There is more to a sewing machine than just the one you have sitting there to do regular sewing on. Over the years making a living sewing doll clothes, I have routinely had at least four and usually more machines in my sewing room at any given time.

My main machines are all Janome, formerly and for more than a hundred years trade named New Home. I will never imply that this is the only good machine, it is just the brand that I find lasts without repair and does all the things I need it to do, so it is the one I stay with for my main machine and a couple of the others. I upgraded to the computer machines as soon as they came out. When sewing for a living, speed and accuracy are a complete necessity, so I have always had top of the line machines. This is not to say I get a new machine every year– only every few years, when they have new innovations that can save me time and work.

For making doll clothes, I am currently still happy with a machine (Janome Memory Craft 9000, top of the line for the year it was issued) because although like any seamstress I drool over each brand new machine, this machine does all I ever need it to do and much more. The 50 built in  stitches that I can access at the push of a button, plus all the important attachments I use,  do all I need for heirloom quality doll clothes.

I have a Memory Craft 7000 that still does a lot of the same things beautifully, that is my backup and secondary machine. I have a secondary machine because if I am sewing  for example a white dress with red trim— I put red thread on the secondary machine so I don’t have to keep changing threads. If my main machine needs servicing every five years or so  I use the secondary machine while it is in the shop.

I will talk of other types of machines in additional posts.  Feel free to leave questions below.