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!

 

[LumpenDoodle2]

Can I volunteer to provide the neccessary storage in between 'loan outs' for it.

Honest, it will be well looked after until someone else needs it.

and y'all can come out and collect it from Scotland anytime.

[mikesc]

Scotland is nice..used to drive around it a lot back in the late 70s and early 80s..had a friend who was a customs inspector of the distilleries, being diabetic he couldn't partake, so, I considered it my duty to help out ;)..My wife ( Breton ) always loves the look of Scotland on TV and in books, one day we may hire a camper ( RV ) and spend a month or so touring.

Re "additional devices" A laser cutter would be nice ( and they are not to expensive, even for reasonable ones, a friend has one, great on leather ), but I first have to finish building the workshop where it ( and the various sewing machines currently dispersed around our house, and those yet to be bought/rescued ) are going to live..For that , it must not rain much this summer..Brittany coast, one of the rainiest parts of France, although not at the moment, we have no flooding, nor will we, 400 metres from cliff top, ( no erosion problems either )..I was reading about some embroidery machines ( the cheaper stuff, not the Melco ) overnight here, the software driven ones do seem to be somewhat temperamental even on woven textiles, i would like the kind of thing that wouldn't be dependent on the dealer's "service".

Sewing machine dealers in France ( both of domestic and industrial machines ) are not renowned fro their "customer service" once the machine has gone out of the door and the cheque has been cashed ( and here you cannot do "charge backs" on credit or debit cards )..and they are even less helpful if the machine was not bought new from them, parts are horrendously expensive compared with the UK or USA..

Electronics in devices are all well and good if one can buy the parts oneself to repair/replace at a reasonable price..I'd be interested to hear more about either of the embroidery machines mentioned ( and drool over the Melco ) , I'd be embroidering 1 to 2 oz chrome tanned lambskin or goatskin..small pieces, nothing bigger than an A4 sheet of paper, and probably smaller than that..

[wlg190861]

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 1:41 AM, LumpenDoodle2 said:

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.

I will be buy pre-made designs until I et more familiar with things, First time  

[wlg190861]

I am wanting to embroider a persons name or initials on leather projects, mostly using garment leather an upholstery leather. I was at the sewing shop an they did some on 5/6 oz soft chrome tan an it turned out great but, it did seem to work the machine harder. Is there a embroidery machine made for leather ? 

[mikesc]

Quote

Is there a embroidery machine made for leather

There are..



But they are all around this kind of spec and price range..



http://www.globalsources.com/si/AS/BOMA-Sewing/6008841584595/pdtl/Direct-Drive-Electronic-Leather-Embroidery-Machine/1043228719.htm



There is this video on a Brother PE-770 machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5A2NtU_Skw
that appears to cope OK with 3oz garment leather..noisy though..( and I wish people would make videos like Uwe's and not go for all the over the top bling effects like Mr Arcuri does in his intro ) , and still an expensive machine, unless you are going to get a lot of use out of it..

Edited June 2, 2016 by mikesc

[Wizcrafts]

I think that a one head, 6 needle Melco EMT16 can embroider leather, because Leather is listed in the left sidebar among the items it can sew onto. It sews on hats, baseball caps, jackets and jerseys. An email or phone call to Melco should get an accurate answer. It would be about the cheapest full commercial embroidery machine that I know about.

[LumpenDoodle2]

You haven't lived until you visit Scotland, we cram a lot of variety into one small place.

The Brother Innovis 750, is the equivalent of the Brother 770 in the US.    It costs about the £900 mark new, and can take a bit of getting used to, but when you get the hang of it, it's a good bit of kit.   £900 is still a lot of money for something you are pushing to its limits from day one, though.   As to making your money back on the machine through items to sell, I know I haven't yet, maybe never will in the lifetime of the machine, but I still wouldn't be without it.   

As to being noisy, even when not under the additional strain of embroidering thick material, it clatters away to itself.

I make finds pouches with personalised embroidery on them, so treated myself to the Embird digitising software.   A bit of a steep learning curve, but pretty good, and you can buy the software in modules so doesn't hurt the bank balance too much.   At £90-£150, per unit, not too cheap, but the alternative is £1,000+ for commercial software.

 

[Darren Brosowski]

Very cautiously I will say that it will do the job - at least for a while.

A single needle industrial embroidery head will cost more but they are designed to do a high number of cycles and so will handle the load better.

There are a range of Cowboy machines designed for this type of work on cowboy boots but they are expensive.

It all comes down to how often you need to use it

 

[mikesc]

Found this when searching embroidery machines..cannot find out exactly what the machine is so as to be able to look out for one..I want one Yesterday I bought a 15K88 with treadle for slower work ( thanks for the pointer in that direction Darren ) ..But I'd love one of the machines ( or it's equivalent ) that Karen Nichol is using in this video..It is a singer, but what model ?

 

[mikesc]

Found what it is.. it is a Singer 107w102..now just have to find one..

or a 107wsv ( which has feed dogs, which may be removable ? )

Alternatives are ( but apparently not as good ) 20u62 and 20u142. and with removable feed dog , the 20u63 and 20u143..

Anyone here ever used any of the above machines ?

[Darren Brosowski]

The Singer 114 is another option!

There are also Japanese "Treasure" brand machines that are a 114.

I have an Indian built version called the 1114 but it is a bit rough.......

[mikesc]

Thanks Darren :)..I'll research them..the more alternatives I have, the better the chances of finding something, even if it is only a "stop gap"..saw one on line ( USA ) that went at auction for just $50.00..another on sale ( condition unknown ) at $450.00, and another that went for $999.00 on US ebay, I presume the heads  weigh around 30-40KG, so shipping for any could be a bit of an "ouch"..

[HadleyBlues]

Has anyone sampled the various product mentioned here, and can they tell which one is the best?
https://bestsewingmachinereview.com/best-janome-sewing-machine/

[kayw]

I have seen many Mexican made embroidered belts, gun belts, and holsters and they look very nice.  What machines do they use to do this kind of work?  

Mexican embroidered belt & buckle.pdf

Charro leather embroidery.pdf

El Charro silver embroidered belt.pdf

Edited June 15, 2019 by kayw
examples to illustrate embroidered leather

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, kayw said:

I have seen many Mexican made embroidered belts, gun belts, and holsters and they look very nice.  What machines do they use to do this kind of work?  

Mexican embroidered belt & buckle.pdf

Charro leather embroidery.pdf

El Charro silver embroidered belt.pdf

Possibly done on a Consew 104 free hand embroidery machine (by skilled sewers). Otherwise, they use a heavy duty programmable commercial embroidery machine, like those made by Melco.