitches exactly right. Janome is renowned for its superior engineering and build quality that delivers the utmost accuracy and reliability.

Janome's cast alloy chassis and extra stable feed dog mechanism prevent skipped stitches, uneven stitch length, and other frustrating inconsistencies. This level of precision is essential for advanced techniques like topstitching, applique, heirloom sewing, and more. Even at high speeds, Janome machines maintain perfect stitch formation.

With Japanese-made parts and rigorous quality control, Janome machines are built to last through years of frequent use. Their precise internal components allow for fine adjustments to stitch length, width, and tension for perfect results on any fabric. Advanced sewists can tackle delicate projects knowing their Janome machine won't let them down.

Stitch Selection

For advanced sewers, having a wide variety of built-in stitches is essential for tackling complex projects. More stitch options allow sewers to embellish, construct, and finish garments and crafts without being limited by the machine. Janome is known for offering sewing machines with extensive stitch libraries to satisfy advanced users.

Some of Janome's top models boast over 200 built-in stitches for decorative sewing, quilting, heirloom stitching, and button holes. For example, the Janome Memory Craft 9900 has an incredible 306 built-in stitches, including 5 alphanumeric fonts. This exceptional selection enables sewers to add beautiful detail, dimension, and texture without needing to switch between specialty presser feet and stitch plates.

The Janome Horizon Memory Craft 14000 also impresses with its large stitch library of 260 built-in stitches. Sewers can experiment with stitch functions like elongated satin stitches, tapered stitches, two-directional stitches and more. For advanced embroidery, it has 20 fonts with European accents and 9 embroidery frames.

Having a computerized machine with hundreds of stitches gives advanced sewers the creative freedom to complete complex projects entirely on their machine. Janome's broad stitch selection allows crafters to make one-of-a-kind garments, quilts, home decor and more.

Computerized Functions

Advanced sewers will appreciate the computerized functions available on Janome's high-end sewing machines. These features provide precision, versatility and ease of use that take sewing projects to the next level.

Janome is known for its intuitive displays and programming. Even extensive options are easy to navigate on the LCD screen. You can select stitches, adjust settings and program sequences without frustration.

Computerization enables key benefits for advanced sewing:

  • Precision stitch placement is easier with the ability to set exact stitch length and width. The machine will remember those specifications until changed.

  • You can combine stitches into sequences and programming them to sew out custom patterns. This saves time and effort when doing decorative stitches.

  • The machine can remember customized stitches for future use. Janome machines have memory banks to store your stitch creations.

  • Automatic thread cutting is a huge time saver. Just press a button and the machine will cut the threads and pull thread ends to the back.

  • Advanced needle positioning provides more options for decorative stitches. You can program the needle to stop in the up or down position.

Janome's computerized models make programming and editing stitches a breeze. You'll love the accuracy and ease of use advanced features provide.

Specialized Feet

Advanced sewers rely on specialty presser feet to achieve professional-looking results on specialty fabrics and techniques. Many entry-level and mid-range sewing machines only include basic presser feet, which limits what advanced sewers can accomplish. Janome sewing machines are an excellent choice for advanced sewers because they include a wide variety of specialty presser feet.

For example, the Janome DC1030 comes with 9 different snap-on presser feet for techniques like zipper insertion, piping, cording, rolled hemming, and more. The top-of-the-line Janome Horizon Memory Craft 15000 includes an incredible selection of 37 snap-on feet. With options like an invisible zipper foot, open toe foot, clear view foot, and embroidery foot, advanced sewers will have the right foot for any project. Janome's specialty feet allow sewers to easily achieve advanced techniques like applique, quilting, heirloom stitching, and working with hard-to-manage fabrics like leather and vinyl. Having a full assortment of presser feet makes Janome sewing machines extremely versatile for sewers looking to expand their skills.

Speed Control

Having the ability to adjust sewing speed gives advanced sewers more control and versatility when working on different types of projects and fabrics. Sewing lightweight fabrics like silk or chiffon requires a slower speed to prevent puckering, while thicker fabrics like denim can be sewn at faster speeds. Janome sewing machines aimed at advanced users provide speed control options to handle anything from delicate heirloom stitching to rugged outdoor gear.

The Janome Memory Craft 6700P offers speed control with a slider that allows setting the maximum sewing speed from slow to fast. This makes it easy to adjust speed on the fly when moving between different sections and fabric weights in a project. Other Janome models like the Horizon Memory Craft 12000 offer a speed control lever with four preset speed settings plus a top speed of 1,200 stitches per minute. Having several speed presets makes it convenient to quickly switch between fast and slow as needed. Whether using a slider or lever control, having a wide speed range gives advanced sewers the precision and flexibility they need.

