Janome embroidry

[wlg190861]

I bought a Janome 200E embroidery machine the other day, I was wondering if any of you have experience with this machine and does embroidering leather hurt the leather ? What thickness and kind of leather will this machine embroider ?

 

Thanks 

[Wizcrafts]

Each needle stroke will weaken the leather. You should only attempt to embroider into soft garment, or thin chap leather, using a longer than usually stitch length. Otherwise, the embroidered letters may filigree the material and fall out. I would say 1/16" would be the maximum thickness for that type of machine. You will have to really clamp the leather down hard to avoid it puckering and definitely, use a titanium needle.

Since you will be laying down a high concentration of stitches that will overlap, do not use a leather point needle. It may cut the previous threads. For typical embroidery thread, use a #11 or #12 needle.

Do not even think about doing any seam sewing of medium temper leather over 1/16" on that plastic body embroidery machine. It is not tough enough to take the stress. Use a leather point needle if you do, at the longest stitch length it can give.

[Wizcrafts]

I just realized that the machine does not have a standard foot; just a hoop foot. Unless you buy or received an accessory presser foot, and can raise a feed dog, you can't sew seams with that machine.

[LumpenDoodle2]

I have a Brother embroidery machine, and you can embroider thin leather (1mm), and I've seen some lovely work via google.  

You'll probibly need quite a thick stabaliser to stop the thread puckering (embroidery thread has quite a stretch to it), and play with the top tension a bit.  As for the needle, I'm not too sure what type would be best, as a leather point might encourage the needle holes to run into each other.    Such thin leather may handle a standard embroidery needle better, and you may find you have to replace the needle at the start of each job due to it being blunted.

Certainly aim for low stitch density patterns.    Are you using software to create patterns, or buying pre-made ones.

Just to add, the 1mm thichness refers to veg tan or 'bookbinding' leather, you can embroider thicker chrome leather, but be careful, as you will be pushing the limits of your machine, and could knock the timing out.

Edited May 30, 2016 by LumpenDoodle2

[wlg190861]

On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 0:59 PM, Wizcrafts said:

Each needle stroke will weaken the leather. You should only attempt to embroider into soft garment, or thin chap leather, using a longer than usually stitch length. Otherwise, the embroidered letters may filigree the material and fall out. I would say 1/16" would be the maximum thickness for that type of machine. You will have to really clamp the leather down hard to avoid it puckering and definitely, use a titanium needle.

Since you will be laying down a high concentration of stitches that will overlap, do not use a leather point needle. It may cut the previous threads. For typical embroidery thread, use a #11 or #12 needle.

Do not even think about doing any seam sewing of medium temper leather over 1/16" on that plastic body embroidery machine. It is not tough enough to take the stress. Use a leather point needle if you do, at the longest stitch length it can give.

Will this machine embroider 4/5 oz suede ?

 

[Wizcrafts]

2 hours ago, wlg190861 said:

Will this machine embroider 4/5 oz suede ?

 

Will they honor your warranty if you damage the machine? If you tell them you tried to sew/embroider leather or suede, you may void the warranty. The most likely issues you may run into are causing the needle bar to move up from impact with the leather/suede - knocking it out of time - and overheating the motor and overstressing the drive components. Keep in mind you have a plastic body machine containing light duty gears and cranks. It was built with cloth embroidery in mind. You may destroy this machine sewing 5 ounce leather or suede. Do you have another $500 to spend on a replacement machine?

[gottaknow]

I'm with Wiz on this one. I don't think that's the appropriate machine. It may take if for a bit, but it's the components you can't see that will likely be damaged.

Regards, Eric

[Darren Brosowski]

As a machine seller my first question is "what are you trying to do?"

Domestic embroidery machines are very expensive compared to dedicated industrial machines.

If you want to do basic free motional embroidery then a Singer 15 with an embroidery foot will do a much better job

 

[LumpenDoodle2]

5oz does seem quite a weight.  Main thing to keep in mind is that even a domestic embroidery machine like my Brother will do 650 stitches a minute, and being computer controlled, when goes wrong, it really goes wrong.

I embroider pvc backed canvas, and single thickness webbing without worry, but thick suede is definitely pushing it.   I think it would be too problematic correcting the stitch density, and tension, never mind the strain on your machine.  It's not just the needle bar timing which could be knocked out, that could be quite a weight for the hoop positioning mechanism to be dragging about.

[Wizcrafts]

We could all pitch in on a Melco 6 head commercial embroidery machine for the OP and do time sharing on it!