Onebyone

It will be delivered tomorrow so I'm excited. I have a retreat to go to in March and a new machine will add to the fun.

jmoore

how exciting... I'm sure you'll be on the porch to greet the UPS driver. : )

that's what I need, a smaller machine for classes. I have two large Janomes (20 lbs +) and it is difficult to haul them around in the winter especially and I've been told it's not that great for my machines either.

sassysews2

I've used this machine for my guild meetings for a couple of years now. I like the machine, the main fault I find is that I've never been able to center the needle when it's turned on. The needle position defaults to the left position and I break needles all the time, every time I turn it off it immediately defaults to the left. Since I use multiple machines I have a hard time remembering to center the needle on this machine. I guess I could buy a zigzag needle plate but I use it mainly for piecing and I don't like to piece with a zigzag plate. I'm sure breaking needles isn't good for the machine but this machine is sturdy. I keep it in my car year round, caught my foot in the cord and pulled it off a table onto a chair & before I could catch it, it tumbled to the floor. Picked it up and started sewing without a hitch. Takes a lot of hard use and keeps on sewing.

Onebyone

That makes no sense. ? The machine makes many decorative stitches so why would it have a single hole needle plate instead of the wide needle plate? All zig zag machines come with the wide plate, the single hole is the one that is extra.

DonnaC

Hey, that's my machine! Actually it's my main machine for anything other than straight stitching. I have it in a Gidget table. Great machine, no issues at all, likes any and every kind of thread. I'm not really sure what sassysews means either; the standard plate is the zig-zag, and yes it does default to the left when you turn on the machine which is pretty standard (I've had other machines that did the same). I wish you lots and lots of great luck with your new machine!

kat13

I would put a sticky note on the machine! Reminder to change needle position! I love sticky notes!!

Dina

I went to Amazon and looked, and it seems like a very good deal! Enjoy!

Dina

Onebyone

Sewed on the machine. It was confusing at first because it starts with a twin needle set up. I wound bobbins, threaded it, used the auto lock stitch and auto thread cutter. I have to remember this is a fashion machine so the 1/4 inch seam is not that easy to get with the feet provided. I have a Janome and all the feet fit the Brother so I'll try the 1/4 foot. I bought it for a portable machine for paperpiecing using the auto thread cutter so I am pleased. I like the auto thread lock stitch too. I haven't tried any of the decorative stitches.

rryder

Onebyone,
When I'm sewing a quarter inch seam on my PC420 I use the J foot. Using the J foot, you can then move your needle over to either the 5.5 or the 6 position and get a very nice quarter inch seam using the right edge of the foot as your guide. I test each time I start a project to see which position will give me the best seam with the type of fabric and thread I'm using. Usually it's the 5.5, but sometimes, if I'm using a thicker thread I'll move it to the 6 position.

I tried using the quarter inch foot manufactured by Brother, but because this machine is a 7mm machine, the feed dogs are a little too far apart to work well with the quarter inch foot for my liking.

Let me know how the Janome feet work for you. You'll still want to move the needle to the right--just use the plus/minus keys on the front of the machine and start with the needle in the default position. There is a way you can save the setting, so if you use the same weight fabric and thread for all your piecing, then you can set it up and then save the setting. I've never done that since I use so many different fabrics and threads for piecing, but check your user's manual. I think it's under custom stitch or something like that.

Speaking of the manual. I was amazed at the size of the manual that comes with it, it's like a sewing course book.

enjoy your new toy!

Rob

Onebyone

Thanks Rob for the info. I tried your way an it works great. The Janome feet fit but some don't cover both feed dog teeth. The 1/4" marking on the machine bed is puzzling. I had trouble with the bobbin thread not getting picked up but it cleared up. I have no idea what I did or didn't do. Seems like a lot of extra when all I wanted was a small machine that had the auto thread cutter. Hard to find under $400.