Janome 2212 Sewing Machine Review For Sewists Who’re Searching For It
The Janome 2212 sewing machine is great for beginners or those who do light to medium sewing. It’s non-digital, but that also means it’s durable, doesn’t require as much maintenance and it lasts a long time.
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Are you looking for a machine for yourself because you’re starting out sewing?
Or are you looking to get back into sewing but you want to be sure you still enjoy it before investing the huge money?
Or maybe you’re looking to get someone of the younger generation hooked on sewing?
Any of these reasons are great for looking into the Janome 2212. It’s a well-built sewing machine by one of the top quality brands.
Often people purchase very inexpensive machines without realizing that their quality is inferior. That just kills the love of sewing.
The Janome 2212 is considered a mechanical sewing machine because it doesn’t have a built-in computer or very fancy stitches. No brainer, LOL! It can sew very well on a variety of material consistently with minimal maintenance.
Let’s look at this Janome 2212 review in more detail.
What’s Included?
Out of the box, this Janome sewing machine 2212 has everything you need to get started quickly except for thread and fabric.
You will need a work surface near an outlet so you can plug in the machine.
If it’s a stretch, invest in an extension cord. You don’t want anyone running into it or tripping when they need you for something. And you certainly don’t want to go bumping into it if you have to run to see why the screaming stopped.
The foot pedal cord is approximately 3 ½ feet in length. That is long enough for most sewing table surfaces to the floor.
There are 12 built-in stitches. They can sew straight or zigzag. There are some decorative stitches as well as buttonhole stitches. And there are stitches for hemming.
Due to its lighter weight, it’s easy to take this machine to sewing classes or sewing groups. It only comes with a soft cover. So if you do want to take it to classes, you will want to invest in a hard case or one of those cool sewing cases on wheels.
Additional Features
• Extra high presser foot lift
• Maximum stitch length 4mm
• Maximum stitch width 5mm
• Low shank
• Accessory storage in swing arm
Why It’s Great For Beginners?
When my daughter was first starting out, she needed a sewing machine that just did a few things easily while she got used to it. The truth is she still has that machine and uses it every time she comes home from college.
What makes a great sewing machine for beginners is one that feels foolproof. You feel like no matter what you do; you’re not going to break anything.
The Janome 2212 has easy to follow threading guides which help when you’re changing out a thread and don’t want to have to pull out the manual and look at the illustrations.
Again. But let’s face it. You’re tired, and sewing is supposed to be fun.
Or if it’s for a child, you don’t want them to get frustrated. If they can rethread their machine, it will feel like a huge victory. They’ll come running to you with their latest creation and a proud, “Look what I made!”
Another great feature is the built-in thread cutter. When you finish a section, just quickly run the threads over the slit in the thread cutter, and it’s done.
You don’t have to look for scissors, nor worry about having sharp scissors around a younger child.
It also sometimes holds the thread for you, so you’re not looking for both the needle and bobbin thread when setting up the next section.
It has a front loading bobbin. It’s easy to insert, but honestly, it’s not as easy as a drop in bobbin. It may take a few practice tries before you can do it without thinking.
The sewing machine does have a simple bobbin winding mechanism. You don’t have to unthread the machine to rewind the bobbin like the old machines did.
Thankfully those days are over when the rule of thumb was to wind four or five bobbins before you started a project so you wouldn’t have to unthread the machine and mess up the tension settings.
Fabrics It Can Sew
This Janome 12 stitch sewing machine can sew most fabrics for most projects. It’s a simple machine that you could consider “medium duty” rather than “heavy duty.”
• Natural Fibers like cotton, linen, wool and blends
• Fine fabrics, silky, velvet, taffeta
• Knits
• Synthetics (rayon, polyester, blends, leather)
• Upholstery fabric
You could sew smaller quilts that use a very thin batting such as baby quilts or quilts for a twin bed.
Some simple and fun starter projects use oilcloth. You can make bags and tablecloths out of it.
It’s cotton fabric that’s been treated with vinyl to make it waterproof. You can sew it on the Janome 2212 since it’s based on thin woven cotton, canvas, or linen.
You should be able to sew two pieces of fleece together, but that would be the maximum. You could easily sew binding around a single layer of fleece if you wanted to make a cute blanket.
Fabrics It Can’t Sew
It’s not recommended to try sewing thicker or more challenging material on the Janome 2212. It’s safe to assume that if it’s a weird fabric, it may not be the best choice.
• Leather and suede
• Fur
• Sail canvas or heavy twill
• Plastic
• Rubber
• Extra thick fabrics or many layers
What would happen if you tried to sew one of these fabrics?
Maybe nothing. However, it could overload the motor and burn it out. You could also continue to break needles and thread because it can’t get the tension correct.
Also, if the machine is trying to slog through many thicknesses, it might knock itself over or at least “walk” along the table surface.
You won’t get a consistent stitch quality, and you will have difficulties getting proper tension.
If you only want to sew heavy duty items, then you need a heavy duty sewing machine.
