Janome Magnolia 7325 Review

I bought a new sewing machine a little over 2 years ago, and I've been making notes since to share my thoughts.  Recently I was asked how I liked my machine, so I thought it was time to publish this review of the Janome Magnolia 7325.

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I had to choose the machine in a hurry when my main machine (a vintage all-metal mechanical Kenmore purchased on eBay in 2012) suddenly bit the dust. I didn't have a lot to spend, and I didn't want a computerized machine. Previously I had only sewn on mechanical metal machines, and they were my comfort zone.

I asked around on IG for brand recommendations, and many people recommended Janome.  My budget was about $400, and my only must-have was a one-step buttonhole.  After reading a bunch of reviews, I settled on the Janome Magnolia 7325 (affiliate link). It's an electronic machine, not a mechanical machine. I admit I don't fully understand what that means, but apparently it's somewhere in between mechanical and computerized. Whatever it is, it's working for me.

The first thing I noticed, after plugging her in and putting her through her paces, was how quiet the Magnolia is compared to my old Kenmore.  She purr through the stitches rather than clod through them.  Her stitching is even, and after 18 months she runs like a dream.  I rarely have to clear a bird's nest or pop open the bobbin cover to deal with tangled threads.

This machine has a lot of power - I have sewn corduroy and denim on her multiple times.  She handled belt loops, which required sewing through seven layers of denim at the waistband, with only the slightest complaint (and no skipped stitches).  I've also sewn several pairs of jeans on this machine, and she stitched the regular seams, the topstitching (with topstitching thread) and the bartacks like a pro.

The Magnolia excels at sewing knits.  She's not finicky about the type of needle I use, and even when not using a walking foot, the seams aren't wavy.  I don't often use the machine to sew knits, but I haven't had a seam pop yet, and no skipped stitches.  After years of struggling with a machine that hated to sew knits, this is amazing.

The Magnolia also includes a few options that I didn't previously have on a sewing machine and wasn't looking for, but which I love.

WHAT I LOVE

1) The built-in needle threader and thread cutter.  My needle threader arrived just a little off-kilter, so it does sometimes take a couple of tries to get the hook through the needle, but it's not a big problem. I also never knew I needed a built-in thread cutter until I got one, but it's so handy.  You just pull the threads up and hook them over the blade and you're good to go.

Needle threader.

2) The built-in accessory compartment. It's not enormous, but it's handy for holding empty bobbins, the teeny seam ripper that ships with the machine, extra needles and the second thread spool holder.  I have never had a sewing machine with an accessory compartment, so it feels pretty fancy.

3) The adjustable pedal speed switch. I keep it set on "full steam ahead" for myself, but I taught my girls to sew on this machine, and the ability to adjust the speed down is GOLD for that purpose.

4) The needle up/down button.  I didn't really understand why this feature was a big deal to some people; after all, I can alway use my hand wheel to put my needle down if it ends up, and vice versa.  But when I was teaching my girls to pivot while sewing, the needle-down option made it really easy.  And now I find I do use the button to set the needle to the "down" position quite often.

5) The hard cover. Years ago, I made a fabric cover for my machine, and I still have it.  But the hard cover just looks so nice on my sewing table. I don't need it, but it's nice to have.

The Magnolia has 25 stitches.  I haven't tested them all out, but I doubt I'll ever use most of them.  I do miss the stretch stitch (aka lightning stitch) that I had on my machine that bit the dust.  This machine doesn't have one, so when I'm using it on knits I have to use a small zigzag instead.  I so rarely use a sewing machine on knits, though, that it's not a huge deal.

WHAT I DON'T LOVE

My only complaint with this machine, oddly enough, is the buttonhole. As I mentioned, one reason I chose this machine was because I really wanted a one-step buttonhole function.  The buttonholes on this machine are totally serviceable, but a little less elegant than I'd like.  It might be user error, and I've only made 40 or so buttonholes on this machine at this point, so I'm hoping I'll get better with practice.

Also, the thread has a tendency to slip out of the tension groove in the bobbin case. I don't know why this happens, but I have to rethread it more often than I'd like.

So those are my quibbles, but overall I'm very happy with my choice, and I recommend this machine highly.  It has been discontinued, but still seems to be available in a few places, including Amazon (affiliate link).  I paid $370 for this machine, which came bundled with a 1/4" foot, a concealed zipper foot, a pack of 10 needles, three bobbins and the usual other accessories (seam ripper, lint brush).  You can also get it with a carrying tote (but without the feet and needles) for the same price.

I hope this review has been helpful!  I'm planning to review my serger and coverstitch in the coming months as well.  And as always, thanks for reading, and see you next time!