Advanced Needle Positions

One of the key features that experienced sewers look for in a sewing machine is the ability to precisely position the needle. Having a wide range of needle positions allows you to perfectly align stitches, make accurate seams, and easily maneuver around tricky parts of a project. Many entry-level and mid-range machines only offer a center, left, and right needle position. However, Janome's more advanced models offer extra positions like far left and far right.

For example, the high-end Janome MC9700 sewing machine provides a total of 9 needle positions. This gives you the utmost control and accuracy when piecing together your work. You can line up seams flawlessly, pivot with precision on corners, and evenly topstitch near edges. The extra positions also make it easier to install zippers, stitch buttonholes, and maneuver around curves and angles. No matter what type of project you're working on, having those extra needle positions makes a significant difference.

Other Janome models aimed at advanced sewers that offer 7+ needle positions include the 6700P, the 8900QCP, and the Memory Craft 15000. So if needle positioning is important to you, be sure to look for machines in Janome's upper tier rather than their more basic options. The expanded range of motion will give you the accuracy and control you need as an experienced sewist.

Large Work Area

Advanced sewers often work on big, thick projects like quilts, curtains, and upholstery that require ample work area. Limited space between the needle and machine neck can make maneuvering bulky material difficult. Janome's top-of-the-line machines offer the most throat space and work area for seamless sewing on large projects.

The Janome 1600P-DB provides a full 9 inches of work area to the right of the needle. This gives you plenty of room for sewing multiple layers or heavy fabrics. The Janome Memory Craft 9450 also touts an extra-large work area with nearly 9 inches of space. Both models make sewing big quilts, home decor items, and other sizable projects easy. You'll have the freedom to guide thick material through the machine with minimal bunching or maneuvering.

If you regularly sew large or bulky fabrics, the Janome 1600P-DB and Memory Craft 9450 are ideal choices. Their expansive work areas offer the throat space needed for advanced projects. You'll be able to sew curtains, quilts, and other oversized items with ease.

For those seeking a machine that provides significant workspace but with a more versatile approach for everyday sewing, consider the Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine. It offers not only a robust build suitable for heavier fabrics but also includes 18 built-in stitches and a hard case. The HD3000 is a great choice for those needing a reliable and durable machine that provides ample space and flexibility for a variety of sewing projects, from crafting to garment making. It's well-suited for intermediate to advanced sewists looking for a solid machine to handle larger and more demanding sewing tasks.

Heavy Duty

When sewing frequently with thicker fabrics like denim, canvas, or quilting materials, you need a heavy duty sewing machine built to handle the workload. Most home sewing machines struggle with multiple layers or dense fabrics, but Janome's heavy duty models are designed for durability.

The Janome HD3000 is one of Janome's most rugged machines. It has an all-metal interior frame and extra high presser foot lift to accommodate thick fabrics. The HD3000 comes with 18 built-in stitches plus a 4-step buttonhole, giving you all the essentials for sewing heavy projects. It has easy to navigate dials and manual thread tension adjustment for optimal stitch quality.

For advanced sewers working on big quilting or home decor projects, the Janome HD1000 is a great choice. It comes with 14 stitches including a 4-step buttonhole, plus an automatic needle threader. The HD1000 includes a hard carrying case for portability between projects. With simple controls and a top loading bobbin, this heavy duty Janome machine is built to handle frequent all-day use.

Janome's heaviest duty machine is the HD5000. It has an aluminum body for maximum durability along with 18 built-in stitches and extra high foot lift. The HD5000 powers through thick seams without hesitation, making it ideal for sewing canvas, denim, and quilting. Easy turn dials, manual thread tension, and automatic needle threader allow you to get set up quickly. This professional-grade Janome can sew for hours on end while providing superior stitch quality.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing a Janome sewing machine for advanced sewers, there are a few key features to look for. Janome is known for its precision mechanics and high stitch quality, so any of their computerized or mechanical machines will serve an experienced sewer well. However, models like the Janome Memory Craft 6300P offer an exceptional selection of utility and decorative stitches along with easy-to-use functions.

For advanced sewers who work on large or thick projects, the Janome HD3000 is a great heavy duty option. Its sturdy metal interior and powerful motor can handle thick seams without hesitation. Those wanting a large work area should consider the Janome Horizon MC9450QCP, which provides a full 9" of workspace.

Overall, Janome's line of sewing machines is packed with quality choices for sewists with advanced skills. Focusing on stitch selection, computerization, heavy duty capacity, and large work areas will ensure you find a Janome machine ready to handle anything you can sew. Any of the models mentioned above would make an excellent addition to an experienced sewer's toolkit.