Eek. I’ve got a new sewing machine!

It’s the Janome DKS30, and so far, it really is the best thing since sliced bread.

My old machine wasn’t quite cutting the mustard, and the final straw came when I realised there was no way I was ever going to be able to use a twin needle with it. Given that I have a list of about twenty things I want to make in knit fabrics, I thought it might be time to move into the modern age.

There are so many options on the market it was hard to choose, but I knew I didn’t need a squillion fancy stitches or lots of quilting features. In fact I really just wanted my old machine with a couple more features and some of the glitches ironed out. But the more I read about computerised machines, the more that seemed like the way to go for me, so I decided to push my budget as far as it would go.

I tested this one at the West End Sewing Centre in Cheltenham, putting it through its paces on things like sewing four layers of coating, attaching a lining and hemming jersey. It actually managed all of those just using the ordinary zigzag foot, and a regular needle, so I was sold.

Now the only problem is working out which foot is which – there are so many!