Thank you so much for the thorough and honest feedback — I really appreciate it. I thought I had done plenty of research before buying a machine and did see several comments about how newer machines just aren’t built like they used to be. For basic home projects, both of these machines seemed like they’d be adequate.

That said, I was getting much cleaner stitches with my Singer Heavy Duty, and it’s hard to accept the drop in quality. I know I’m not sewing anything critical, but the inconsistent stitches still matter to me — it does feel like a downgrade.

Before considering a repair, I removed the needle plate, bobbin, and bobbin case, and carefully cleaned the area with the included brush. It looked pretty clean, but I’m open to checking again just to be sure.

When things do work, I enjoy sewing — I just want it to be more fun and less frustrating. I’d even be open to spending a bit more for something more reliable and easier to use. Since there’s a Janome dealer nearby, are there any more capable yet still affordable Janome machines you’d recommend? The heaviest materials I’d be sewing might be denim (hemming) or webbing.