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Member since 4/9/07
Posts: 201
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Posted on: 4/15/07 7:16 AM ET
Hello Ladies: I am considering the Janome Clothsetter for easier placement and the Janome F hoop ( spring tension) instead of a regular hoop. The spring tension hoop seems like it would be much easier to use but the best price I've seen on line so far is about $60. Is it worth it? The clothsetter is also about $60. Does it really work for better placement? I tend to collect every gaget and accessory that sounds promising, and end up lots of stuff I don't use . Hard to believe huh? I hope you will share your expertise and opinions. Thanks for your help - Paula
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Topshelf Pod
  
Member since 2/2/04
Posts: 787
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Posted on: 4/16/07 6:11 PM ET
I have both. I like the spring hoop very much. It makes hooping much easier, especially for heavy fabrics. I guess the only down side is it does use more stabilizer because even though the hoop is rather large, the embroidery area is the same as the A hoop.

The clothsetter does make more accurate placement possible. The question is, how accurate do you need to be? Sometimes it really doesn't matter if a design is a little off of ideal. And you can do some adjustments at the machine.
  
Member since 12/6/03
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Posted on: 4/17/07 8:46 AM ET
In reply to Topshelf
Now this is just me saying this---I don't use my cloth setter, but I have a very good placement eye. There should be a built in design on your machine that has a cross of stitches and that is how you calibrate your clothsetter. I did that on both hoops and then marked my hoop with perm marker so I know where the center is on my particular machine. I also understand you need to check that center ocassionally because it can change as the machine puts out embroidery on an on going basis. Many people love the clothsetter, however, and I have seriously thought about giving mine away, but as soon as I do---I will want it back.

The above mentioned process I did on my 300e, but have not done it on my 350e, and haven't even found the cross in the designs. I am assuming it is there as I have heard it is on the 10001.

What I would think about getting if you are doing lots of shirts is an embroidery buddy. It is a notion that places logo embroidery at necklines on shirts which is the biggest pain in the tail to do. I just did a bunch of shrits for a friend's business as a favor, and hated every minute of it.

I don't have a spring hoop, and think I may have to try one. All hoops are expensive as I found out after I cracked a B hoop once. So, for hooping heavier fabric a spring hoop sounds like a great idea.

Last thought: Both my 300 and 350e if you trace the design before starting go back to the center point for the design area. I am assuming the other machines have the same thing. If you mark where you want the center of your design to be and you are off, you can jog the design till the center matches. If you do this, just remember that if you get out of the design, or shut down the machine, it will revert back to the original design placement unless you save it. Now, guess how I know that???
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"Sewing should be fun; make it that way!" Margaret Islander
Flying through life by the seat of my pants and hoping I get my crotch curve right.
"No humiliation is too great for a well fitting pair of pants!" Heidi Cooper
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Member since 4/8/02
Posts: 5095
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Posted on: 4/17/07 9:18 AM ET
I bought the clothsettier when I got my machine, haven't even done the calibration thing yet. t I haven't tried to do any multiple hoopings yet but I am assuming it will help with that. I also bought the tiny hoop - maybe "C"?? Anyway I really like it - good for hooping little things. I thing I'll have to "spring" for the spring hoop - sorry couldn't resist!
-- Edited on 4/17/07 9:19 AM --
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Member since 3/20/06
Posts: 1146
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Posted on: 4/18/07 6:52 AM ET
I wasn't too impressed with the clothsetter when I first purchased it. I am growing a bit more fond of it though. I think my expectations were too high- maybe it had something to do with it being $60!

I do like it for hooping. It holds that darn thing still! I am just learning the benefits of using it for placement. I had very good results yesterday when using it. I have a good eye so it's not imperative for every day things, but this was an order and I wanted to be double sure it was going on her item (customer purchased!) I'm just glad it worked!

As for the hoop.......I have been mulling it over but haven't decided yet. I'd be interested to read some more reviews on it.

Ronda
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I don't mind going to work but it's that 8 hour wait to go home that's a B!TCH.
  
Member since 12/23/03
Posts: 1273
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Posted on: 4/18/07 3:46 PM ET
I, too, like the clothsetter for holding the hoop still while I get the positioning of the fabric just right. It also doubles as an extension table, which worked like a charm while I was quilting a king-size quilt. If you have a cat, the clothsetter can also serve as a platform for him or her to get closer to the action, but that's another story.
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"All things are difficult before they are easy."
--Thomas Fuller
  
Member since 4/9/07
Posts: 201
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Posted on: 4/20/07 8:30 PM ET
In reply to AK
Great information! I guess I don't really need to be that accurate, but thought the clothsetter might help me hoop easier. It sounds like the spring hoop might be more useful for my purposes, but I thought it had a larger embroidery area than the A hoop. I also read about the "Magna Hoop" in Embroidery Design Magazine a few months ago. It sounded like it would be slick, but I worry about the magnet that close to my computerized machines and laptop computer. I guess I need to rethink my choices but it is very helpful to hear from someone who uses both. Thanks very much for your opinion.
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Topshelf Pod
  
Member since 4/9/07
Posts: 201
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Posted on: 4/20/07 8:44 PM ET
In reply to Ody
Thanks for your helpful reply. I haven't really investigated the Embroidery Buddy yet but I must check that out. Do you know anything about the "Embroiders Friend"? I read about it in one of my beginners books, and it sounds like it would be very good for keeping the shirt from moving while you hoop. When I looked for it on line, it seemed the best price was around $100. I really appreciate the tips because I am not very experienced with embroidery. I believe the calibration cross is in the built in designs for the 350E, but when I saw it, I had no clue what it was for. I'll have to go back and look again. Maybe I'll go for the spring hoop and hold out for either the Buddy or the Friend - you can never have too many of them!
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Topshelf Pod
  
Member since 4/9/07
Posts: 201
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Posted on: 4/20/07 8:56 PM ET
In reply to Ronda Rae
Thanks for sharing your experience with the clothsetter. If it holds the hoop still, I'm all for it. I thought the spring hoop sounded like a good idea but I thought the embroidery area was bigger than the A hoop. Have you ever thought about the Magna Hoop they adverstised in Designs in Machine Embroidery? It sounds really slick, but I worry about the magnets being so close to my computerized machines and my laptop computer. They say it doesn't hurt them, but I am not convinced. There are so many cool accessories for embroidery I just can't make up my mind. I may have to get them all!
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Topshelf Pod
  
Member since 12/9/06
Posts: 312
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Posted on: 4/29/07 3:09 AM ET
In reply to Topshelf
Hi Topshelf,
I assume you have a 300E, 350E or a 10K etc with a B hoop. If you want perfect placement of multihoop designs like the one at:

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/baldsharyn/detail?.dir=164escd&.dnm=c95fscd.jpg&.src=ph

it is practically impossible to get the designs to match up without a clothsetter. The peacock needs to have its foot on the branch, not floating above it, and the tail needs to be attaced to the peacock.

I think the crosshairs are on the final page of inbuilt designs for the A hoop.

Sharyn

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http://www.sharynsdesigns.com.au/
  
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