Does It Do Overcasting Like A Serger?
The machine has an overcast stitch which you can use to finish seams. However, it does not have the extra loops or the cutter blades like a serger.
Is There A Power Switch?
Yes, it does have an On/Off rocker switch located on the back of the machine. Light turns on in the main sewing area when the machine is on.
Can I Sew Spandex?
Yes, however, you will need a specialized ballpoint needle and use the stretch stitches. Spandex is a type of knitwear that stretches in multiple directions.
You can use it to sew swimsuits or leotards. If you’re into cycling, you can make some customized bike shorts with padding in the places that help you the most.
You may also see fabric with the name Lycra. Lycra is a brand name. Kind of like Kleenex is a brand name for tissues.
Another idea is to make yoga pants or leggings out of cotton based Spandex.
Does It Come With A Speed Control Option?
The speed of sewing is controlled with the foot pedal. The more you press down, the faster the machine goes. It’s similar to driving a car except when you want to stop, you just lift your foot off of the pedal, and the sewing stops.
It’s a good idea to get some fabric and practice sewing to get used to speed control, fabric control, and tension.
What benefits do they get by buying this product instead of something else? (time saved, money saved, better life experience)
Can It Sew In Zippers?
Yes, it has a special zipper foot. You baste or pin the zipper into place, and then sew one side. Then you have to turn your work around to sew back on the other side of the zipper.
This machine like most entry level machines only sews with the needle in the center position. You can’t shift the needle to the left or the right. When you spend less, you often have to do more of the work manually.
Does This Machine Have A Free Arm?
Yes, this machine can easily take off the extension table to access the free arm.
When done, you can push the extension table until you hear it snap back into place. The extension table provides additional sewing surface area.
Pros of Janome 2212
We’ve spent some time looking at what this sewing machine can do. Let’s summarize the good points.
• Great choice for beginners
• Easy to set up and use
• Handles most household projects, alterations and clothing construction
• Has a free arm for circular sewing such as hemming
• You can drop the feed dogs for when you want to do free motion sewing and quilting
• 25-year warranty and free phone support
• Lightweight
It sews at 860 stitches per minute which is quick for economy models. It’s an excellent price for a well-made machine from an established and reputable company.
I like that it has good storage for accessories in the extension table, so you do not have to look for everything all over the place.
One item that kind of goes in both Pro and Con is the bobbin tension. Most machines come with no way to adjust the bobbin tension. That can be helpful for new sewers who don’t need one more thing to think about.
But the Janome 2212 allows you to adjust the thread tension in the bobbin. You have to take the bobbin out of the machine.
There’s a small screw on the outside of the bobbin holder. You can make small adjustments if you need to tighten or loosen the bobbin thread.
So it’s a pro that you have this ability. It’s a con because it can be a bit difficult to do.
Cons of Janome 2212
Ok, so let’s look at what you need to think about before buying the machine and decide if you want to live with this or look into another model.
• Manual tension adjustments so you have to keep notes about different thread tensions and do some testing to find the right tension for your current project. Some people like it, and some don't.
• Limited number of stitch options
• 4 step buttonhole
• No auto needle threader
• No easy needle up. Need to manually rotate the machine to put the needle in the Up position when finished sewing a segment.
• Smaller than normal stitch width (5mm compared to 7mm)
You may have difficulties hemming jeans due to the thickness of the material. It may make the motor work too hard.
You can work with this by getting the right needle and an accessory like a Jean-a-Ma-Jig to help. But go slowly and steadily. Listen to your machine.
Finally, the last downside is that the needle can only sew from the center position. Other machines allow you to move the needle to the left or the right. That gives you flexibility with inserting zippers and cording.
Summary
I highly recommend this machine if you’re starting out or want a good machine for a young person wanting to learn to sew. If you used to sew, you might outgrow this machine too quickly.
Depending upon how you sew, it’s probably not for experienced users since it’s limited with the 12 built-in stitches.
This machine is for people who are doing what I would call “normal” sewing. They’re making clothing or simple home decorating projects.
This is not the machine for those needing to do heavy work like sewing a new canvas umbrella for your outdoor furniture or a leather prom dress.
While you can make quilts, you’ll want to be aware of your machine. It could easily handle putting the binding on a baby quilt or a twin sized quilt. But if you’re doing King size, you may need to take a few breaks.
And make sure you’re using thin batting on your quilts. The Janome 2212 sewing machine won’t be able to handle high loft battings.
Then you can drop the feed dogs and do some free motion quilting.
This is a great sewing machine if you enjoy making simple presents like baby quilts or playmats.
It’s also a great machine if you want to sew clothes for yourself that fit well. Or you can use it to alter your existing clothes for a better fit.
And this is a great machine to give as a present for someone you think would enjoy learning to sew. It’s light enough to be carried to your sewing class.
Because Janome is a well-established company, it’s easy to find needles and bobbins for this machine.
For the price point, it could be a great machine for you.
