Poor buttonholes on Janome machines?

[Ouryve]

The only issues I've had with buttonholes on my M50QDC have been with the weight of fabric causing the odd one to veer if I don't get the support right - usually alleviated by using the quilting extension table it came with.

Despite it being computerised, it's a mechanical one step buttonhole, using a lever to prompt it to change direction. I did mess one up, once, by nudging it with my finger but that was fixable with some hand stitching as the last leg just finished a little short.

[Helen M]

Yes it's a good, solid machine @Helen M and I prefer it to my computerized Singer machine which I only use as a back up.

I think John Lewis still sell this Janome model which is pretty good for a 15 years old  or thereabouts machine.

I think I saw it the last time I was in there, a few weeks ago. That machine just keeps having it's name changed! Mine, 10 years old, was a replacement for my previous My Excel 18/3018 that was 20 years old!

[Esme866]

I have a 30 year old mechanical Janome that only has one built in buttonhole that has always been consistently adequate. Not perfect, but NEVER pucker-y. I've seen several bespoke shirt makers whose buttonholes I would consistently place beneath mine TBH. My machine also came with an additional buttonhole maker which is superb. Definitely wouldn't spend $1000 or more to replace the machine for that reason.

[Helen M]

I did mess one up, once, by nudging it with my finger but that was fixable with some hand stitching as the last leg just finished a little short.

@Ouryve Apparently that is how you make a larger buttonhole when the button is bigger than the foot will allow. You touch the the bit you pull down that sets the length and let go when it gets to the length you want!

[PollyWally]

@Tamnymore I also have a Janome Excel 5024 but have never managed to make a successful buttonhole on it. You have given me hope that it is possible so maybe I should persevere. I tend to avoid anything that requires buttonholes.

[Tamnymore]

That's interesting @PollyWally . Let us know what the problem is.with the buttonholes and I'll see if I can suggest anything.

[PollyWally]

Thankyou @Tamnymore. I haven't got anything I am working on at the moment but next time I am attempting buttonholes I will take you up on your offer of help.

[grannysyb]

I had the same or with the Janome that I had, perfect test then the next one was a mess. I've only done little buttonholes on the Pfaff, I generally go to DM Buttons in London to get them done!

[Flobear]

I think I must have hit lucky when I bought my Pfaff Ambition. A choice of several buttonholes and never a problem that wasn't down to me being a numpty.
Imagine my amazement when I first used it and it did the whole buttonhole in one operation. My old Bernina does good bh's too but you have to turn a knob for each stage and decide when to stop stitching each section.

[Iminei]

When I used to make waistcoats a trillion years ago I was sewing on a secondhand Toyota and must have made a ziilion four step buttonholes without any problems. I did however hate sewing the buttons on and took the waistcoats home to do them in front of the telly at night.

Now Ive had a number of Janomes and because I only need to make buttonholes for an envelope closure on a cushion cover I have found the best way to do it is to detach the foot control, set a fairly low speed and let the machine do it itself ... works every time!

[sewmuchmore]

I have the Pfaff QE4.2 and the auto button hole foot produces nice buttonhole as long as the fabric is not too thick, i tend to use the manual function for thick fabric.
My previous Pfaff failed miserably with button holes until it went for a service and the stepping motor was replaced, apparently a common problem with computerised machines.

[realale]

My Janome has always produced good buttonholes for me - the few times it hasn't have usually been user error!! My last Pfaff was a nightmare although every other thing about it I loved and was sad when she died. I haven't tried any on my new Pfaff cus the Janome works fine for me. 

[Gernella]

The only time I've had trouble with my Pfaffs, both Expressions, is thickness and the foot not sliding, solved with sticking paper under the bottom. I think you just have to make sure that your sample fabric will be identical to what you are going to work on with interfacing etc.

[Surest1tch]

I've only ever done buttonholes (automatic) on Janome machines and not many for a long time until this year and to be honest they were okay on the fabric I was using, but have just read a post on Instagram from @good_fabric_store and wondered if anyone else has done similar things.

They say that the first buttonhole is fine, ie on a scrap of same fabric, then the 2nd one, ie first on garment is a mess. Remedies include switching back to a straight stitch and sewing on a scrap then going back to buttonholes and someone else has said switching off the power and back between each buttonhole has a similar effect.

The opening poster says hers is a basic model but the switching off of the power suggests to me that it's a computerised model as the memory will have been erased by doing that.

One person says they bought a new machine (Pfaff) and they are so much better.

Not saying I'd go to that extreme but thought it interesting.

Has anyone else had similar issues?

I totally agree, in the end I bought an automatic buttonholer attachment for mine, it was either that or hand sewing buttonholes which I used to hate having to do when I tailoring.