The Sewing Place

Need help with Janome Coverpro settings

Vezelay

Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« on: October 17, 2019, 15:27:16 PM »
I've sewn a few hems on this before without any problem but I've just rethreaded the machine to hem some very stretchy vicose/lycra and am getting major puckering and tunnelling. I changed the settings as per some I found for lightweight knit fabric, and have succeeded in getting myself totally confused as whatever I change seems to only make things worse!!

I've stabilised the hem with fusible knit stay tape - but test stitching is almost better without the tape.
I'm using wooly nylon in the looper. Looper tension 0
Needles 1 & 3 tension 2 (tried 3)
Stitch length 3 (tried 3.5)
Differential feed 2.0
SOFT setting
Loosened the presser foot pressure to 12mm

I've never sewn such stretchy fabric before. Should I be using wooly nylon at all? - I got good results with it before. Other than give up and use a twin needle, what would you do here? To make things worse I want this top finished pronto!

PS And I'm using the correct ELX 705 SUK CF needles. Previously I just used the (non stretch) ones that came with the machine.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2019, 15:38:49 PM by Vezelay »

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2019, 16:03:38 PM »
Not sure I can help with your machine, but on my BabyLock I use needles 1 and 2 - I think there is too big a gap if you use 1 and 3, that may cause your tunnelling?  Personally, I don't worry about a bit of tunnelling, as even rtw garments have it.  Although, just looked at the me-made jersey top I'm currently wearing and it's totally flat...

BrendaP

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2019, 16:09:19 PM »
If it's very stretchy and/or lightweight you are better using needles 1 & 2, or 2 & 3 rather than 1 & 3.

Don't use wooly nylon in the looper; it stretches as it goes through the machine and then tightens up again causing the tunnelling. 
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
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Vezelay

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2019, 16:15:56 PM »
OK thanks both. I'll change to narrow stitch - two adjacent needles - and replace the wooly nylon with standard thread and raise the looper tension. See if that helps. I'll be back...

Helen M

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2019, 17:08:41 PM »
Vezelay is yours a 1000CPX or a 2000?

My 1000 has always been temperamental and the only way I can get it not to tunnel is to bypass part of the looper threading.

I'll try and describe it best I can. I don't use the 'soft' setting or that 'metal' thing that changes it. I bring the thread through the tension disc at top of machine then straight down and just take the thread to the left (missing out the STS thingy completely) and through the 3 loops and then continue threading as normal. I leave the tension on either 0 or 1 but it stops the tunneling. This works on both a narrow hem or a wide one. Also I was told by someone in Janome to only put looper thread through one of the holes on the guide pole as it slackens that tension a litte which is what we are trying to achieve.

I'd try it without the wooly nylon thread as well.
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Vezelay

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2019, 17:28:55 PM »
All good now with a little help from my TSP friends  :). Just changed from woolly nylon to normal and used needles 1 &2. I increased the looper tension to 3, left the needle tension at 2 and reduced the diff feed to 1.5. (These are settings I used in the past). Fabrics a bit slippery still but no tunnelling at all now.

@Helen M mine's a 2000cpx. Interesting what you say as when I went to change the thread this morning I realised last time I hadn't clicked the thread into that metal tension thingy you're talking about and as far as I recall it was fine. And I've always threaded both holes in the thread guide bar (it's called that in my instructions) following some advice I saw on YouTube. I wish these things were simpler. And no, I'm not going to buy a Babylock.......yet.

Thanks again for the helpful replies :)

Gernella

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2019, 12:12:31 PM »
I tend to get tunnelling on very light fabric.  I've just given in on it and decided to make sure the left needle is falling within the hem  then using my super duper duck billed scissors take the excess off.  Life is too short for me to waste  scratching my head wondering what to do next to make it work properly.
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Lachica

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2019, 12:27:03 PM »
@Vezelay @Gernella I have the 2000 and have had similar problems, to the extent that I'm thinking of trading up. My machine is still in warranty and hasn't had much use, which may be part of the problem. I probably need to try different settings & fabrics - but life's too short, I want to use it on projects. I had problems when I accidentally bypassed the looper spring thingy, and winding the threads twice round the guide home bar caused tensions to be too tight, although that's what it says in the manual.
Mary
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Vezelay

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2019, 13:01:57 PM »
@Lachica, I know the feeling but it goes against the grain to concede defeat. I  just need to spend more time reading the instructions and internet advice!

After ditching the wooly nylon, changing to two adjacent needles and changing most of the settings, it sewed perfect hems on my top so I shan't be giving up just yet.

Interestingly, I didn't use seam tape on the sleeve hems and it didn't seem to make much difference. Oh and the bottom hem was sewn with the left needle falling outside the hem (more by accident than design) and no tunnelling whatever! I mentioned on another thread that I'd raised the feed dogs and this time there were no skipped stitches over seams. Happy days.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2019, 13:09:06 PM by Vezelay »

Lachica

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2019, 13:59:25 PM »
@Vezelay I agree about not wanting to admit defeat. Mine works perfectly on wovens and some knits but flatly refused to stitch my lovely quality cotton jersey so I'll try not to buy that fabric again! I agree that more practice is probably the answer. I've not altered the diff feed from 1, I should try that maybe.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Gernella

Re: Need help with Janome Coverpro settings
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2019, 16:51:57 PM »
I must admit it works perfectly 99% of the time, sometimes not even changing anything from one project to the other so I can't really complain.  It's just the occasional really light jersey that has a hissy fit.  I actually bought three meters of it to make a dressing gown but it is so nice to wear I just might go for more tops instead.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included