Yes- You can use your Janome Embroidery Machine to Quilt!

Hi Janome Friends! I'm a Janome Maker, who loves her Janome 550E and M7.

Today I'm going to share tips on how to use your Janome 550E embroidery machine to quilt your projects and it's easy with Janome AcuFil Quilting Kit!

A Frozen Quilt definitely needs snowflake quilting and  I wanted to create perfectly stitched snowflakes at home... so I let my Janome 550E do all the hard work for me! Elsa and Olaf love all the snowflakes!!!

I used the Janome AcuFil Quilting Kit (ASQ18b) for machine quilting/embroidering my Frozen Quilt.  I chose to use the AcuFil Quilting Kit because it works perfectly with my Janome 550E (it will also work with 500E, 450E, 400E, eXpressive 830L, expressive 830). 

The Janome AcuFil Quilting Kit contains:

• 7.2" x 7.2" hoop with magnetic clamps. This is a must have! The magnetic clamps allow you to hoop thicker fabric when machine quilting/embroidering a quilt. Plus it is soooo much easier and quicker to hoop your project.

• Over 100 quilting designs are included. The snowflake I chose was an included design.

• AcuFil Tool - This computer program (Windows only at this time) allows you to utilize the included designs plus import other designs into the software. The software resizes the quilting design to best fit your quilt and creates a printable template for perfect placement when quilting/embroidering.

  
  
  
  
  

  How to start machine quilting with your Janome 550E:

  • Assemble quilt sandwich using a low loft batting - such as Hobbs 80/20. Quilt sandwich = pieced quilt top, batting, pieced backing.  

  • READ instructions - Quick Guide for Hoop ASQ18b starts on page 12.

  • Download Janome AcuFil Tool to your Windows Computer. 

  • OPEN AcuFil Tool on computer

  • SELECT Creating Original AcuFil Designs 

  • ENTER quilt dimensions 

  • CHOOSE design 

  • PRINT template

  • WRITE embroidery design to USB flash drive to transfer to Janome 550E

  • START quilting/embroidering

  
  

  

  
  

  You might be wondering why you need to print the template???

  
  

  Printing the template allows you to precisely position the quilt/hoop so the machine quilting/embroidery designs will stitch out where you want it. I recommended trimming the paper close to the printed image before adhering the printed template to the BACK of the acrylic AcuFil template. Use the grid lines on the printed template to match the grid lines on the acrylic AcuFil template for perfect placement.  Your machine will stitch on the quilting/embroidery design exactly as shown as your printed template.

  
  

  

  
  

  Helpful Tips:

  • Batting - Use a low-loft batting (Hobbs 80/20 or Warm & Natural or similar). Remember you will need to hoop ALL 3 layers so this is not the time to choose fluffy thick batting. 

  • Quilt Basting - I prefer to use basting spray adhesive so I don't have to worry about removing pins. You can you use pins if you prefer, but do not forget to remove them. Your embroidery machine will not be happy (nor will you) if you forget. 

  • Quilt backing needs to be at least 4-6" larger on each edge of quilt to allow for fabric to hoop while quilting edges of quilt. 

  • Embroidery tape. If you want to quilt to the very edge of your quilt top- be sure to use embroidery tape to tape the quilt top edge to the batting so your embroidery foot doesn't get stuck on the quilt top edge.

  • Choosing the Quilt Design. As this was my first time machine quilting with my embroidery machine, I chose a single design (NOT a connecting one). This allowed me to place the snowflakes randomly throughout the quilt and I didn't have to try and match up start/stop points for continuous quilting designs. 

  • Thread. Choose a thread that can be washed if you plan on washing/drying your finished quilt. I used a 40wt polyester thread, but I think I will try a 50wt thread (thinner) next time as this was a triple stitched design so it's a bit bold of quilting design.

  • Needle. Use a needle that you would use if you were free motion quilting (Janome Purple Tip).  I used a 90/14 Top Stitch Needle as I was using a 40wt thread.

  • Choose a quilting design that doesn't have multiple start/stops as each start/stop will make a knot on the back of your quilt. 

  • Choose a pattern backing fabric - this will hide the start/stop knots. I snip my thread really close to knot so it's not too noticeable. 

  • Stitch a test stitch out to make sure you like the design and thread you chose.

  • If the embroidery needle is not centered on the AcuFil template - Calibrate the  Center Position of the needle - page 22. 

  • When moving your quilt to a new section to quilt. Leave the hoop attached to the Janome 550E. Remove the quilt only and move the quilt to the next section you want to quilt. Use AcuFil acrylic template to check your quilt is in the correct spot then attach magnetic clamps.

  • Have fun!!!!

    
    
    
    
    

    I absolutely love being able to perfectly machine quilt my quilts at home with my Janome 550E!  Since I had so much fun machine quilting this quick Frozen Quilt, I quilted another HUGE quilt with multiple quilting designs. Let me know if you would like another blog post about importing continuous quilting designs into Janome AcuFil. 

    
    

    

    
    

    PS: If you need some Frozen Fabric for your Frozen fan - Panel HERE and Fabric HERE.

    
    

    Janome Blog Post HERE.

    
    

    Be sure to follow me on Instagram @Abitofscrapstuff and on my blog: A Bit of Scrap Stuff for more sewing and quilting fun!!!

    
    
    

    Have a great day and happy quilting! 

    
    

    Melanie

    
    

    

    

    
    

    
    

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