A lot of good advice.

My Janome 4900QC doesn't do it very often at all. My old machine would do it every time just about.

My Janome 7700 has a built in single hole plate and it remembers to change it automatically.

I've never seen this. Maybe because I use a 55 year old simple machine?

Some years ago our local college had a famous sewer visit for sewing classes. (Forgotten what the name was). But she said that her "Secret Weapon" for this was simply a threaded needle. She used a larger needle threaded with some bright color, ran it through the end of the fabric that was going under the needle, and pulled gently as it started sewing.

It worked for me when I remembered to do it. My older (1990s) Singer doesn't do it nor does the Brother, but might some day.

My Pfaff 7570 is the only machine I have (and I have over 30 machines) that doesn't do this.

I have not had the problem, but I am sure I will now

My Viking Designer II doesn't do it. It is excellent for starting on the edge of fabric. Love this about it. ;-)

Katyranch---you look extremely organized...interesting that you have a gun on your pegboard.....

Some people also call these little pieces of fabric "scouts".