At long last the new Janome top of line sewing and embroidery machine has arrived! And, believe me, it is worth the wait!
The
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 has so much to offer, from over 300 hundred built in embroidery designs, and four hoops to embroider them out on at up 1000 stitches per minute! The largest hoop being 230mm x 300mm, that's 9" by nearly 12"!!
Over 400 built in sewing and decorative stitches... to 9mm width!!
Easy Pivoting with Auto Presser Foot Lift!
Ten built in lights, and easy needle plate conversion, variable zig zag for free machine embroidery!
Horizon Link software program for your computer which allows you to do all your editing on your laptop and then send via a direct link cable!
The embroidery arm still works to the back on the machine, and packs away neat and compact when not in use. For the full features list please click
HERE and go to our main website.
And now, for a behind the scenes look at our preparation for our grand veiling at Alexandra Palace Knit and Stitch exhibition in October.....
When we launch any new machine, but especially a new top of line machine, all the staff involved need to get to know the machine inside out... we live, breath and eat the machine for weeks so we are fully confident to show you everything you ask us!
As much of our sewing work is done in the evening, after normal working hours are over, one of the best features about this machine came in very useful, the lighting. Ten lights in total, and a retractable High Light. This gave clear lighting all night long!
The light retracts back into the machine when you are not using it, and their is also a AcuView Magnifier to help see stitching around the needle. (this isn't in the photograph).
Over 400 stitches... just fabulous! All the decorative stitches are 9mm wide and the buttonholes can be customized as well to 9mm. Many of the stitches are brand new, and some of my favourites are the hand look stitches.
All Janome staff who will be working at the customer launch of the
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 at Alexandra Palace, make samples on the machine, this helps us to learn the machine, and creates some wonderful inspiring pieces for display on the stand.
One of the pieces I created, was a draft excluder, using the gorgeous Babushka design of the 12000 and some of the fabulous 9mm decorative stitches. There are three Babushka designs built into the machine, I took these into Digitizer MBX and re-sized so I had eight dolls. The "Once in a small Russian town. there lived a woman called Babushka", is embroidered using one of the new fonts in Digitizer MBX, "Run Cardigan".
The stitches above the Babushka designs are some of the new Hand Look Embroidery stitches, they are quite heavy looking and simulate embroidery done by hand with stranded thread.
I embellished the yellow fabric with rows of 9mm decorative stitches, and the Ric Rac finished the look!
The Babushka Draft Excluder looked great on the
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 display, along with other samples made by Maureen Brown and various Janome Experts. (freelance textile artists, quilters etc).
The other sample I created for the
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 display was a clasp handbag with a gorgeous big embroidery! This clasp was purchased from
U-Handbag, who sell everything you need to make stunning bags.
I used one of the biggest embroidery designs on the machine, and using Digitizer MBX, I edited the design and added an extra 3 roses and leaves to give the design a better shape to fit my bag design.
Here, you can see me embroidering the extra Roses and I used the tacking feature within embroidery to help hold the fabric in place.
I am really pleased with the finished bag, and I can't wait to get chance to use it one day!
The handbag was displayed with other
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 samples. Ruth Cox, our Southern Regional Sales Manager, made the Lingerie Bag using the Cross Stitch Alphabet, and the corset bodice with lace butterfly designs off the machine.
We had a wonderful time at the Knitting and Stitching Show, and as you can see, we were very busy!
Everyone loved the new
Horizon Memory Craft 12000, and the feedback we recieved was very exciting. I can't wait to see what some of the first people to buy the machine will make on it!
Since the Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching Show, selected stockists have had Horizon Memory Craft training at Janome Head Office. The machine is now available to buy through selected shops. To find your local
Horizon Memory Craft 12000 dealer, please contact our Head Office on 0161 6666011.
While I was at The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace in October, I took a couple of mini videos so you can see the wonderful combination of the Gracie Quilting Frame and the Janome 1600PQC, and the Gracie Sure Stitch, which is a stitch regulater. Just click either of these photographs to take you to my You Tube channel.
For more information Gracie Quilting Frames and all the other quilting fabrics and accessories The Cotton Patch supply, check out their website, Facebook and Blog.
During the Knitting and Stitching Show, JIll was teaching a fun workshop on making mini bunting on our fabulous CXL301 machine. The quick and easy workshop is ideal to learn a new skill and have a play on a new sewing machine at the same time.
You can see from the smiley faces... everyone in having a lovely time!
For many, this was the first time using a computerised sewing machine, and they found it so simple and easy to use.
The CXL301 is our entry level computerised machine and has 30 built in stitches, including one step buttonholes! For more information on Jill Denton and her felt making workshops, go to her website and blog.
Horizon Link software program for your computer which allows you to do all your editing on your laptop and then send via a direct link cable!
The embroidery arm still works to the back on the machine, and packs away neat and compact when not in use. For the full features list please click HERE and go to our main website.
The light retracts back into the machine when you are not using it, and their is also a AcuView Magnifier to help see stitching around the needle. (this isn't in the photograph).
Over 400 stitches... just fabulous! All the decorative stitches are 9mm wide and the buttonholes can be customized as well to 9mm. Many of the stitches are brand new, and some of my favourites are the hand look stitches.
All Janome staff who will be working at the customer launch of the Horizon Memory Craft 12000 at Alexandra Palace, make samples on the machine, this helps us to learn the machine, and creates some wonderful inspiring pieces for display on the stand.
