Janome 712T has to be one of the best treadle sewing machines around. But you need to take some care in finding the best sewing cabinet for this machine.
Janome 712T Treadle Sewing Machine Main Features
- 10 built-in stitches
- Drop-in bobbin
- No electric power required
- Flatbed design
Janome 712T Review
Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : HIGH
This Janome machine is very different from other sewing machines we have reviewed at Sewing Machine Reviews. This machine doesn’t require electrical power for sewing. Janome 712T is for those who love the traditional way of sewing. The machine comes with 10 built-in stitches and a buttonhole stitch. One important thing to notice is that this machine requires a treadle operated sewing table. The table is not included in the package. If you don’t have a treadle operated table, then you will have to spend some dollars for it. I guess you can get one for around $50 – $75.
Janome 712T has a flatbed design so that it fits perfectly into existing cabinetry. The machine comes with a top drop-in bobbin, that too with a clear cover so that you can keep an eye on the bobbin thread supply. The threading guide will make threading nice and easy. The machine weighs around 16 pounds.
Usability
Janome 712T serves a specific set of sewers, who want to sew without using electricity. All that goes in, is your physical effort. Nowadays it is very hard to find treadle sewing machines in U.S. I think Janome has done a good job in coming up with a treadle sewing machine in an affordable price range. The build quality is excellent and it will last for years. It has a nice number of built-in stitches, especially when you compare it with older treadle machines that did straight stitch only. The quality of stitches are excellent and the operation is very smooth as well. The throat is about 6.5″ wide.
Limitations
Janome 712T doesn’t have a sewing light, so you will have to rely on exterior lighting.
The biggest difficulty that most people will have is in getting this machine to fit the existing cabinet. In most cases, the existing table will be from Singer, and you will need to modify or remove some parts of the table to make it fit.
Is It Worth Buying ?
To me, Janome 712T has to be the best treadle sewing machine I have ever come across. There are 3 things that make this machine wonderful,
- Durability
- Variety of stitches
- Quality of stitches
The only thing you need to worry about is to get the right sewing cabinet for this machine.