Tag: sewing-machine

Hack: Making Baby Lock snap on presser feet work with a Janome top loading machine

June 30, 2024

Janome, Singer and Brother manufacture sewing machines for other companies. It’s a common practice in the sewing machine industry. I can always spot a machine made by Janome due to the slightly offset presser feet and the distinctive gray plastic needle plate in less expensive top loading machines. Singer and Brother tend to make machines designed for true center-needle presser feet (not offset like Janome).

My Elnita EC30 and Baby Lock’s Joy and Zeal share the same needle plate and presser feet (all made by Janome). Baby Lock markets an accessory set with a “specialty ankle” that allows these Janome made (Anna, Molly, Joy and Zeal) machines to use more of the Baby Lock snap-on feet. Baby Lock makes an awesome Quilt Binding Foot that I’ve been able to make work using a 5mm width Janome shank on my Elnita EC30 and Elna STAR, but this really sparked my curiosity. I just had to see this “specialty ankle”.

It meant I had to buy a 7 piece foot kit, but I’m glad I did. The “specialty ankle” is a standard Baby Lock snap-on shank that’s hollowed out to allow for the offset in the Janome presser bar. If you have a Brother-made Baby Lock machine, you’ll be able to use most of your snap-on feet with your Janome 5 mm width machines with this specialty ankle. I cannot vouch for the 7mm width top loading Janome machines as I do not have one of those models to test.

Pick up one of these 7 piece foot kits for the Baby Lock Anna, Molly, Joy and Zeal:

They are $15-$20 online and $30 at a dealer. This is the only way I’ve found as a sewing machine enthusiast to get the special shank needed to use the Baby Lock Quilt Binding Foot (and others) with my 5mm width Janome machines. Having this shank also opens the doors to potentially more center needle snap-on presser feet (Amazon, MadamSew), which are usually available at a much more reasonable price.

We need someone to come up with a 3D printer file for this screw on presser foot shank. Just sayin’.

Have you discovered hacks to make your sewing machine feet more interchangeable?

How did I learn so much about sewing machines?

April 20, 2024

Answer: Natural curiosity and necessity.

When I ran the Stitching Stallions maker club at my former elementary school, I had an eclectic collection of mechanical and electronic sewing machines for the kids to use. Some came from the district’s own warehouse surplus, others were purchased with grant funds, some were donated and a couple were purchased by me. There was no money for sewing supplies, let alone annual service for the 5-8 machines we used. I had to learn how to troubleshoot, maintain and repair our machines. I did routine maintenance on 1-2 machines every week and a more in depth service during the summer. I learned how to replace spool pin holders, exterior thread cutters and needle threaders. I learned how to make bobbin winder adjustments. I learned how to remove covers to undo tangled threads, broken needles and big wads of fluff that managed to collect in the machines. Believe me, if there is a way to mess up a machine, a kid will find it!

Today was our first Sewing Machine Maintenance class at the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum taught by yours truly. In class, we had an Elna SU from the late 60’s, a Pfaff 1013 originally purchased in West Germany in the mid-80’s, a Singer 9960, a Viking Opal 670 and a Singer Merritt 4530. Can you believe no machine used the same bobbin? Students left with clean machines and a lot of smiles.

Feedback was positive and I was encouraged to offer this class again – which I think the museum director plans to do in the fall. Others asked for Featherweight specific classes so they can learn to use and care for their machines. Look for those to come in July and August. My local FW club is looking for someone to lead them in a machine spa day for their Featherweights. After today’s successful class, I think I’m going to put my big girl panties on and offer up my services to lead that class, too! I certainly know a lot more about FW than I do each of the machines we worked on today.

I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone and the sense of accomplishment I felt after the class concluded is something I’ll never forget.

Upcoming class I’m teaching at the SQTM

February 28, 2024

Sewing Machine Maintenance – Saturday, April 20th 1:30-3:00 p.m. Cost: $35 + $5 supply fee
Let’s do a little spring cleaning on our sewing machines! Just like your car, your sewing machine requires regular maintenance to keep it performing in top shape. Do you know what type of maintenance to do and how often to perform it? We’ll start with our machine manuals and work from there. We’ll also share resources for learning more about your vintage and modern machines, plus provide a list of area sewing machine repair shops.

I’m really excited about the sewing machine maintenance class. A basic machine service runs $125.00 – $140.00 in my area – more if you have a machine with an automatic thread cutter or an embroidery module. Most sewing machine companies recommend an annual service. If you have the super high end TOL computerized machine that costs as much as a new car, then yes, you should absolutely plan to take it in to the shop for service on an annual basis, in addition to the routine maintenance you perform yourself.

For other machines – if you keep it cleaned and oiled, use quality needles & thread, protect it with a dust cover and your machine is running fine, there’s really no need to take it into the shop for an “annual” service. (BTW, I service and maintain my vintage machines myself.) Save your money! Furthermore, you CAN learn how to replace the bits that tend to break – spool pins, needle threaders and thread cutters. Parts are available to DIY. This is how I keep my classroom machines running. I know I can always take it to the repair shop if it’s something I can’t fix. Today, I picked up the Baby Lock Jubilant from the repair shop because I couldn’t figure out how to replace the blasted needle threader. This is the first time it’s ever been in for service and I’ve had it four years. Cost: $160.00. Believe me, I’ll be learning how to work on Brother/Baby Lock machines as well as I do my Janome machines! Don’t want to DIY simple repairs? That’s fine. Even with basic maintenance, you can probably stretch the service interval to once every 2-3 years assuming your machine is running fine. You’ll still save $$.

When does it make sense to replace rather than repair? (1) Your sewing machine is the $99 special from the big box store and you can’t fix it yourself. To me, it makes more sense to replace it rather than repair it (unless the machine holds some sort of sentimental value for you). (2) You have a computerized machine that’s out of warranty and the cost of a new motherboard is half the cost of a used, similar machine. Put it this way, should my 8900 need a new motherboard, I’ll be getting a new machine.

Janome machine disassembled to replace broken plastic spool pins with metal ones.