Janome Memory Craft 6650 (MC6650)
My absolute favorite large throat quilting machine is the Janome Memory Craft 6650 (Janome MC6650). I don’t complete a project without using this elegant and well-crafted sewing machine. It is a well-built and sturdy machine with massive throat space and an optional extension table (which I bought). The list of features for this machine is incredible. The features include:
- A holder for large cones and spools of thread
- An automatic thread cutter
- Automatic needle threader
- Knee lift frees both hands to focus on your project
- 172 built-in stitches
- One-step buttonholes
- Snap-on presser feet make it super easy to change them
- Extra-high presser feet allow you to quilt some really thick materials
- Start/Stop button, speed control, reverse button, and many others
- Stitch memory
- 6 LED lights illuminate the entire work area so you can sew in low light environments
- A 3.6-inch LCD Screen for easy stitch selection
- Stich length and width adjuster
- Thread tension controller
This list goes on and you also get 12 additional presser feet and a dust cover. But forget about all the bells and whistles because did I mention it has a very large throat? This is what matters most to us – and this machine handles both straight and free motion quilting like the pro that it is. I have fallen in love with it and I promise that you will too. I bought this machine after testing and comparing it to several others and I am very happy with it and can’t recommend it enough.
The MC6650 is not cheap but an awesome machine if you can afford it. I guess it all depends on what you want to use it for. It is totally worth the investment if you will be using it to make items to sell but it may be a bit too pricy if you’re just making stuff as gifts for friends and family. However, it is a fun machine to sew on and it’s also pretty easy to use so get it if you can.
A cheaper alternative will be the Janome MC6500P, which I also tested and I must say it is a top-notch machine. The only difference is that the throat space is not as large as the MC6650 and a bit older. The amount of 5-star reviews it has from other users shows what a good quilting sewing machine it is.