Category: Tips

JUKI Posts, Tips, Triple T: Tips, Tricks, and Training

JUKI Tip: Double Fold Bias Binder Overview

by sewinwithjuki2 Comments on JUKI Tip: Double Fold Bias Binder Overview

On this JUKI tip, we use the Double Fold Bias Binder and show you how to feed the fabric into the machine with this accessory and create a smooth sewing experience!

Follow along below for a rundown of what Alba covers on today’s JUKI Tip!

Hi, friends my name is Alba and I would like to welcome you to another tips and tricks with JUKI! Today I am talking about the double-fold bias binder and I have two sets in this video; one is a 38-millimeter and one is a 32-millimeter. The one I have on my machine is the wider of the two and I want to show you what exactly is in the package when you open this up.

I am going to open it right in front of you and I am going to pull out the binder itself and it comes with fabric and binding on it. It also comes with a little package with a thumb screw and a foot, and it comes with an instruction sheet. So what I wanted to show you is a little bit of detail, of what is in this, and as I said the one that’s on the machine is a 38-millimeter one, and what that means is how wide the fabric is that is put into the binder and how wide the finished product will come out.

For the 38-millimeter one, I used a one and a half inch strip of fabric, folded it and the completed bias is about 3/8 of an inch. Now what I like about this is you’re going to notice how short that foot is and this is really helpful as you’re sewing because that binder can get really close to the foot and allows for very little movement and of course we have our thumb screws to be able to put this onto the machine. Now what most people get confused with is they’re expecting this portion here to lay flat on the machine but as you can see in the video this accessory rests off of the machine. The thumb screw goes into the screw hole that’s on the bed of the machine, so these are intended for the industrial machines and the machines with solid metal beds, so that they could get screwed directly into the machine and a lot of people do not realize that pivot action that this attachment has.

Now I have two pieces of fabric and both of them have been cut to one and a half inches, and I’m going to show you the struggle that most people have and my tip for feeding the fabric into the machine and getting this to run smoothly. Now most people try to feed the fabric with it in the position right in front of the foot, but if you pivot this, it allows you to better see, getting that fabric in there and just puts you in a much better angle. Now as you’re noticing, I have the wrong side of the fabric facing me. Where most people have an issue is right there and I’m gonna get recommend a stylus, and with that tip, the fabric needs to go underneath its section in the video. Now this is where a lot of people have trouble trying to do that and I’m going to give you my tip for getting that done.

Now let me pull my trusty scissor out and I am going to cut a point into my fabric. By putting a point into that fabric, and you definitely want to use a stiletto, look at how easily that goes right into that fold. And as I pull this out I want to make sure that my fabric is folded, and what I do is I give this a little bit of a finger press. Now when I lift my foot and lift my needle I can move that fabric right underneath the foot and that large thumb screw will allow you to move this right and left so that when you lower your foot. Your needle is just slightly off of that edge to top stitch that edge. Now as I cut this, it was the width of fabric, and I am going to just sew away. Now watch in the video how even at that full speed, how brilliantly and effortlessly that works because this attachment is right up to the foot.

Now I am showing you sewing these pieces shut. I’m going to do a video really soon on putting um this into a quilt sandwich, and doing that mitered corner, but I wanted to show you this finished product and also some of the crafty things that you can do with these strips. You might have noticed my lanyard and I really like fun bright colors so I made my lanyard with the strip, and I happen to have made it so that it can hold my little scissors but also weaving fabric and doing that repeatedly so that you can create your own fabric and your own patterns, how cute would that be as an inset for a waistline? Or for a garment, for a tote bag. I want you to Google and search YouTube videos for fabric weaving to see all of the different things that you could do with that. I want you to stay tuned for another video that I will be doing on mitering corners and using this on quilt fabric.

Thank you for coming and sharing your time with me, what do you want to see next on JUKI tips? Lets us know down below!

JUKI Posts, Tips

Know Your Needles with JUKI

by sewinwithjuki3 Comments on Know Your Needles with JUKI

When creating, you may wonder, what needle should I use on my machine and project? Today we will give you a lesson on needles and what you need to know before you start sewing your next idea. Understanding what needle you need will help you create without the mess of skipped stitches, a thread coming loose, a pucker in your fabric, and so much more. Let’s start from the bottom and work up to picking the right needle.

How do you read the needle size?

Depending on your fabric, you’ll want to find a needle that can puncture the fabric well but not tear it when you are sewing.

The needle size ranges from small to large, and each sewing machine needle will have two numbers etched onto it. Usually separated by a slash, these numbers determine whether it is a heavy-duty needle. 60/8, for example, is a lightweight needle suitable for cotton. At the same time, 90/14 is a heavyweight needle good for vinyl. 

