If you are just starting to learn the rather complicated art of sewing, opting for a machine that comes equipped with all the bells and whistles should not be your first choice. Sewing is not an easy hobby, so that first investment has to be simple, affordable, and easy to understand.
The Janome 2212 is a great introductory machine for those looking to get into sewing. It comes equipped with all the fundamental basics.
What are the fundamentals, however, and what makes this machine worth your money? This review will cover in detail what the Janome 2212 offers and whether or not you should use this product to master the art of sewing.
What the Janome 2212 Does
Sewing machines come in all shapes and sizes. You can purchase a product that has nearly all of the possible stitch patterns built into the system, or you can buy a machine that comes equipped with a measly 4 sewing patterns.
Even for kids who are wanting to learn how to sew, finding something that can do more than just the bare minimum is crucial. The Janome 2212 sits nicely between having too much and too little.
Stitch Patterns
With 12 built-in stitch patterns, you are given a plethora of options. This is a nice introductory course to the sheer breadth of stitches you can learn.
You switch between each pattern by using a clearly labeled spin dial located on the side of the machine. An example of each pattern is nicely drawn on the machine, making it very easy to understand for beginners.
Customizable
The Janome also lets you adjust the width and length of the patterns. This affords the customer extra flexibility in learning what stitch pattern works best with what material, designs, etc.
The knob for adjusting the length and width of the stitch is located right next to the pattern selector knob. With all of your possible patterns and modifications facing you as you use the machine, it is hard not to learn while you are working.
Threading
Threading a sewing machine has always been infamously difficult work. The thread is small and weaving it through the eye of a needle is tedious. Like with any good sewing machine, this model has a front-loading bobbin to help mitigate how difficult this process is.
This front-loading bobbin is combined with a push/pull winder. Both of these features combined work well together in easing the process of threading.
Other Fundamental Basics
Alongside the needle plate are seam guides. These, of course, act as guides to help ensure you are sewing correctly.
If you are not even remotely close to sewing correctly, the machine also has a reverse stitch option. This is a fantastic perk when you are first learning how to sew. We are all too well familiar with the fact that a great deal of your mistakes are going to be made during the learning process.
It also had another wonderful tool for beginners. The Janome 2212 comes equipped with a 4-step buttonhole, making it easy for you to learn how to repair your own clothing.
Last but not least, the Janome 2212 has two vertical spools located on the top of the machine. Both of the spools are retractable, which ultimately gives you more control over your sewing experience. You can choose to use one or both.
These are the basics you are looking for in any beginner’s machine. It has 12 built in stitch patterns, customizable options, equipped with a system that is easy to thread, capable of reverse stitching, and has a 4-hole button guide.
Now that we know how Janome does in terms of covering the basics, what makes this particular machine stand out?
What Makes the Janome 2212 Unique?
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When compared to other entry-level machines, let’s take a look at what the 2212 does differently from others.
First, it is a surprisingly compact machine. It is really easy to transport and rather lightweight. If you think you might like to travel a great deal with your new sewing machine, opting for the soft cover might be a good idea. The product itself already comes equipped with a retractable handle, so unless you do some rugged travelling the soft cover is not necessary.
Second, it packs a punch for its size. It can get up to 860 stitches per minute. To put this into perspective, industrial machines get up to about 1500 stitches so, for its size, it does a fairly good job. The stitches it forms are also of really high quality. So, it works fast and well.
It also seems to be a rather smooth machine to work on. Many people had little to complain about in terms of their overall experience.
The only issue seemed to be the noise. Because it is a cheaper model, you are going to have to deal with an unfortunate amount of ruckus with the Janome 2212.
Easy to Master and Versatile
Because this product was designed for those who are just starting out on their sewing journey, the directions are reported to be easy to understand. They guide you through all of the necessary steps in using and setting up your machine.
It works with pretty much any fabric but tends to get stuck in heavy fabric when you are using a slower stitch. Besides this, it works with all-natural fibers, fine fabrics, knits, synthetics, and upholstery.
The presser foot comes with customizable options as well. You can use the zipper option, sliding buttonhole setting, blind hem, or multi-purpose foot. If all of this lingo is far above your head, the step-by-step directions that come with the Janome help in understanding what each function does.
Some Minor Faults
If you are looking to get into some more difficult territory, such as fur, leather, canvas, or plastic, the Janome 2212 is not sturdy enough for that work. The needle would most likely break, if not other crucial parts of the machine.
While having a drop feed feature made this entry level machine unique, there were quite a few complaints from people who had tried accessing this feature.
In order to engage drop feed, you have to open the bottom case and remove the bobbin door. You essentially take apart the bottom of the machine, which can be incredibly tedious in the middle of a large sewing project.
This drop feed accessibility feature isn’t so much an issue of the Janome 2212 in particular, but it is a complicated mishap universal to all sewing machines. It was unfortunate it was ignored in the construction of this machine.
How Much Does All of this Cost?
Now, you are probably worried about jumping into an investment with something you understand very little about. So, how much does all of this cost you?
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At first the price didn’t seem so bad. You can get a Janome 2212 for about $190.00 new on amazon. If you are fine settling for a refurbished or used option, you would only have to put down $150.00.
Once we perused through the other options, however, we found that other sewing machines sold for a great deal less for almost the same product.
For instance, a Singer 2277 Tradition Sewing machine sells new for only $120.00, while a Singer 4411 Heavy Duty is priced at $152.00 new.
You can see the Janome products are valued a fair bit higher than many alternatives.
The increase in price is due to industry reputation and longevity. Janome is a company that has produced high-quality home sewing machines for years. Their products rarely disappoint and are always strong, sturdy machines.
So, in conclusion, even though you end up paying a fair bit more for the Janome 2212, you end up gaining a product that will last you longer and produce better work than the alternatives.
How Does it Compare to Other Entry-Level Sewing Machines?
Even though you are just beginning to get into the art of sewing, it doesn’t mean that you won’t want your end products to meet certain standards.
This is what the Janome does. It gives you all the tools you need to master sewing while ensuring that even beginners can make durable products.
Cheaper, more affordable items on the market may take less out of your bank account, but they are also more prone to breaking down or messing up stitches.
A close runner up to the Janome is the Brother XM2701. This is a lightweight machine with 27 built-in stitch patterns, an auto-size button holder and an instructional DVD.
This is also designed for beginners. It is reported to be lightweight, extremely customizable and very easy to understand.
This, out of all of the other options out there, seemed to be the Janome’s biggest challenger. Where the 2212 beat Brother, however, was in durability. Brother certainly came equipped with all of the bells and whistles, but it didn’t do the same quality work that Janome is known for. The Brother did not last as long either.
If you do not sew too often, however, and are looking for something fun and easy to introduce you to the art, then the Brother might be the more applicable choice. It is more affordable and just as, if not more, flexible.
The Final Verdict
In conclusion, the Janome 2212 seemed to be the most reliable option for anyone looking to get into sewing. It does a fantastic job at easing any beginner of any age into the basics. The machine is designed with the customer in mind.
If you are a regular sewer with a plethora of experience under your belt, then this machine is also a good choice. It gives you enough versatility that even the more seasoned veterans can get a fair bit of enjoyment out of this machine.
If you are looking to get into something new, this machine couldn’t be more tailored to your needs. Keep in mind that it only does softer, more natural fabrics. If you are planning on tackling accessories like plastic and leather, then you might have to consider another, more durable investment.
So, if you are a seasoned sewer in need of something reliable for simple tasks or a newbie wanting to dive into the craft, the Janome 2212 is perfect. You have to be willing to put a little money down, but once you do, you will have this machine for longer than you anticipate.