It was the first home sewing machine with computerized stitch combinations.
The year was 1979. Y.M.C.A. was a huge hit for The Village People. The Muppet Movie made the Top 10. And those Famolare shoes with the wavy soles were all the rage.
It was a big year for sewing too. Because in 1979 Janome introduced the first programmable, computer sewing machine, the MEMORY 7 Model 5001.
For the first time, you could combine multiple decorative stitches to create your own custom stitch pattern. It also introduced the Turn Over Memory (TOM) function, which allowed you to sew mirror images of the stitch patterns.
The MEMORY 7 had 26 stitches, including a memory buttonhole. After you'd finished sewing one buttonhole, the machine remembered the dimensions and could sew identical buttonholes repeatedly.
It had other futuristic features--like when you selected a stitch, the machine would automatically set the length, width and sewing speed. You could also adjust them manually. At a time when few homes had PCs, computerization in a sewing machine was remarkable.
As a sewing machine, the MEMORY 7 was very sturdy with excellent power and stitch quality. Many are still being sewn on today.
If you're looking for Janome's most advanced computerized sewing machine today, we'd recommend the Memory Craft 11000 Special Edition.
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