Not all domestic sewing machines are equipped to handle thick and tough materials. Usually, good machines such as a Janome can handle basic leather projects, so you are understandably concerned about what this sewing machine can handle in terms of leather thickness.
For example, the Janome HD3000 was the number one best-selling sewing machine for leather in 2017 and even though you can use it for leather, it cannot handle thick leather or thick materials very well. However, it does depend on the material and the thickness. You should take the time to read more about sewing with leather on a Janome.
Be careful sewing thick materials with a domestic machine. Even though a lot of machines are supposedly able to sew thick leather & fabrics, it could damage your machine in the long run. If you value your machine, you might want to find a second machine (used mechanicals, older Singers, etc., probably work better for this purpose) to sew thick fabric. Save your nice primary machine for more conventional uses.
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SOURCE: owners manual for sewing machine Janome JF1004
Try this web site for sewing machine manuals http://sewing.about.com/od/beginner1/ig/Sewing-Tools/Sewing-Machine-Manuals.htm
SOURCE: Sewing thick fabric and machine won't send it through
Sergers are not really meant to sew very thick material. The blades have a maximum amount of range, or thickness that they can reach to cut. If you go outside that range, get ready for a big repair bill! You can break loopers and even the needle plate when you "push" a serger. My advise would be to use you sewing machine for the, "pounding" work. The type of material matters too, A thick Quilt like fabric can be sewn becatuse it's not dense material. A thinner harder denim could max out at 3 layers because of it"s hard finish. If the fabric you're sewing isn't dense like, you could just need new knives.
SOURCE: I just bought a janome mini sewing machine. I
First, in order to get the bobbin thread up, you have to turn the wheel backward, not forward. If you try this, and it is not the problem, keep going.
Next you need to check the needle. There is a screw on the right side of the needle carriage right underneath the underside of the top...unscrew this and the needle should come right out. The flat side of the needle shank should go towards the back of the machine. If it isn't, switch it so that it is and try again.
If this doesn't solve your problem, what has happened is that the gears in the machine have gotten out of alignment. There is an easy fix:
Take off the plate that covers the bobbin chase...there are two screws one on each side. Remove these...you need a stub screwdriver, because regular ones will not fit under there.
Remove the bobbin carriage and the bobbin, making careful note of how they fit back in. Take a picture before disassembling it so you have a reference.
The part that carries the thread around the bobbin is still in the machine. Turn the wheel and you will see it rotate. What has happened is that the needle is not going down in the machine at the right point because someone kept sewing after it jammed and one gear kept going while the other one didn't and now it is out of alignment. These machines have plastic gears and the can slip past each other if you aren't careful not to stop immediately when they jam.
To fix it, you are going to have to do some trial and error. Grab the rotating part of the bobbin chase and hold it firmly. Rotate the wheel forward until you hear it click once. Then rotate the wheel backward again and see if it grabs the top thread. If it doesn't, repeat holding the bobbin chase and turning the wheel forward until it does.
Once you have the gears basically aligned, you will need to reassemble everything. Put the face plate back on and put at least one of the screws in all the way. The face plate holds the bobbin chase in correctly and if you don't fasten it it will not work correctly.
Now try sewing. If it starts to jam, stop immediately, cut the threads and look at the back. If it's a loopy mess, you are going to have to dissamble as before and again grasp the bobbin chase and turn the wheel forward one more click, then reassemble and try again. Eventually, you will find exactly the right alignment and the machine will sew perfectly.
I just had to make this fix on my own machine...I didn't want to take it in for repair because the bench fee alone would cost as much as the machine did!
There are some great video's on YouTube for help with threading the machine...look for StampTV and you should find them. Good luck!
SOURCE: Can I use a twin needle on my Janome MW3018?
Twin needles can be used on any machine. Just make sure you use the correct presser foot......one that allows both needles to work without hitting the foot. Also.........you cannot zig-zag or use any other fancy stitch with a twin needle.......it is strictly for straight sewing. You have to use 2 spools of thread .....thread your machine with both threads as if they were one thread but separate the threads when you get to the needle. There is no change to the bobbin. Happy sewing. I can't be bothered to go to all this trouble so I just sew 2 rows to get the same look. Ofcourse you have to be very good at sewing perfectly straight seams doing it this way. Try both methods on a scrap and see which method you prefer.
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Thank you, I'm looking at the Janome HD3000 as a new addition for leather sewing. I've found only positive reviews.so far.
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