Janome Memory Craft 6650 Review

The Janome Memory Craft 6650 is one of the most popular quilting machines Janome makes. Built with quilters in mind, it offers a 10-inch-wide workspace to the right of the needle, Janome's Superior Feed System Plus (SFS+) for even fabric feeding, and 170 built-in stitches plus two alphabets.

The SFS+ system uses a seven-piece feed dog that grips fabric across a wider area than standard feed dogs, which helps keep quilt layers moving together during piecing. For walking-foot quilting, Janome sells an optional even feed foot made for the MC6650. The MC6650 does not have Janome's AcuFeed Flex system; that is found on models such as the Memory Craft 6700P.

With its 1,000 SPM maximum speed and automatic thread cutter, the MC-6650 handles production piecing efficiently while remaining smooth enough for detailed free-motion work at lower speeds. Plan for a couple of extras: the knee lifter and the large extension table are optional accessories rather than included.

The MC-6650 rewards careful quilters. The SFS+ feed keeps fabric moving evenly during piecing, and with Janome's optional even feed foot it handles walking-foot quilting designs well. Seams come out flat and consistent, which makes a real difference when you are assembling blocks with lots of points to match. For free-motion quilting, drop the feed dogs and use the included convertible free-motion foot. The wide workspace gives you room to maneuver large quilts, though at 4.7 inches the harp is lower than on straight-stitch machines such as the Juki TL series, so a rolled bed quilt fills it quickly. With very thick batting and flannel backing, you may need to reduce speed slightly.