06/13/2010 09:59 PM
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MrsBennett
Posts: 5
Joined: 06/13/2010
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Hello All: I'm hoping I can find some advice here! I have a basic Janome sewing machine and at Christmas was given a walking foot since I do a lot of quilting. I used it once to put on a binding and frankly was not impressed. The fabric fed through oddly with miniscule stitches and it bunched up badly. My daughter is working on her first big quilting project today and I wanted her to be able to use the machine for stitch in the ditch quilting. So I installed the foot (in what I'm presuming is the correct way since there's very little instruction given with it), had to loosen the stitch length to maximum and the tension all the way....the sample quilt "sandwich" worked beautifully even though the stitches are still quite small. It fed through the feed dogs quite well too. When my daughter tries to sew on the lap sized quilt, it makes the tiny stitches and doesn't feed by itself. The foot also doesn't lift up or down after a short period of sewing. Does anyone have any idea what we are doing wrong or should I just chuck the foot out the window and stick to quilting by hand? 
Thank you!
Shelli
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06/14/2010 11:20 AM
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Roxanne
Posts: 37
Joined: 01/23/2010
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There's a little arm on the walking foot that has to be over the thing that holds the needle in. Maybe that is the problem. Other than that, it should feed without any problems as long as the feed dogs are up.
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06/14/2010 07:53 PM
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MrsBennett
Posts: 5
Joined: 06/13/2010
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Thanks Roxanne! I am pretty sure I have it installed correctly. Sure would help if these attachments came with installation and user instructions! My daughter seemed to solve half the problem as she was sewing - she noticed the walking foot would lower with the wheel so that helped as she was beginning a row. That is probably standard operating procedure but I sure didn't know because of no instructions! And I've fallen out of the habit of lowering the needle into the fabric before beginning to sew because this particular machine seems to not appreciate it.
Shelli
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06/15/2010 10:17 AM
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MOM
Posts: 2687
Joined: 03/09/2009
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If you have a pressure foot setting on the top of your machine which most Janomes have reduce it to 2.
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06/15/2010 06:04 PM
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MrsBennett
Posts: 5
Joined: 06/13/2010
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I've just taken a look at the instruction manual and it doesn't point one out in the "machine parts" section - this is an extremely basic machine so perhaps it doesn't have one? I'm thinking that might be the problem with the walking foot. The machine is just not meant to function with one. Even with the thread tension dialed down to "1", it still makes extremely small stitches.
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06/15/2010 10:04 PM
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MOM
Posts: 2687
Joined: 03/09/2009
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Did you increase your stitch length to atleast 3-4? If that is the case the only other thing could be that the walking foot you are using is not for your machine. I do not think that a walking foot cannot be used but walking feet come in both high shank and low shank. You may want to be sure that the foot is compatible with your machine. You might want to go to the Janome website and post a question to "Ask Jan". If you give her the machine model she may be able to tell you if your machine is low or high shank, and then you can find out if the walking foot you have is compatible.
MOM
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06/15/2010 10:54 PM
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MrsBennett
Posts: 5
Joined: 06/13/2010
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I use it with the stitch setting all the way to "4" and tension dial down to "1". The sample of the exact fabric and batting used seems to feed through perfectly although the stitches are still quite small. Then once we start sewing on the larger quilt, it begins to pull and fuss and make even tinier stitches.
My daughter bought the foot at our local quilt shop which is also a Janome dealer. The shop owner gave her the wrong foot initially, then I contacted the Janome rep for our area directly and he had me come by the shop when he was there to make sure I got the correct foot. I think the machine is just fussy. Couldn't possibly be operater error now could it??
Thanks for your help and suggestions!
Shelli
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06/16/2010 09:07 AM
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MOM
Posts: 2687
Joined: 03/09/2009
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It is hard to tell. What does your dealer tell you it seems that the foot does not like the machine. Are you dropping the feed dogs.? If you are then the walking foot is not for dropped feed dogs. That could be a stitch problem. I am just guessing.
