I am contemplating a 9" machine since my husband has informed me that under no circumstance am I buying a long arm at this time. I'll keep my eyes on ebay and craigslist because you never know. One might come up that is too good to pass up but until then I am going to have to settle for a 9" machine. It will be oodles better than the machine I am using....

So here's a question that I pretty much already know the answer to I'm fairly certain... but can you add an auto threader to a machine that doesn't have one? The machine I'm thinking of does not have the needle threader and I am spoiled rotten and am cringing at the idea of not having one...!

Can you use one of those Clover needle threaders for hand sewing needles?? That I could settle for in a pinch!

Okay.. never mind! Found out that there are some made just for sewing machines and that there are the kind that I was thinking of that would work as well for machines...

I know silly question. I am just spoiled I know! I will say that now that I know this I will be picking one up next time I am out because I hate hate hate threading my embroidery machine!! Why did I not think of this before?! It's funny - I accepted that I had to thread the needles of my embroidery machine but after having a sewing machine that has that nice auto threader I could not bear to get another that did not have it lol.

I am excited to wake up and see if my husband will approve of buying the 9" harp machine. That will be nice. My dealership has a demo model that they are selling at a discount. It's a Janome 1600p-db and doesn't have the threader. I will survive. The other models for much more have features that I don't really need but that threader was going to be a make it or break it kind of a deal lol.

i can't speak for anyone else but i have never had a threader that didn't break before it should have, including the built in ones on two machines. i just put a piece of white paper behind the needle, changed to a slightly larger-eyed needle and went from there. works fine for me.

i've had great luck with the threader on my sewing machine.

i've used it at least once a day, 6 days a week, for almost 7 years and its still going strong.

I love my threaders, it is definitely a plus, though I don't have a problem threading the needle by hand either, my quilting machine doesn't have a threader and some of the quilts that I have done have had several color changes in them, you would think I would learn and just stick to one. It would be a lot faster.

My Juki does not have a needle threader and I do just fine with it. It would have been nice to have one, but not necessary for me.

Not sure if I am going to be getting the 9" machine either now... When I brought it up to him he seemed less than enthusiastic. sigh.
Wouldn't it be a kick in the teeth if he was planning to get me one for my birthday? ha! I don't think so...!

I know I can do without the needle threader. I did for years with my JC Penny machine. I guess that once you get spoiled you really get spoiled. My embroidery machine is difficult for me to thread the needles - for me at least. I am not sure why but it just makes my eyes buggy. I'll have to remember to wear my glasses when I'm threading it from now on!!

I have a needle threader on my new Brother machine and can't figure out how to use it LOL. I will keep trying.

I keep a small magnafying glass near the machine to use for threading needles...it works great :wink:

I love my needle threader. I leant my machine to a friend once (never ever again) and she bent the little wire in the needle threader. Luckily I was able to take it apart anf fix it.

I hear all sorts of stories about the threaders only lasting a few weeks, but the key is to be careful with them and learn how to use it properly. Mine definately needs to be "just so", but now that I know where that point is I can thread it quick and easy every time.

I have one machine that the only way to thread the machine is with the auto threader and the other had a threader on it and I have yet to master it , so I just do it the old fashion way :lol:
When is your birthday ? Is it a long way off ? And just remember most guys just don't understand all the machines and all the different things they can do . They expect one machine to keep us happy 8) Silly I know.
Just tell him that she who dies with the most machines wins :lol: What type of embroidery machine do you have ?
Sharon

I have a Janome MB4 - and it doesn't get used much anymore. My husband switched me to a linux system and Embird is not compatible with it. He keeps saying that he will install a virtual windows world for me and has not. He did partition the computer which means that I have to reboot the computer to view any of my designs... It is such a pain in the butt that I don't ever do anything anymore :(

My birthday is the 22nd but I am not really expecting anything at all besides going to Baumhower's for dinner (my request. I love their burgers and Wednesday is kids night so the boys will eat for free and they have a great magician/balloon artist there that night as well)

I told him about two 9" machines I saw online that I might be able to get for less than $400 and he said nothing so I'm thinking that it is my JC Penny or nothing at all. I guess I won't be making more than lap quilts and baby quilts for a long time - or doing a join as you go type of thing which I guess I can figure out with some pre planning I suppose...

I've had my Brother for almost two years and still haven't figured it out.
I feel better knowing I'm not the only one! :lol:

Mine are Brothers also ! Must be a Brother thing if all of us can't figure the threader out :wink:

The needle threader is the best feature of my machine! You Brother gals should take a minute and figure it out. I was the exact same way when I got my machine. It just takes two minutes of practice and your manual. You'll kick yourself once you see how easy it is. I still have bruises! LOL!

The one on my Janome didn't work quite right when I first got it. I took it to the dealer and he fixed it. The little arm thingy was not at the right height but ever since then it has worked like a dream.

Try adjusting where your needle is when you use the threader. If it is not in the right spot it won't work right. Normally it should be in the up position but if your needle threader arm thingy is a little off like mine was when I first got it then you'll have to figure out where it is suppose to be.

If you got your machine from a dealer I'm sure they will get it adjusted for nothing. It probably takes all of like 30 seconds to fix from what it sounded like...

It is a great gadget. I love mine and am spoiled rotten by it!

I have one machine the needle threader works great, the other one not at all, or I just havent' mastered it, I usually just give up and thread it manually. I am going to try to put white paper behind it. That is a great tip! Thanks.

I have a needle threader on my Bernina, but when I use my featherweight, I use the old 'hand' needle threader...you know, the old fashioned on that's a wire (for hand stitching)....I just put that through the machine needle same as you would a hand needle! Beats trying to SEE the hole! :)

Hi Darlene

I have a new Kenmore and it also has a threader...it's there but doesn't get used. I guess it's hard to change from the old ways.
MJ in NJ