Heavy Duty, you say?

In place of our Machine Model of the month series of posts we have been offering since January, Michael takes you on a tour of a SEVEN great heavy duty models in this month’s post.  All of these models are currently available in Canada …………one of these might just be what you are looking for? Ed. 

While writing another blog post recently about Janome’s new HD-9 heavy duty sewing machine, I got to thinking about just how MANY excellent sewing machine options Janome has available for all sorts of heavy duty sewing. Like many of you, I learned to sew making garments, then caught the quilting bug, and have recently turned to sewing tote bags to get my “fix”.

There’s pretty-much a Janome machine for every need and every budget. As always, your fabulous Janome dealer is a tremendous source of information, so please call or visit for more details.

As mentioned, the HD-9 is Janome’s newest, top of the line model in the Heavy Duty range. At 1600 stitches a minute, all-metal seamless flatbed and new Heavy Weight Thread Guide for using heavier threads when sewing leather, heavy denim or canvas, it certainly packs a punch!

Of course, I love all Janome machines, but the Janome 6700P holds a special place in my heart. As the tag line goes, “Sit. Sew. Fall in Love” , and, well, that’s exactly what happened with me. I sat at it, sewed, and fell in love with it’s all-metal seamless flatbed; 1200 stitches per minute; industrial-like, professional look and feel, yet it has tremendous versatility in it’s abundance of decorative stitches, fonts and editing capabilities. I’ve had one at home on loan from Janome since it debuted 2 years ago and I really don’t want to give it back!

“Hot of the press” and brand new to Canada is the Janome MC 6650P, the newest model in the Professional, Heavy Duty range of machines. Don’t you LOVE that touch of red?! Red is my favourite colour, so of course I’m drawn to this machine, but there’s certainly many more reasons to love it – though personally speaking, the fact that it has a red faceplate is enough to make me want it. lol! All joking aside, at 1000 stitches per minute, 10 inch all-metal flatbed, one-push needle plate removal, LED lighting….the list goes on! What’s not to love?

Perhaps though, maybe these machine above are a little more machine than you want to handle. Maybe you feel they are more than you want or need. Though you still want something sturdy, and capable of heavy duty sewing, perhaps you’d like a slightly smaller machine which you’d also take to classes, or to the cottage. Never fear, Janome has you covered! The HD (Heavy Duty) range of machines are feature-rich, yet easy on the budget.

Available in White as well as Black, the Janome HD1000 comes with the special Ultra Glide foot, which is ideal for sewing vinyl, suede and leather which typically stick to the standard metal presser foot, and the Even Feed walking foot to use with thicker layers of fabric so they’ll feed more smoothly and evenly.

The Janome HD2000 offers 24 stitches, one-step buttonhole and high presser foot lift to accommodate thicker, bulkier fabric layers.

The Janome HD3000 is another popular Heavy Duty machine available in White and special Black Edition. I had the pleasure of putting this machine through it’s paces during an all-male quilting retreat last year; the first Canadian Male Quilters retreat. I wrote several blog posts while I constructed a quilted tote bag and Jelly Roll rug and included a little video of me sewing through 8 layers of denim in the post which you can view by clicking here. Yes, 8 layers of denim!

Last in the HD Heavy Duty series is the Janome HD5000, which has 18 stitches, extra-high presser foot lift and convertible free-arm amongst it’s list of features.

I could go on and list more machines, but I think you get the idea. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a Janome machine for everyone, every need and every budget. It’s important to do your homework; know your needs and wants; consult your fabulous Janome dealer and give the machines a test-drive to find one which is right for YOU!

A terrific way to test-drive a variety of machines is visit the Janome booth at one of the sewing shows across the country, like the upcoming Quilt Canada in Ottawa, ON June 12-15, 2019. We’ll have several Janome dealers and Educators in the booth to show you the machines and answer any questions. We won’t have all of the machines I mentioned earlier, however. Contact your Janome dealer to see what machines they have in stock, or can order in for you.

Happy Heavy Duty Sewing!