Thread: 1/4" seams on my Janome 12000 -- HELP!!!

Originally Posted by Pennyhal

Not all machines allow you to move the needle, especially the older ones. You also have to have the correct plate so that if you move the needle it'll hit the hole and not the metal of a single hole plate.

....... and some of the newer machines won't let you move the needle if you have that single hole plate in. As mentioned earlier ... nice security feature!

Originally Posted by paintmejudy

........even when I move the needle all the way to the right..........

If you are moving the needle the seam width has to change.
It is NOT going to stay dead-on 1/4".

If you are feeling so upset, about this, it would only make sense that you speak to your dealer. I am sure there is something that you are missing.

Originally Posted by Eisy

Dumb Question, but are you sure that the needle is moving. Maybe there is something wrong with your machine.

Not a dumb question at all .....

I don't know this machine, but with my machine .... if I have the single hole needle plate in (and the machine setting for that set) .... the needle will not move, yet the display will show as though the needle moved. Whereas if you watch the needle you can see that it has not!

These newer machines are sometimes too smart for us ... good security though, so you do not try to stitch a zig zag stitch and then break the needle against the single hole plate!

the needle only moves when the foot is in the upright position on my Janome. I hope your answer is as easy as this

I'd been sewing for years before someone told me to thread the machine with the foot up. I'd been doing it with the foot down because it was easier to thread the needle when I got there...no wonder I always had tension problems!

I believe that you need to use a standard foot when you move the needle. Generally, the 1/4" foot doesn't allow the needle position to be altered.