This is a blog post on machine embroidery review. Recently I got myself a machine embroidery as I wanted to get one myself a long time. It was down to cost as well. My mum had an old singer manual embroidery machine. I grew up watching my mum and my cousin making embroidery on pillowcases and table runners. It must have such a painstaking experience to do it manually. Nowadays it’s all done on a computerised machine. All one needs to do is to change the thread and thread the bobbin and you are good to go.
Janome embroidery machine
I bought myself a Janome Atelier 9 while in a Knitting & Stitching show. It’s a sewing machine as well as an embroidery machine. The sewing machine is a big upgrade from my 10-year-old mechanical Toyota sewing machine.
The first days was a big learning curve for me. Salesperson said ‘these machines hardly breaks down’. I wanted an extended warranty machine why I bought a Janome. Brother embroidery machines only come with a 3-year warranty.
Using a computerised embroidery machine
So day 1 went ok. Then on day 2 the auto threader broke!! It was a big mechanical crash and the computerised panel wasn’t happy. Ok not the end of the world. I will thread manually like I always do.
Day 3 after finish sewing a coat. Now I decided to try the embroidery part of the machine. This machine also can quilt as well but with limited options. Compare to memory craft the Largest embroidery hoop is much smaller than memory craft 1500. However, it’s has got WiFi transfer ability and it’s a sewing machine as well.
Common teething probelm/s
First experiment went very well. I was quite impressed with how great this machine was. Then I decided to try a glitter embroidery thread. The machine wasn’t happy and it just stop working after awhile?!! A crisis this machine is only 3 days old. Not good. The machine sewing mechanics went out of alignment as a result of the shock of using coarse thread at fast speed. It simply just wouldn’t catch the bottom bobbin thread. As a result it wouldn’t sew.
After searching on the internet hoping to find a solution. I found that this is common probelms found in these machine. Automatic threader and machine not catching the bobbin thread.
I had to contact the dealer at this point as the machine needle just simply refuse to catch the bottom thread anymore. Took it to them 15 minutes later, and my machine is working again. One can’t use non-machine embroidery on this machine it just simply doesn’t like it. Said it’s far too thick and coarse for the machine to handle.
Now after 2 weeks my machine is still working automatic threader is gone out of alignment again after a few tries. But it means doing a 2 hour round-trip drive to the dealer as well. The dealer is fantastic though and their haberdashery is well-stocked. A crafter heaven.
So far I have been experimenting with its preset designs and transferring designs from iPad to the machine. It has been great so far.
I am sure as the machine gets older or suffers more abuse from me. Other problems with the machine will show. Having a nice and patient dealer will help to solve the teething problems.
Embroidery presets design
As I am still new to embroidery using machine i have yet to design my own just been using preset designs so far and it’s been great. I have been embroidering on items and garments that I have made. Just to add a bit of personal touch. It is so much easier to use compare to making garments. Here is a blog post on a shopping bag I made not too long ago.
Personal opinion
I love this new machine though. It’s a big upgrade from what I started when I was growing up and home economics lesson during my secondary school. Having grown up in Malaysia all we had was reconditioned Singer mechanical machine. Many would call that an antique. My personal thoughts is that I got to move on with the times and generation. Hence the upgrade. So let’s see what technology has to offer in the sewing & embroidery world in the next 10 – 20 years.
It would good to have one that sews and sets sleeves in garments for you. Fits on the model (one of the biggest challenge for sewers and tailors). As the technology in pattern cutting is now upgraded to a computer custom made patterns. The software is still very pricey. So not yet available to home sewers like me.
This post is written in my own personal experience therefore it may or will not replicate one’s experience of others. I am sharing my experience as I have others have the same probelms as well. As with most things in life nothing is perfect there is always good and bad using a product.