Now what do those numbers mean exactly? The first number is measured in the European/Number Metric (NM)/International system, for example, the 60 in 60/8. The metric number usually increases by 5 or 10 when you need to size up your needle for heavier fabric. Home sewing machine needle’s most common metric size is between 60 and 130.

The second number is measured in the American/U.S./Singer/Imperial system, for example, the 8 in 60/8. For your home sewing machine, the most common imperial size needed is between 8 and 21, and the needle sizes usually increase by 1 or 2.

How do you choose the right needle?

There are a few brand options for sewing machine needles, but today we will discuss Organ needles. When choosing a needle, our best recommendation is to pick the smallest one possible for the fabric you’re working with. Needles will leave holes in your fabrics as it goes, so you want to minimize the view of them.

Now know you’ll need to find the right needle for your fabric, we’ve compiled a list of fabrics and the recommended organ needle size to use when creating.

Fine Fabric: Silk, chiffon, and lace

  • Silk 55/7; Microtex 60/8 and 70/10

Lightweight Fabric: Cotton or spandex

  • Universal 80/12; Jersey 70/10 or 75/11; Super Stretch 75/11

Medium-Weight Fabric: Linen, fleece, velvet

  • Universal 80/12 or 90/14; Jersey 90/14; Super Stretch 90/14

Heavyweight Fabric: Leather, canvas, denim

  • Jeans (blue shank) 90/14 and 100/16

Very Heavyweight Fabric: upholstery or heavy denim

  • Titanium 90/14; Jeans (blue shank) 110/18

For all needles, including Organ needles, these are things to keep in mind:

  • Universal Needle is the most commonly used needle on a home sewing machine. It can be used on woven fabrics, synthetics, and knit fabrics. A universal needle should use polyester, cotton, or silk threads.
  • Ball Point Needle: with a rounded tip on the needle, this is commonly used for rib knits, interlock, cotton knits, fleece, double knit, and most knit fabrics. This is because the ballpoint pushes the fabric fibers apart rather than cutting them, preventing stitch runs.
  • Stretch Needle: with a scarf tip, this needle allows the hook to pass by and prevent skipped stitches when working on fabrics like stretch knits, silk jerseys, or spandex.
  • Jean Needle: You might have noticed above that Organ recommends a jean needle when working on denim material; this is because the very sharp point on the Jean needle can handle that firm fabric and cleanly pierce through. You can also use this on heavy canvas fabric or home décor linens. This is a perfect moment to study your thread too! If you’re working with threads like 100% polyester or heavier top stitching threads, this needle will help you create easier.  
  • Sharp Needle: Quilters might know about this one. A sharp needle can penetrate through multiple layers of fabrics, like for quilting creations that involve several layers of cotton and padding. Helpful for preventing skipped stitches and needles breaking, a shark needle is an excellent needle to have no hand.
  • Quilting Needle: Quilters can also get the traditional quilter needles created for penetrating several layers of fabrics in projects. You will notice that quilter needles are a little shorter than Sharp needles. Choose the best needle size for your needs!

Remember, the thread you’re using for your sewing project will also determine the type of needle you choose! For example, if you’re creating with a fine thread, you’ll want to use a small needle size to reduce the thread from falling out the eye of the needle. Also, remember that the lighter the fabric, the smaller the needle size, and the heavier the fabric, the larger the needle size.

We hope this helps you create your next project as you use the right needle on your creation! To learn more about Organ needles, visit here.

JUKI Posts, Tips, Triple T: Tips, Tricks, and Training

JUKI Tip: Changing Your Foot Control Function Settings

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on JUKI Tip: Changing Your Foot Control Function Settings

Have you learned all the different ways you can use your foot controller on your computerized sewing machine? Check out our tips today to learn all 7 ways you can enjoy sewing with just the tap of your foot!

Follow along below for a rundown of what Alba covers on today’s JUKI Tip!

Today we’re going over the foot pedal and the foot switch function on the foot pedal for your machine. It has two sections to step on, the blue section for sewing, and the heel section or the white section, which on many of our machines can be programmed to do different functions.

The DX-2000 offers options to change the settings on your foot control functions for example as you’ll see demonstrated in this video. This function is normally found on our full-size machines!

To best follow along with today’s video, please refer to the section of the manual where all of this is laid out and that is on page 93! Now, the heel function of the foot pedal has six different parts we’re going to show you, and we’re going to cover what those functions are and how to get them going.

First, tap on the icon that looks like a wrench and a screwdriver; this is where we go into settings to change features on our machine. When you press that your screen comes up with different functions and we are going to tap the arrow until you reach the heel function icon. Next, press OK, and let’s start choosing our functions.

