Free Motion Couching with Janome


Over at 3Creative Studios, Leslie is teaching about free motion couching. Imagine a lovely feather outlined in a nice yarn or cord. Imagine me using up the yarn I never use anymore!






But Leslie has a Bernina---one that costs more than my minivan (OK that's not saying much) that has all these special feet and all the great education of the Bernina folks behind it. Janome does not make a free motion couching foot.[Edited to add: 2013- Janome now makes a Free Motion Couching Foot. Read my reviews and watch the videos on it] Janome not makes a free motion couching foot So I've been fiddling around with what I do have.


This (below) is one of the "toes" that comes with the adjustable FMQ foot from Janome. It looks a lot like the Bernina #43 foot for free motion couching, except the center hole is way too wide, and there's no yarn guide to the side of the foot. I think the center hole is pivotal (I'm punny). So I tried the closed toe on this set. It kind of worked, but the hole is still a bit big for the yarn I used, so it got out of position and missed several stitches when changing direction.



See my little experiment below. Not a great pic, but nearly every bit of that yarn is stitched down and I didn't guide the yarn at all while stitching!



I'll have to figure out if there are any other manufacturer's feet that could be used on my machine for this fabulous technique, but right now I'm thinking it's time for a foot 'hack' only this time, instead of breaking my foot by removing a portion, I think I need to add to my foot. I'm thinking a little super glue, some clear plastic, and the bullseye-looking plastic foot/toe of my FMQ set.

To be continued.....

2 comments:

  1. Amy -- great minds must think alike... I have been looking for a free motion couching foot for my Janome ever since I saw what the Bernina can do, and since Libby Lehman (I took one of her classes) told me one was due to come out for the Janome. I bought one made for a Viking, but the opening for the snap on foot to grab onto is too narrow. Today I tried super gluing a very small metal washer onto a Janome closed toe darning foot. Results were promising, but similar to yours -- hole is a bit too big. I amy try adding an even smaller washer if I can find one, but I realize one can run through a lot of expensive feet trying to perfect this. Please let me know how your experiments go.

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  2. It's been a while since I visited this post, but I did create my own free motion couching foot a while back. Here's the link: http://www.freemotionquiltingadventures.com/2011/08/free-motion-couching-foot-tutorial.html

    Janome also did come out with a couching foot a few years ago which you can read about it and watch a few of my videos on this foot: http://www.freemotionquiltingadventures.com/2013/03/free-motion-couching-review-videos.html

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