The stitches above the Babushka designs are some of the new Hand Look Embroidery stitches, they are quite heavy looking and simulate embroidery done by hand with stranded thread.
I embellished the yellow fabric with rows of 9mm decorative stitches, and the Ric Rac finished the look!
The Babushka Draft Excluder looked great on the Horizon Memory Craft 12000 display, along with other samples made by Maureen Brown and various Janome Experts. (freelance textile artists, quilters etc).
The other sample I created for the Horizon Memory Craft 12000 display was a clasp handbag with a gorgeous big embroidery! This clasp was purchased from U-Handbag, who sell everything you need to make stunning bags.
Here, you can see me embroidering the extra Roses and I used the tacking feature within embroidery to help hold the fabric in place. 
I am really pleased with the finished bag, and I can't wait to get chance to use it one day!
The handbag was displayed with other Horizon Memory Craft 12000 samples. Ruth Cox, our Southern Regional Sales Manager, made the Lingerie Bag using the Cross Stitch Alphabet, and the corset bodice with lace butterfly designs off the machine.
We had a wonderful time at the Knitting and Stitching Show, and as you can see, we were very busy!
This is now paying to send a little three year old boy to Florida.
Congratulations to everyone who supported such a good cause!
From the UK we took a selection of our best stockists, including Couling Sewing Machines, Cresswell Sewing Machines, Exeter Sewing Centre, Hobkirks, Sew Creative, Sew Devine, Sewing Machines Direct / SM Sewing Machines and Woking Sewing Centre. 
The Janome Institute 2011 took over the conference centre at the World Marriot Resort, and hosted numerous workshops for dealers to learn more about Janome products, from technical training, machine training, embroidery design software, accessories and overlockers, to lectures on Sales and Marketing and working with social media.....
.... and of course, the new Horizon Memory Craft 12000! Our new top of line machine is stunning...huge 11" sewing arm, 9mm wide stitches and big embroidery hoops! The machine is launched to the public on the 1st October, and to see the Horizon Memory Craft first in the UK, come and visited our stand at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace 6th -9th October.... and prepare to be impressed!!! To see more about the new features, check out it's very own website www.HorizonMemoryCraft12000.com
Anne White, our Janome UK Educator, taught some creative classes during the Institute, including Circular Sewing Kit, using the Circular Attachment and the Bias Binding Foot, and also Janome Banner using some Janome Applique techniques.
Sham from SM Sewing Machines / Sewing Machines Direct, and Ian from Sew Devine, really enjoyed their time in Florida, and can be seen here enjoying one of many Janome lectures.
.....before heading off to another Service Course, this time overlockers!
It's not all work during the Janome Institute for our stockists, Janome UK hosted a fabulous evening just for the UK dealers to get together and discuss the new machine... as well as enjoy a few glasses of wine! Above, we can see (from left to right) Ruth Cox, Janome Regional Sales Manager, Pam and Lisa from Sew Creative, Anne White, Janome UK Educator, David and Janet from Exeter Sewing Centre, and Carol and Stephanie from Couling Sewing Machines.
And lastly, a photograph of Anne and I during the lauch evening of the new Horizon Memory Craft 12000. We are all smailes at the thought of our new machines waiting for us when we get back to the UK! And with that note, I need to sign off and get back to my 12000.... lots of gorgous samples to make for the UK launch at Alexandra Palce in a few weeks time!
I wanted the quilt to be blocked in a crazy patchwork style, but I wanted each piece to be highly embellished with decorative stitches, techniques, threads, ribbon and lace. This took quite a while!
Using ribbon and stitch no.59 and no.60 , gives a gorgeous ribbon slot effect.
Look at all the rows of scrumptious stitches!! There is Twin Needle work, Wing Needle in there somewhere! If you have never used a Wing Needle, it looks like a normal needle with wings, and created holes in your fabric to create a Victorian Drawn Thread Work effect. Try with the stitches in your Heirloom Mode and see what you like!
Using the Blind Hem Foot and moving the needle position over to the left, you can create neat and parallel pin tucks.
And, using the Border Guide Foot again to keep my lines straight and paraellel, I sewed the pin tucks in to different direction to create more interest.
Once all the pieces where embellished, they were then crazy patch worked around an embroidery design. I liked the idea of incorporating my initial into one of the patches... either H for Heidi or Horizon!
When using the crazy Patchwork techniques, each seam is embellished with more decorative stitches.
Then sashing is added between the blocks and the patchwork part is done complete. The Crazy Patchwork panel is now tacked to a piece of cotton batting.
Using the Convertable Free Motion Foot on my Horizon, I free machine quilted on the sashing panels only. The height of this style foot can be altered to float on the surface of my quilt, ideal for projects where you have different thicknesses of fabric. (You can also buy this style foot for other Janome machines, have a look HERE for more details).
Using the Acufeed Ditch Foot, I stitched in the ditch with more decorative stitching.
The Janome Horizon has an 11" sewing area, making quilting projects so easy!
I then bound the edge of my quilt with silk bias binding using the Quilt Binder Set, which has been designed to allow for the thickness of wadding to pass through it.
And I'm finished just in time to pack my suitcase and head off to set up the stand for the show! I would love to hear your comments and stories if you have made your own heirloom quilt! Feel free to comment below.
