The Janome 8200QCP is a professional sewing machine made for professional seamstresses and sewists alike. When most sewing machines (computerized that is) cost more than people can afford because they offer special features that you wouldn’t even use under normal circumstances, the Janome 8200QCP cuts back on most of the unnecessary features and still offers other great features at a very affordable price if you make a living from sewing. The Janome 8200QCP however does have some technical problems that can cause the sewing machine to be quite cumbersome. And this article is to give the best possible insight of what those problems are.
Table of Contents
1. Constant Thread Breaking
This is a problem on the Janome 8200QCP normally witnessed when using the free-motion quilt feature on the sewing machine. The needle thread rubs against the needle plate as it is moving up and down and start to fray or unravel, and then the thread breaks or snaps. This problem is usually caused by a breakage or sharp protrusion on the needle plate such that it makes contact with the needle thread cutting it piece by piece until it breaks. Other than that this problem can also be because the thread is tangled (bunched up) around the spool (which is the wrapped up thread at the top of your sewing machine.)
To Do
- It would help a lot to inspect the needle plate area if the thread is breaking around that area. In which case you would need to unscrew the needle plate and then replace it. If the problem persists then it would be wise to take your Janome 8200QCP sewing machine to an accredited dealer for servicing.
- Make sure that the thread runs freely from the spool by untangling any bunched up thread.
2. Fabric Layers Shift
It is important that the layers of the fabrics you will be sewing on remain in place, so as to create equally and evenly sewn work. This problem on the Janome 8200QCP sewing machine sees those layers shifting from place and creating uneven work. The feed dog is what moves the fabric as you’re sewing on the stitches. This issue can also be a result of incorrect presser foot pressure in relation to the types of fabrics you will be using. Slippery or silky fabrics are more likely to have this problem.
To Do
- Therefore it is very important to know which fabrics your sewing machine can handle, you can find that information inside the Janome 8200QCP’s instruction manual.
- You can adjust presser foot pressure to better suit the type of fabric you will be using.
- The presser foot and feed dog (with the presser foot pressing from the top, and the feed dog from the bottom), make sure that it is so.
3. Feed Dog Damages Corners
When sewing with the Janome 8200QCP sewing machine it tends to eat (damage) away at the corners of your seams. This can leave your project looking as if they were eaten by rats or even worse, lead to even larger tears on the sewn project. This is because the feed dog has ridges or sharp teeth that help grip to fabrics and then move them whilst the sewing machine is running.
To Do
- To completely solve this problem, you would have to use what’s known as a leader. This makes sure that your sewing machine’s feed dog doesn’t nib away at the corners of your fabrics.
- You can also solve this problem by using a different needle plate, namely the single hole plate instead of another if you’re experiencing this problem.
- A good quality feed dog should only grip fabrics not damage them. This may also be a case of the feed dog being damaged, in which case you would have to take it in for repairs.
4. Not Very Good At Quilting
On the Janome 8200QCP’s product web page you will find listed in the description that this is a sewing machine that is for quilters. Unfortunately it doesn’t perform as well as it should, quilting is a form of sewing where layers of padding or other quilted layers of fabric are stitched together to make a garment or any other sewing craft. The problem with the Janome 8200QCP is that the needle sometimes doesn’t pierce through to the other side of the fabric (quilt), making the entire process impossible.
To Do
- If you do not know how to quilt in free-motion it would help you to attach the quilting guide bar that comes with the Janome 8200QCP sewing machine.
- When using the quilting guide bar make sure to position it according to the desired spaces between your stitches. The guide bar should always be parallel to the presser foot.
5. The Control Buttons Don’t Work
To control or operate the Janome 8200QCP you have a rectangular box that looks like a calculator located on the right side. There’s a small rectangular screen (inside the rectangular box) with numbers and symbols, and underneath it are some tactile buttons. With these buttons you can control the stitch length, the stitch width and so many other functions the computerized sewing machine hosts. The problem then is that sometimes these buttons don’t work at all and they need to be pressed a couple of times or pressed harder than you normally would.
To Do
- This is a problem that may happen over time or as the sewing machine is coming out of its packaging. In which case you would need to get the entire control module (screen and buttons) replaced.
- Make sure to be gentle with the sewing machine’s buttons. But you will find that the buttons you always use on a regular basis are the ones that tend to fail quicker than the others.
Conclusion
Although packed with capabilities that are still considered to be great in this day and age. The Janome 8200QCP is an old computerized sewing machine. It doesn’t take into account most things other sewing machines do. Sewists often complain about the space that the Janome 8200QCP takes up (it restricts a lot of movement) quilting, and for a sewing machine that was built to do just that, it’s very bad.
