I have a Janome 1600P machine now 1-1/2 yrs. old on a Gracie quilt frame that I ordered online as a package because no one locally carried it. I had a lot of trouble with top thread breaking, but now I finally found a thread it likes (Guterman). It will sew all right with the straight stitch, but when I put on the free motion foot with the thick plate to cover feed dogs, it fails to pick up the bobbin thread. It just keeps sewing and makes no stitches. Janome will not help me--says take it to a dealer at my own expense since I bought it online. First, does anyone have any advice that I can try myself--anyone ever had this trouble? Appreciate anything you can offer.

I had the same trouble with mine and I bought mine at a dealer. It wasn't so much the thread brand. The problem is the needle. I always used sharps and that won't work. The dealer had me swith to ball point size 14 and haven't broke thread since (well except when I went to fast for myself). Give it a try and let me know how it works.

Thanks. Janome says I have to use an industrial needle made only for this machine--which I have done. Not connecting with the bobbin thread to make stitches is the problem now. I will try the ballpoint needle.

When using the free motion foot, are you sure you are lowering the presser foot before trying to bring the bobbin thread up? It's easy to forget to lower the presser foot and, if the foot is up, you will not be able to catch and bring up the bobbin thread.

If this doesn't help, let me know, there are a couple other things too. One is when you are doing curves, slow down a little. I have a tendency to speed up on curves and this is where i have the most trouble on any machine. lol

I have the Janome 1600 on a Grace Pro frame. When I have problems with the top thread breaking it has always been that the needle isn't in the correct position. Since the needles don't have a flat side to guide you on position, sometimes you have to play around with the needle. When looking at your machine on the frame, the needle would usually be in the 6 o'clock position. Sometimes you need to move it slightly to the 5:30 position. I use Organ sharp needles all the time and the only thread I have had problems with was the water soluble. Hope this helps.

Thank you for your suggestions. I tried all of them to no avail. Then I noticed the screw on the free motion foot and tried an adjustment by lowering it and finally it did stitch!! Even Janome didn't tell me that. It's not a great stitch, but a stitch nevertheless. This machine and I truly hate each other, but I believe it is again usable. Thank you again for your interest

oh I almost forgot, my dealer also adjusted the position of the needle bar. Only took a few minutes so i am sure it would cost hardly anything out of pocket. He said it was within tolerance, but barely.

Thanks. If I have further problems I will take it in and ask about the needle position. It helps to have an idea of what it might be. It seems to me that it could be made easier to tell when you have the needle inserted right. It could be more user friendly.

I have a Janome 1600 on the Little Gracie II - Your statement about the needle not having a flat side really throws me for a loop because the needles that came with my machine do have the flat side. These are Organ brand which are HLx5 and according to articles I have read, this needle is made for the Janome 1600P.

I haven't had the machine very long and have not tried any other brand of needle yet, but even the manual shows it uses flat sided needles.

stitchfancy