Are you looking for a new sewing machine? It’s quite the investment and if you pick wrong one, it won’t fulfill your sewing needs. If you are also an avid quilter, you’ll need a machine that can handle it all.
In this article, we will be focusing on the Juki TLI2010Q sewing machine. We will talk about the company, what people think of it, and whether or not it’s a good fit for you.
How Do You Plan On Using Your Machine?
Before you buy any type of sewing machine, you need to think about what you are using it for. Depending on your needs, one type of machine may be better for you than another.
Mending
If you plan on doing mending, hemming, and tailoring, you should find a machine with a free arm. This will make hemming much easier by allowing the leg or sleeve to move around the sewing area.
A blind hemming stitch and foot will allow you to more easily hem dress pants and skirts.
A less expensive machine might not be able to sew through thicker fabrics like denim or heavyweight curtains. It also might not be able to handle thin material as well.
Home Décor
Making your own curtains, throw pillows, and seat cushions can save you a lot of money and let you customize them.
Look for an automatic buttonhole option to help make simpler and more professional looking projects. Home décor fabric can be very thick, so make sure to get a machine that can feed many layers of thick fabric easily.
Clothing
Most clothing can be sewn using a combination of 5 different features. Look for a straight stitch, zigzag stitch, stretch stitch, automatic buttonhole, and the ability to change the needle position. The last of which is good for sewing zippers.
Most machines will perform a back stitch as well, locking your stitches so they don’t come apart.
If you want to sew knit fabrics, you’ll need a stretch stitch or a zig zag stitch to let the stitched fabric stretch and move with the wearer. It’s can also help to have a machine that will sew with a twin needle. This creates a more professional hem.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Machine
If you are still having trouble choosing a machine, here are a few questions to ask yourself. Hopefully, it will help you narrow your choices.
How Many Stitches Do You Need?
What you need and what looks fun are 2 very different things. The basic and most diverse stitches are the straight stitch and zigzag stitch. With these 2, you can do almost anything.
The rest depends on your projects.
Can You Adjust the Stitch Length?
Being able to adjust any type of stitch length and width is invaluable. Again, depending on what your project, you will you need to adjust the stitch length.
Most machines offer different stitch widths and lengths. Though lower priced machines don’t offer this feature.
What Attachments Come with It?
Having a selection of presser feet can make all the difference in your sewing time. It’s important to find out which attachments come as a standard and which attachments are available to buy separately.
If you want to make clothing, you need to get a machine that has a buttonhole foot, a zipper foot, and a blind hem foot as standard attachments.
If you make quilts though, you need a walking foot, a .25 foot which gives you allowance for patchwork, and you will want a freehand embroidery foot.
For basic sewing, a selection of different width feet can be invaluable when switching between seam allowance widths, as well as for the zigzag stitch.
If the machine you want to buy doesn’t have the feet you want, make sure you can buy them separately and that they aren’t expensive.
How Big is the Motor?
This may seem like a technical question, but it’s more helpful than you know. First of all, the heavier the motor, the heavier the actual machine. If you need a machine that you can carry around, then this is something you need to be aware of.
Also, a strong, heavy motor will handle a lot of use and heavier fabrics like upholstery weight fabrics and denim.
A machine that is mostly plastic will not be able to handle the kind of use a machine with metal parts can.
How Noisy is the Machine?
If your head is going to be close to something for long periods of time, it would be helpful to take in consideration how noisy it is. If you are worried about the amount of noise you are making, the less likely you’ll use it.
Mechanical Vs. Computerized
Most of the more expensive machines are fully computerized with touch screens and programmable stitch sequences.
Modern mechanical machines are lighter, even if they have a strong motor, because they have less parts. They are easier to carry around which is good if you need to move it often. They are also easier to maintain, with covers that can be removed so that the motor can be oiled. Servicing is cheaper as a result.
Mechanical machines might not seem as fun as computerized ones, but they can still handle basic sewing tasks. Older, good quality machines can be good starter machines because they are easy to master and are heavy weight. They can handle the kind of abuse you may give them learning how to sew.
Just remember that good new machines are computerized or electronic.
How Often Will You Use Your Machine
People often wish they had more time to sew, but it’s good to be realistic about how often you will actually do it.
If you aren’t going to use it often, only for the occasional hemming, then you don’t need a fancy machine full of features. Instead, a basic but quality made machine will work just fine. If you are an aggressive sewer, then it’s worth the investment in a good machine.
About Juki
Juki started in 1945, and their first home machines were manufactured in 1947. It was then marketed in Japan and other countries around the world. Although Juki became an industrial sewing machine giant, the original sewing machines made were home machines.