The first function is a feature already placed as a button on your machine, it is the same icon on the machine for reverse; if you select this, it will do reverse stitch. Now, when you press forward on this foot it will always sew as normal, as you tap and press on the back of the foot pedal, you’ll see your reverse stitch begin.

The second function option is a lock stitch. A lock stitch is completed when that needle goes up and down in place locking your stitch so that it doesn’t unravel. This is useful for locking in your projects and securing a quality finish.

The third function is a half stitch. The icon for this function shows as a needle with arrows up and down, and what this will do is it will take a half stitch as you come to the end of your thread. This feature is useful to secure your seam but not lock it if you do not want any build-up of threads you’re going to sew.

The fourth function will have the presser foot lifting and lowering. As you start sewing and touch that heel portion of your foot control it will leave you with the foot up and the needle down and this is really helpful if you were going to do continuous sewing or chain piecing!

The fifth function is the cutting function. The cutting function can be very helpful! When your stitch is done this function will trim your top thread and bottom thread at the same time, saving you the trouble of finding your thread scissors.

The last function is the ability to turn off all extra functions when tapping the back of your foot controller. You can turn them on and off as needed helping you create your projects with ease. Remember, the details of this are on page 93 of the instruction book for the DX series, and offer images you can follow to learn more!

Thank you for joining today’s tip, we hope this helps you create easier the next time you’re working on your machine!

JUKI Posts, Tips, Triple T: Tips, Tricks, and Training

JUKI Tip: Using the Needle Threader On Your MO Series

by sewinwithjuki1 Comment on JUKI Tip: Using the Needle Threader On Your MO Series

For this month’s JUKI tip, we go over how to use the automatic needle threader that can be found on select serger machines in our MO Series! Creating an easier sewing experience for you, this feature is perfect for getting your machine ready to create, without the hassle.

Follow along below as our National Account Trainer Alba showcases how to thread your automatic needle threader.

The needle threader on the Serger from JUKI is a mechanism that has a lever that goes right and left, whether you’re choosing to thread the right or left needle, before being pushed down to cover the needle in front of the eye.

As you watch the video, you’ll notice how our JUKI National Account Trinaer Alba moves the mechanism to the right-hand position, turning the hand wheel towards herself until the needles reach the highest possible position.

Ensuring the lever is set for the right-hand needle, we’re going to lower the self-threading lever, until it comes right around the needle. Here is where you’ll notice how the mechanism just hugs that needle, giving you the perfect spot to place your thread. Now, remember, for the best experience ensure your thread is not taut, and instead loose. This way the machine is able to thread your needle, without tugging.

Now, as you raise up the needle threader, as shown in the video, you’ll notice how it forms a loop that you can carefully pull through the eye of the needle, completing the threading of your needle. Pull the thread behind, and you’re all set on the right-hand needle!

For the left needle, we’ll position our needle threader for the left-hand position, before lowering the mechanism where it will hug your needle. Next, we recommend using two hands to place that thread in the groove of the needle threader; this will be right at the eye of the needle.

As you raise your needle threader mechanism, you’ll notice the loop form once again, before pulling the thread completely through and towards the back of the machine.

We hope this helps you the next time you want to use the automatic needle threader on your serger machine! What tip do you want to see next from JUKI? Let us know in the comments below!

JUKI Posts, Tips, Triple T: Tips, Tricks, and Training

JUKI Tip: Using The Micro-Lift on the TL Series

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on JUKI Tip: Using The Micro-Lift on the TL Series

For this month’s JUKI Tip, we’re focusing on the micro-lifter feature that can be found on your TL series machines! Now, a common question we get is, “what is different about the Micro-lift feature from the presser foot pressure?” To show the difference, we’re going to use the TL-18QVP because it has two different locations for each feature.

Now the presser foot pressure, as it sounds, is the amount of pressure the foot puts on the fabric you’re sewing. For example, if you’re moving your project, the presser foot pressure is what will help you keep that nice straight seam. With the Micro-lift feature, your presser foot pressure will stay the same, but the height of the foot will change. Raised above the feed dogs, your foot will now have space to create using multiple layers of fabric, thick fabrics, complete binding easier, work on handbags, and so much more.

Our favorite part is not needing to adjust the presser foot pressure as often when using the Micro-lift feature, helping your project process become more simple.

As you watch the video, you’ll be able to follow along as our National Account Trainer Alba demonstrates how the Micro-lift feature looks when in use, and how easily the fabric you’re working on will go through. From 8 layers of denim to 15 layers of denim, you’re able to see how the fabric smoothly glides through; the needle easily sewing through the material.

We hope this video encourages you to try your hand at the Micro-lift feature on your machine and that it helps you create beautiful projects with quality style! What JUKI Tip are you hoping to see next? Let us know in the comments below!