Janome 712T Treadle Sewing Machine with Premier Package

You can't go wrong with this sewing machine

I purchased this machine with some reservations after the effort to find a Singer 401G or similar machine took longer than my old Pfaff had to give. The day it started making wheezing noises, I knew that it was time to give up the search for the wild unicorn and buy the pony. I'm glad I bought the pony. It's a NICE pony. Would I love to have the functionality of Singer Fashion Disks? Yes. Do I wish it had needle position right? Yes. Do I wish it had a metal bobbin case with a spring lid? Yep. But with the Janome I get the benefit of a warranty, a machine that is still in production (meaning new parts are also still in production.) and the peace of mind that when it becomes a valuable part of my household economy, should something happen, I'm not off on another hunting trip for unicorns to replace it. This machine is very solid -- there are some plastic body panels, but everything that honestly should be metal IS metal, and everything that should feel solid does. I own a Bernina from the 1970s (a lovely thing she is too), and it's true that nothing sews like a Bernina. It's so far ahead of the herd, there is no race. But as far as Janome might be behind Bernina, it's that much again ahead of the rest of race. I've joked in the past that Janome makes a diesel-powered sewing machine due to the noisy motors, fortunately, this Janome, having no motor, is only slightly noisier than the Singer 66 that occupied the cabinet previously. You can easily hold a conversation while sewing on this machine. Or watch TV. I made a tunic over the weekend and the machine went from stiff to sewing very smoothly. (I oiled it completely in advance, however.) This machine has no intentionally decorative stitches, but it has the usual host of utili-stiches and some of those can be made decorative if you work at it. It is designed to sew both woven and stretch. The feet could be better quality -- I'm going to hit up my Janome dealer for a better ankle and feet sometime soonish and I'll get back with an update. But, the feet that come with it do get the job done okay (well, the zipper foot is lame, but that's zipper feet....)

okay, i think this is my first review of a product ever! but when i was looking around for sewing machines i found it very frustrating that there were not any reviews on some things so i thought that i would do my part =D first of all, this machine is amazing!! before purchasing this, i was using an older White machine and it was electric...i was always having problems with the bobbin and threading and it not working etc. i have no had one problem since i first started using this machine (about 2 months ago now). i do need to add that this machine sees daily use...we cloth diaper in our family and i have been making an entire stash for my son and my soon to be daughter. this machine can sew through multiple layers of fabric (thick fabric) without a problem! my favorites: -no electricity needed for this machine to work -super easy to thread -the most amazing bobbin system i have ever used (SO easy) -very strong, sturdy machine this machine is mostly metal which is hard to come by now a days...there are some plastic parts but the pieces that matter are metal...i bought an old treadle sewing cabinet off of craigslist for about $40 and this fit into it just fine....i bought a singer sewing cabinet you will need to purchase a belt separately and they are about $12, you can just google treadle belts and various sites will pop up, they are a standard length and you cut them down to size according to your cabinet and machine. you wont regret this purchase!!

It works beautifully. I have only two little problems. One is that the bobbin winder is very slow, not a biggie, though. The other is that it does not fit into any of the cabinets I have. It's too wide and the end with the belt and wheel is not shaped to accommodate the existing cabinet. I Gerry-rigged a set up and it works fine, just doesn't look too great. Otherwise a fine machine and worth every penny.

This machine is nice. We were not able to use it right away as the treadle belt and the mounting screws were missing. Otherwise the machine is great.

I didn't buy this machine from Amazon. I bought it from my local Janome dealer. But I saw that it only had one review and it was a bad one I had to do something since I am happy with this machine. I like to share my experience with this machine with others. I am that pleased with it. I bought two of these exact same machines. One for me and one for my mom. You are buying a machine. A machine and new cabinet cost a considerable sum more than just the machine. These Janome treadle machines fit into an old Singer Sewing machine treadle cabinet with a little alteration to the cabinet. You will have to cut away some of the wood inside of the cabinet. The machine is a real workhorse! Think off the grid! It is awesome! I can quilt with it. So can my mom. It is super hard usually to quilt without a frame. But this Janome Treadle machine is awesome for it. It has done great with any sewing task I have asked out of it. Even zippers. It can do button holes too. The Amish around where I live use these machines with great success also. The only thing I wish it had was the little lever you pull down beside the needle for threading assistance. But... A treadle machine that comes with reverse, lots of stitches and a goody bag full of feet, oil, a seam ripper, needles, bobbins, and a lot of other things. Excellent! It comes with an informative manual also. This machine is just the machine and the goody bag. It is awesome to go with an old Singer case. You will not be disappointed AT ALL! It is a good sturdy machine just like I would expect from a Janome. It delivers. I can sew and hear the television over the sewing machine. It is that quiet. I love it. I love that it doesn't overheat. I love that it isn't expensive on the electric bill to run! It is good exercise too. Keep it oiled and as lint free as you can and it will give you years of faithful service. My only complaint is minor. I have one spot where the paint is coming off. On the handwheel. But that is a small thing.

Love it. It seemed stiff at first but after a couple of weeks use it is smooth, easy, and quiet. I sew on it all the time and have used all the stitches.

Put it in a old base and it sews great. Put lots of oil in it to get it running. Sews strong and is simple to operate. Love that it can back stitch, zig zag and even sew button holes.

Runs smooth and quite, sews well. Handles heavy denim better than my electric machine. It takes a LITTLE more effort to treadle than Great Grandma's sewing machine ( that used to be in the cabinet the Janome is in now ) but I notice as I use it, it is "breaking in" and has gotten easier to treadle. Retro-fitting it into the cabinet was not hard, I had to file away a very small amount of wood and then it dropped right in place. I highly recommend this machine.