In 1953, Juki began the sale of industrial machines. They started with basic machines for garment plants, their research evolved through the years, bringing sewing to a higher level of technology.
With the development of electronic functions and motors, they created labor saving devices that increased productivity. It also increased operator comfort and safety.
These advances made Juki the forefront of the global needle trade markets.
Their revolutionary advancements in home technology include the development of the first rotary needle thread take up system in 1954. The first automatic thread trimmer and auto needle threader in 1978, and they created the first auto thread tension in 1985.
In 1974, Juki opened their first US office in New York as the brand popularity grew internationally for home and commercial use. They expanded in 1976 and moved to a larger facility in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
Juki won the prestigious Deming Prize for quality control in the manufacturing of industrial sewing machines in 1981.
Today, Juki has entered the worldwide market with their line of home machines and sergers.
What is JukiTLl2010Q?
It’s a single needle, lock stitch, high performance sewing machine. The machine only sews straight stitches. However, they are great straight stitches that don’t tangle or get bird’s nests on the underside.
It was designed to help speed up quilting.
It has an aluminum die cast design and it’s lightweight and portable. It comes with an automatic thread trimmer, meaning that you don’t have to cut the threads yourself. Other features are a predetermined stop position for the needle, sub tension system, variable speed control slider, foot controlled trimming system, automatic threading, fine-tuned tension settings, and speed control lever.
It comes with 2 presser feet, the standard quilt foot, and even feed foot, an extension table, 2 screwdrivers, lint brush, needles, spool cap, dust cover, and 4 bobbins.
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What Makes JukiTLl2010Q Unique?
It has a super-fast motor similar to a commercial machine. It has its bobbin placed on the left like a commercial machine. Also, the needle threads from left to right rather than front to back. It gives more secure and even stitching.
It also has a quilting frame for long arm free motion quilting at a fraction of the cost of a long arm quilting machine. This allows you to grow and add on as your quilt progresses. A long arm is very expensive, going around $20,000.
There is a control slider that makes it easier to control and to maintain the speed of your sewing. You can go as low as 200 stitches a minute to as high as 1,500 stitches a minute.
There is also a dial that lets you adjust the stitch length, and the quality of stitches is amazing.
What Other People Think of It
You can buy the Juki TLI2010Q on a variety of purchasing sites. Some of these include Amazon, Sewing Machines Plus, and Overstock.com. We will break down what customers thought of this machine on each of these sites.
Amazon
4.7-Star Rating
On Amazon, the Juki TLI2010Q has a 4.7-star rating. People like this machine because it has the best straight stitch out of any machine, it makes quilting so easy, and the fact it has an extension table and wide throat space.
People have complained about the fact that the automatic threader doesn’t work as well as it should, the light isn’t bright enough, and that it seems to jam sometimes.
Sewing Machines Plus
4.9-Star Rating
On this site, it has a 4.9 out of 5 rating. According to reviewers, the pros of this machine are how quiet it is, it’s user friendly, and the automatic thread cutter.
The con is the needle threader.
Overstock.com
5-Star Rating
The Juki TLI2010Q has a 5-star rating on this site. Though to be fair, there are only 3 reviews so far.
How It Compares to Other Sewing Machines
Now that you know what customers think, let’s see how the Juki TLI2010Q stands up to other sewing machines.
VS
Brother PQ1500SL Vs. Juki TLI2010Q
Both of these machines are known to be fast and powerful. They are both able to sew at 1,500 stitches a minute. Both are straight sewing machines and adjust their stitch length.
The Brother machine needs more surface space because of the large table. This makes it easier to handle big projects. It’s also lighter than the Juki model.
When it comes to stitching length, Brother has the win. Their stitch length is 7mm while Juki is only 6mm.
Its features include a thread tension dial, independent bobbin winding motor, and a built in knee lifter. The thread tension is really handy for handling different parts of projects. It lets you quickly and easily adjust the thread tension to know the strength and flexibility.
Though it lacks a true needle up and down feature. There is a needle down button, but it only sets the positions of the needle when stopping. This means you need to use the hand wheel to take up the bobbin thread.
Juki doesn’t have a built in table, though there is an attachment for a large table. It’s more space friendly, and it’s heavier. Though this can add a bit of stability.
Its features have already been listed above. The speed control is useful for precision work, and the automatic thread cutter can save you a lot of time. Plus, it has the true needle up and down feature.
Overall, it seems like the Juki TLI2010Q won this battle due to all its features.
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What We Think
While being expensive, we think the Juki TLI2010Q is a worthy investment. Many people love this machine because of its features and precision. It’s especially popular among quilters.
No matter what, remember to ask yourself those questions above, so that you can pick the perfect machine for you.