MOM
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06/16/2010 04:43 PM
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MrsBennett
Posts: 5
Joined: 06/13/2010
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Thanks for putting all this thought into my problem. I really appreciate your efforts.  I haven't bothered to speak directly to the dealer because she got cranky enough that she'd sold my daughter the wrong foot and was shown up in front of the rep - and I doubt he and I thought anything of it beyond being a simple mistake. I have submitted a question to the "ask Jan" section of the forum to see what they can come up with. I am thinking it's probably a combination of just being a basic machine and not meant to do crazy things like operate a walking foot, and trying to use the machine just on a dining room table that doesn't really support the weight of the quilt as we sew.
Shelli
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06/17/2010 03:10 AM
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digimad
Posts: 3674
Joined: 08/30/2007
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Janome feet videos
This may help you.
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digimad
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06/17/2010 11:16 AM
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Roxanne
Posts: 37
Joined: 01/23/2010
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Thanks for the link digimad. I hadn't seen that one before. Might come in handy for all of us.
Shelli - You made a good point. If the weight of the quilt is pulling down, it is difficult to sew even with the walking foot. A nice level surface makes all the difference.
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06/18/2010 11:53 AM
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devilcat
Posts: 1687
Joined: 10/23/2007
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Mts. B, To support the weight of your quilt or any other large item, it is usually necessary to have the needle area of the sewing machine level with the surrounding area or you will definitely have 'drag'. You can accomplish this a couple of ways. Buy an extension table which fits your machine but this can cost around $100.00 or built up the area around with whatever is handy. I have a huge number of books so can use these. They also have the advantage of being heavy so won't be dislodged easily as would emty cardboard boxes etc. and because of their size, are easily fitted around the machine.
Another useful trick is to set up your ironing board behind your sewing table at the appropriate height and support your project on this.
Supporting the project is desirable not only for quilting but also for sewing drapes, embroidery etc.
Even if the item is not heavy, it helps to support it.
Jacquie
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Ladysmith BC,Janome 12000, Bernina Record, Bernina 1150MDA serger, bit of a Luddite, garments not crafts
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05/23/2012 05:02 AM
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JoJo33
Posts: 2
Joined: 05/23/2012
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Mrs Bennett, did you ever manage to resolve this problem? I have exactly the same problems that you are describing. I have tried to Ask Jan, but it won't let me post a question. Feel like throwing the thing out of the window! I have installed it correctly and adjusted everything I possibly can but to no avail, I still get tiny, tiny stitches which jump to the bigger (and correct) stitch length I have selected. Am really annoyed as this isn't a cheap part to buy. Please can anyone help out there??
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05/23/2012 10:13 AM
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andersonova
Posts: 32
Joined: 04/30/2011
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Hi
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05/23/2012 10:40 AM
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andersonova
Posts: 32
Joined: 04/30/2011
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Hi I am new to quilting and have been taking some classes. I love my walking foot. I was having a similar problem with it getting stuck. I had a wonerful instructor, Toby of Kindred quilts. She solved my proble.. the thread I was using was too thick. She switched me to Metzler with the PURPLE writing and anothrr brand ....something fill. She has me using the ORANGE spool or the GRAy spool with a size 14 needle. Even my automatic threader works. Yes I am HAPPY. She also told / suggested to me ....that I need to surround mymy self with a higher table to support my fabric because the weight of the quilt was pulling away and down from my machine making it harder for the feed dogs to grab my dabricand because of it I was getting small stitches. THE EASY SOLUTION was to get 2 three draw plastic storage containers from Walmart ( less than $14.00 dollars) great also for my fabric stash. Then off to Lowe or Home Depot and picked up 2 remenets of wood. 1 was about 8" wide by 3 feet long, the other was a piece of laminet flooring also about 6 to 8 inces wide by 4 feet. I put one cabine on each side of me and placed the pieces of wood ...one end on the sewing table the other on the storage cabinet. Forms a u shape ans supports the quilt for easy feeding of the quilt. Clean up the storage cabinets on wheels go against the wall and the wood goes in the cabinet. For me it worked well. Let me know if any of this was helpful. Happy quilting.
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05/25/2012 03:13 AM
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JoJo33
Posts: 2
Joined: 05/23/2012
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Thanks for this, I will try and give it a go!
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