My sewing room set up and my new machine: the Janome MC11000 v3.0

In December 2011, just before Christmas actually, my husband and I purchased a second machine for me: the Janome MC11000 v3.0.



It's a previously loved machine (yes, secondhand) purchased through a very friendly Sewing Machine Store in Amsterdam. As I cannot travel they were willing to bring me 2 machines to choose from. And I chose the Janome (over the Designer 1 by Husqvarna).

The reason why I bought another sewing machine is that I really wanted a machine that could embroider. And the price on this machine was so good that there was no doubt. This machine could also do FMQ for me in frames... haven't tried that out yet. We are still getting acquainted, the MC11K (another name for the MC11000) and I. What I have done on her is great and I love the fact that the feet are interchangeable with my Janome Horizon MC7700 (of course not the Acufeed feet - but the MC11K also has a dual feed foot).

So, while my Horizon was in Amsterdam for a much needed service / fine-tuning check-up, I have been sewing and embroidering on this machine a lot.

Needless to say that the sewing area in our living room needed some re-arranging! Somewhere in October 2011 or so I had made hole in the old diningroom table that used to belong to my parents-in-law and that I have been using as a sewing table, to fit my Janome Horizon so the sewing height was flush with the table.

There's a specially purchased multiply wood board underneath the machine. I can adjust the height so the MC 11000 fits in the hole too! (didn't know it would fit but it turned out it did!).
But I mainly keep the Horizon in it and the acrylic table that it came with fits perfectly over the opening.

Now to give you an added idea of how I worked prior to the new machine, the above picture tells it well: my Horizon on the right part of the table so there's plenty room left for a quilt to be quilted, the ironing board on my right that doubles as an extra working area and to the left something I really love: my MIL's glass coffee table that now serves as my cutting table! The perfect height for me on top of the dining table! (and sufficient storage space underneath too for sewing accessoires and fabric).

Here's a detail picture of my cutting table:

So, as you can understand: no room for the Janome MC11000 in this set-up!

The glass cutting table is now on another table, waiting for a more definitive solution (possibly my filing cabinet so I can keep my fabrics there like Karen shows in her blog).

So my sewing quarters now look like this:

...and it's great! The wooden chest of drawers holds all the feet for both machines, my threads and some hoops for the MC11000. I plan to hang hooks on the left of the chest to hold the larger hoops. I have my rulers haning on the right side of the chest. And I can pull the chest of drawers out from underneath the table to double as a support for a large quilt or even as a table where I can put a folder or the pattern I am working on (like a ITH (in the hoop pattern)).

I love my set-up as I have a view out of the window onto the street:

Projects made with the MC11000

So now on to show you a few things I made with the MC1100:

The 2 brown ones are for my hubby and me, featuring our initials. The 2 red ones were made for a female friend for her birthday. The ITH (In The Hoop) pattern used is by Stichinjenny. - do check out her wonderful blog when you're there!

It's fun to watch the machine sew by itself:

Though you miay not see much progress in this movie:
the sewing machine is making a sating stitch around the coaster.
It reminds me of: 'look Mom, no hands' when the embroidery machine works all by herself!

And then I also made these fabric cases in the hoop:

The ITH pattern I used is by Five Star Fonts.

Here's a view inside the red one: there's a separation flap of fabric giving the case 2 pockets:

I made this one for the same friend who received the 2 red coasters.

Meanwhile I have joined a couple of Yahoo groups and my knowledge of machine embroidery is increasing thanks to all the helpful tips and the knowledge in those groups! I hope to be able to contribute too some day.

Another blog entry here soon will be on some more tips. Small things I do that really help and that might be helpful for some of you too!

Bye for now,

Else