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Member since 3/1/09
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Posted on: 8/8/18 1:16 PM ET
Currently I am experimenting with some surface decoration techniques, trying out a couching kit for my Janome machine and have been testing it with a couple of the supplied machine embroidery designs.
The yarn feeds into the needle hole in the foot and as the embroidery design is stitched, the stitches are supposed stitch down the yarn.

Unfortunately the stitching is missing the yarn about 50% of the time, especially going around curved shapes. I've tried 4 different designs and right now I'm rather disappointed with this piece of kit.
The kit comes with two feet, one for a thinner yarn the other for a thicker one. I'm using the one for thinner yarn.
(It is possible that the set up with this couching kit may need a thicker or fluffier yarn than the smooth one I am using.)

For anyone who has done couching in embroidery mode, do you have to use a yarn of a certain thickness or above?

(With free motion or in sewing mode it's a different situation and the operator has more direct control over the yarn that is being couched down)
-- Edited on 8/8/18 at 1:21 PM --
  
Member since 12/3/06
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Posted on: 8/8/18 2:37 PM ET
I looked at the site you provided. It shows two feet; one for thinner and one for thicker yarn.

It's been a while, but I think I have done this with embroidery floss.

Try the foot for the thicker thread using a thinner thread.

Best wishes for a spectacular stitch out!
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
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Posted on: 8/8/18 6:10 PM ET
I haven’t tried using embroidery but I have used couching foot on mid arm quilting machine and frame. Its fiddling with yarn tension vs yarn size so you get enough coverage especially on curves.
  
Member since 5/2/09
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Posted on: 8/9/18 1:04 AM ET
Their yarn is pretty thick. The thicker and wider some yarn is, the better chance you would have of catching it with some straight stitches. I had (and do still someplace) the old Janome Miracle Stitcher kit with the foot, yarn holder, and book for low shank machines. That worked pretty good, with thickish yarn, but I think I actually used it, non hoop embroidery mode, with my old Pfaff 1475 instead. and it was a while ago, not recent. You can also do the thing, where you tie on with dental floss, several hollow beads to some darning or embroidery foot- across from each other, and string some yarn through there. And just let the yarn feed off from a ball of yarn in your lap even. Have not tried the one you got though. Have also done the thing, where you digitize a triple straight stitch or use some bean stitch (or better several layers of one, on top of each other or very close, then have a design go back over that with what looks like a open zig zag with same or different thread. things can get pretty thick that way, if you want that. I get that you got something different though.
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 3:38 AM ET
In reply to Whispers
I don't have a Janome free motion couching kit. Did you watch the 3 Janome free motion couching videos on Youtube ?
  
Member since 4/28/07
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Posted on: 8/9/18 8:12 AM ET
I would slow the machine down to see if that helps with control
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"This is the day that The Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!"
Building my stable one machine at a time: Viking circa 1975, Viking Sapphire 870, Bernina 930Record, Huskylock 905, Babylock: Sophia2, Evolve & Flourish(embroidery only), and finally TOL Viking Epic.
Most prized possession: Grandmother's Singer treadle machine with the drawers filled with her things, just like she left them.
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 9:03 AM ET
In reply to TeeGee
Thanks for this TeeGee - The problem I experienced is not with free motion couching or couching in sewing mode, both of which I can do okay and in some ways stitching down the yarn can be more reliable because a zigzag stitch can be used.

What I'm trying to do is work with an alternative method which is to do the couching in machine embroidery mode with a machine embroidery design.
It's more important for the yarn position to be in the correct position because it's stitched down with a straight stitch.
It's an ideal option (or could be) for people who cannot manage Free Motion work but can use an embroidery machine.
-- Edited on 8/9/18 at 9:19 AM --
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 9:20 AM ET
In reply to Molliefran
I should have mentioned in the original post that the machine speed was set at the lowest of 400spm.
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 9:56 AM ET
In reply to aslinnd
Thanks for this Aslinnd.

Finding a balance with Yarn tension & Yarn size makes sense, however with this machine embroidery set up, when the embroidery design is running there's not really much opportunity to manipulate the position of the yarn or it's tension. Basically there isn't any tension on the yarn.

This video from 2:00 shows the set up and how the couching design is supposed to stitch out.
When I stitched that same design, the stitches missed the yarn about half the time.


-- Edited on 8/9/18 at 10:00 AM --
  
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Posted on: 8/9/18 11:42 AM ET
They never show a close up of the foot in action how do you know it is a straight stitch? I would think it would be the zigzag that goes three stitches to one side and then three to the other.
  
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