Hi , I have a Pfaff Select 4 and have decided to update as although I love my machine I would like it to do a bit more, i.e fancy stitches and alphabet. I have been into the shop today and had lots of demonstrations and am thinking about the Janome Horizon Memory craft 7700 QCP. Does anyone have any advice for me I cannot afford to make another mistake,

Hi Ronnie,

If you look back at the thread Janome Horizon MC7700 you might get some helpful info. I do have the Horizon but have not actually used it much. I moved not long after it was bought for me and I don't have the space to put it up yet so it is sat in it's box at the moment. I did use it to quilt a double bed quilt and found the throat size to be brilliant. Re the alphabet I actually prefer the settings on the Janome MC 6600, but the fancy stitches are good on both.

Hope this has been of some help

Carol B

Hi Carol, thank you for your reply. I have had a look at the link and found it very helpful,some good points and some things I need to think about. Thanks again.

Hi Ronnie

You say that you have had lots of demonstrations, but have you actually given the machines a good workout? Do they do all that you want them to do?

I have an older Pfaff and a Janome Horizon. Infact , I have been using one of the alphabets on the Horizon today because it has a lower case, and it stitches beautifully. I do find the preset embroidery stitches on the Horizon limiting as I like to play and the Pfaff is more flexible and also has a 9mm width so it does wider embroidery stitches. I generally have the Pfaff out more than the Horizon. One really annoying thing with the Horizon, (well it is to me), is that you cannot continue where you left off if you stop it in the middle of something with the needle down and turn it off, because it reboots and you have to go through the setup again when you turn the machine back on.

The Horizon is a lovely machine but personally I wouldn't pay full price for it, and I didn't when I got it. As Carol says the wider arm is great when quilting. It is also a machine that needs to be left in one place not taken to classes. Mind you the weight would give you a hernia!

So what I am saying is don't rush. Think about it. You have read the previous thread. Give as many machines a try in your price bracket as you can. They all have pros and cons. When you think you have a short list I am sure we will be able to help you further.

Margaret

I bought one of the Janome 7700 qcp at the NEC. It had a £500 off RPI. So I decided it was to good to miss, when I went to my class in a sewing machine shop I learnt that they could have supplied it at the same price as the NEC but dont advertise as the manufacturers dont like it.

My advise would be ask a store what the lowest price would be, you might just be surprised.

ps I am very new to quilting and 'posh' machines but so far I love it.

Welcome to the forum Minnie!

That's very good advice, it is always worth asking around to get a good deal. My problem is that I want a discontinued machine, and no-one's got one! I'm glad you like your Horizon, it does sound like a great machine, it is quite popular with people here, and I really like Janome (don't get Jan started though, she really doesn't!)

Hope to see/hear more about your adventures with your new machine soon!

Hi Minnie, just a word of caution with the Janome. Make sure you are using a surge protection socket.

I know 2 people with the same machine as yours, I have a Janome6260 and I know of others with the same one as I have, we have all had them 'run' away. One person left it on and it had started up while she was away. No one seemed to know what the problem was, some had new feet controls and it still happened. The clue for me was my computer. We have not had the problem since we fitted surge sockets. I suppose we were daft not having them in the first place as we should no the dangers of power surges and computers!!1

Hi, thank you everyone for all your advice. Well I took the plunge and bought the Horizon 7700 and I love it. It does so much more than my Pfaff and so far I havent found any down side to it. I did get the £500 discount but I think thats a national offer, but the shop I got it from will give lessons if you get stuck so you get the most out of the machine , so good after sales service. Haven't heard of the surge protection socket but will look into it. Do you need one if you always switch off at the socket when you leave it ??

Yes. your machine has a computer in it and any power surge can destroy a computer ( doesn't always) Mine and our teachers has run away with us while using it. If you googke a lot seem to have trouble with this and the Janome, all seem to think it is the foot control and dirt or faults etc, but the machine I have was my friends, she even had a new foot control despite the dealers checking it and finding no fault, but it still did it. The first time it did it to me my computer was also on and went haywire, hence power surge went through my head. Since using the power surge socket, which we should have on all our computers etc it has not happened.

A friend totally ruined a computer due to a power surge.

Not every one has experienced this, it can depend if your area is suseceptible to power surges, but a socket, available in the supermarkets for a few £ is best.

Min is plugged into the same surge protector as my computer, I have one chair and use it to slide between the two!

I have spent all evening cutting up my Log Cabin fabric for the monthly block.... I do hope that the problem with the Flying Geese does not recurr with it, as I had already done the flying geese before they posted a new instruction..... No apology which I thought was a bit naugty! Will be making them up in class tommorow and just seems to this novice that 1 and a quarter inches is too narrow. as it will be 3/4 in when sewn. Will let you know.

Bit naughty of Janome to tell me that the £500 off was only available at the NEC as I could have had a trolley case as a free gift as well as the bits and pieces that came with it if I had bought it from my dealer.

Lesson learnt