Piecing on the Juki TL2010Q

The Juki TL2010Q comes with an extension table which I like but I prefer to have my machine flush with the table top. I have a Sylvia Designs sewing table with opening where the machine sits and there is a Plexiglas surround so that the top of the machine is flus with the table. The surround has to be custom cut to fit each machine. I visited the Sylvia Designs website for pricing and I am looking at roughly $100 for the insert. OUCH! Necessity is the mother of invention so before I drop that kind of cash I decided to try out the inserts I have and guess what? One of them fits the Juki! The insert was cut to fit a Janome 6500 so I am thrilled to have the $100 in my pocket. The depth of the Juki is a little shallower than my Janome (about 3") so I've put a piece of MDF under my machine to raise it up and it is now the perfect height! Yahoo - fun sewing days are ahead of me! And maybe a little fabric shopping with that $100!

I've been doing some piecing with the Juki and it sews like a dream. One of the things I really like is that the patchwork foot is narrow and this allows me to pin well. Here you can see the difference between my 1/4" Janome foot (on the right) and the Juki foot (on the left). The Juki foot isn't as pretty as the Janome foot but it does the trick! The fabric feeds so smoothly and although I pin well I don't have to pin as much as I do with my Janome.

When I use my Janome 7700 the pins have to be quite a distance from the foot and the glass head pins even further because they get in the way of the foot. Here you can see my patchwork pinned and under the Juki. An added feature is the nice long shank. The sewing area is wide open so there is excellent visibility when sewing, much better than my Janome 7700. That will be invaluable feature when machine quilting!

I am sewing blocks into quilt tops for my Mom and once they are done I'll be able to try some machine quilting. Stay tuned for my report on the results of my tests! If the results of my piecing tests are anything to go by the quilting will be excellent!

Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H