Janome Skyline S5 Review

Janome Skyline S5 is an advanced sewing machine. Lot of premium features are on offer. It oozes class but it is expensive at the same time.

Janome Skyline S5 Main Features

  • 170 built-in stitches
  • Sewing start/stop and speed control slider
  • Programmable needle up/down
  • Locking stitch button
  • Automatic needle threader and thread cutter

Janome Skyline S5 Review

Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : HIGH

Skyline S5 is an expensive sewing machine. So you need to be absolutely sure about its quality before buying it. Currently it is available only at Janome retail stores. You will have a hard time finding it online. This is an advanced sewing machine. So users with some sewing experience will find it easy to use. It doesn’t mean that it is a complicated machine, it is just that beginners will have to go through the learning curve.

Janome Skyline S5 comes with 170 built-in stitches including 10 one-step buttonholes. The stitch selection chart is provided on the lid of the machine. It is a machine designed for quilters. It has a 9 inch arm which is capable of handling large projects. Stitch selection is very easy. The LCD screen is of reasonable size and it is backlit (you expect that for the price). You just need to enter the stitch number and the machine will display the optimum stitch length and width and also which presser foot to use. You can override the machine set stitch width and length by pressing the arrow buttons. The maximum stitch width is 9mm and stitch length is 5mm (9mm stitch width gives a nice range to work with in comparison to the common 7mm machines).

All the stitches are categorized into different modes. For eg: Mode 2 for quilting stitches. You can select the stitch category by pressing the mode button. Top drop-in bobbin makes it easy to change the bobbin (it is a huge time saver, trust me). The clear cover for bobbin, lets you keep an eye on the thread supply as well. Tension is automatically set on this machine.

Being an advanced computerized sewing machine, Skyline S5 has sewing start/stop and speed control slider for sewing without the foot pedal. The programmable needle up/down button which is vital for quilters is also provided. The locking stitch button locks the stitch for you in a snap. The automatic needle threader makes threading easy for you. There is another premium feature called the automatic thread cutter, which cuts the remaining thread by the push of a button.

One thing I really liked about this Janome machine is that it is well lit. It has 6 LED bulbs which illuminate the sewing area and the work area (In most sewing machines, you will get lights for the sewing area, not for the entire arm). Janome’s superior feed system ensures consistent fabric feeding. A whopping 91 needle positions are available on Skyline S5 (that’s a lot to be honest).

The machine is free arm capable. You just need to remove the built-in accessory storage compartment. The drop feed control can be used for free-motion quilting. The control is located on the the right side of the machine.

Usability

You will love Janome Skyline S5 for its quietness. The machine is very stable at high speeds. As you expect from Janome, the build quality is top notch. There is nothing to worry in that department. The stitches look very good. There is a good variety of stitches on offer and in real they look exactly like the ones in the picture. It is very easy to thread the machine. Even beginners will find it very easy, you just need to follow the thread paths and numbers. The machine goes through thick layers of fabrics with ease. It seems the machine is designed to handle tough fabrics.

Is It Worth Buying?

The quality of Janome Skyline S5 was never in question. It is the price that worries me. Generally Janome machines are tad expensive than a Brother or a Singer, and Skyline S5 is no exception. So my advice will be, have a look at the price and if it is okay for you, go for it, because it is a quality machine.


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