The Janome Darning Foot (PD-H) is mainly used for mending/repairing a rip in garments, tote bags, backpacks, etc. It's a quick, easy way to patch a hole in a pair of jeans, or to reinforce the elbows of a shirt which has become worn, but hasn't yet ripped to create a hole. The extra stitching you provide will help secure the area from further stress and damage.
It's intending use may be quite utilitarian, however there are also some fun, more creative things you can do with this foot.
Available in both Closed Toe and Open Toe for most Janome sewing machines, here are some of the possible uses:
Janome Closed Toe and Open Toe Foot (PD-H)
- Recovery/Recycling: As mentioned earlier, this foot is designed to facilitate mending/ repairing of damaged fabric. It allows you to sew reinforcement stitches over holes, tears or worn areas so you get more life out the item and save it from going into landfill.
- Free-motion quilting: Because of the unique design of the Janome Darning Foot (PD-H), the foot actually hops up and down because of the spring built into the foot holder portion which attaches to the machine. This allows you to easily move the fabric under the needle so you can create unique stitching patterns by meandering in any direction you wish without having to rotate the fabric.
Free Motion Quilting with multi-colour thread
- Freehand embroidery: Move the fabric slowly to build up dense stitches which mimics hand embroidery. Techniques such as thread painting and variable zigzag, which is a unique feature of many Janome sewing machines, can be done using a variety of thread types and weights for some unique effects.
- Basting: Temporarily secure layers together by basting; using a long stitch length which you determine by how far you move the fabric from the needle without clipping the threads in between. These threads can later be clipped and easily removed. Many Janome sewing machines have this Baste Stitch as part of the Utility category, such as here on the Janome Continental M7 Professional.
Hold the fabric tightly and press the foot pedal or Stop/Start button. The machine stitches one stitch then stops automatically. The foot hovers above the fabric allowing you to move it however far apart you wish. Detailed instructions will be included in your machine Instruction Manual, and if you have the Janome Continental M7P, the free AcuSpark App. If you have the Janome Continental M17, you'll find information in the free AcuAssist App.
If you don't have the Baste Stitch built into your machine, drop, or cover the feed dogs, take one stitch, and move the fabric forward however much you wish before taking the next stitch. It's so easy! Any machine can do this.
It is recommended to consult the Instruction Manual of your sewing machine to know all the functions, how to make adjustments and of the specific uses of each presser foot supplied with your machine.
When mending over a hole or tear in the fabric, it's a good idea to reinforce the area with a patch of similar fabric, or at least similar in colour to help fill in the gaps. Notice the white bed of the sewing machine showing through the holes in the denim fabric below.
A patch of denim on the wrong side of the fabric fills in the holes and will add stability to the fabric around the damaged area.
Choose a thread colour to match the fabric, or contrast to add a unique design element. In many machines we can adjust the stitch width and length to suit your preference. Below I used a 4.0 zigzag to securely cover the tears and holes in the denim..
Experiment with your machine to see what look you prefer and what works best for the application.
Visit your local Janome Canada dealer to see a demonstration with the Janome Darning Foot (PD-H), to stitch some test samples and to purchase if not included with your machine.
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