My old sewing machine broke recently and I was in the market for a new one. Mostly I make things around the house, ranging in size from large quilts and curtains to small items like coin purses. I needed something heavy-duty that could work with upholstery fabric and thick quilting layers but also suitable for thinner more delicate fabrics like sheer cotton. I had heard good things about the Janome 2212 Sewing Machine and multiple people and the internet suggested it as really good for the price, so I figured I’d give it a go.
Janome 2212 Sewing Machine Review and Features
Design and Accessibility
Janome 2212 sewing machine itself is on the smaller size with dimensions being 14″- 17″- 9″ (H-W-D) and comes with a vinyl cover for easy storage. It’s not heavy, but also not so light that it feels cheap. The sewing machine comes with the usual elements such as a bobbin winder, needle threader, and thread cutter, but they’re placed intuitively around the machine that makes it seamless to use.
For example, the reverse lever is on the bottom right next to the wheel controlling the needle. This makes it easy to backstitch and then lift up the needle in a natural way without excessive movement. The light is a nice touch, so you can see what you’re sewing. The foot pedal, which controls the machine, plugs in on the side, so there’s no chance of cords tangling up in your project.
Don’t Miss To Read: Best Sewing Machines For Making Clothes: Complete Buyer’s Guide
Stitch Customization
There are 12 built-in stitch options, which are customization with width and length adjustments going up to 5mm and 4mm respectively. You can also adjust the back stitching up to 2.5mm. The stitch selector and adjustment wheels are fully labeled and easy to find, so there’s no guesswork or looking for the manual to remember what dial does what.
The only downside was that all the built-in stitches were variations of either a straight or zig-zag stitch, excluding a four-step buttonhole maker, but the 2212 sewing machine can be used as a free-motion machine and you can manually create swirls and decorative elements, so it’s not that big of an issue.
Accessories
The Janome 2212 Sewing Machine comes with a variety of accessories in a removable compartment on the bottom of the machine. To reference, it comes with a set of spare needles, extra bobbins, a blind foot, a buttonhole maker foot, a zipper foot, a screwdriver, and a seam ripper.
Honestly, you can make most sewing projects just with these alone. So far, I’ve used the buttonhole maker foot and the zipper foot, and both are high-quality, metal feet that work well. The seam ripper is surprisingly handy to have nearby. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of putting one with my sewing machine before. The removable compartment is also really lovely because removing it makes the sewing machine into a free-arm machine to sew sleeves and hems while leaving it on makes it suitable for larger projects.
Setup
There was no learning curve for setting up the machine. It’s pretty easy to tell what goes where if you’re familiar at all with sewing machinery, but it does come with detailed instructions and pictures if needed. I followed instructions to both winds up bobbins using the machine’s “push-pull winder,” and put them in and it was very straightforward and easy to follow along. Regarding the free-motion sewing ability of the machine, the Janome 2212 has a removable ‘feed dog,’ aka the thing that moves fabric when attached. Taking the feed dog off makes the device usable for quilting sewing machines and other free motion activities.
Usage
I had some spare cotton fabric lying around, so I made a small pouch as a test. The 2212 sewing machine works very quietly for its speed. The foot pedal responds well to pressure changes and overall. The sewing speed of 2212 is effortless to control and adjust. The sewing itself is excellent.
I had no issues with tension, fabric puckering, or thread snagging. When sewing across other seams, I’ve had problems in the past of thread getting tangled up, but the thread went over smoothly when using the Janome 2212.
Switching the ‘feet’ is straightforward; they snap on with the help of a small lever on the back. I used the zipper foot to add a zipper for my pouch easily. The machine also comes with a metal buttonhole foot, which felt high-quality and durable, unlike the plastic ones I usually find. I was curious about the four-step buttonhole making a stitch and I wanted to test the 2212’s strength, so I made a buttonhole on a leather fabric scrap to check both.
The needle went through with no resistance and the buttonhole left behind was very clean. There weren’t messy edges or tangled threads that I could see, something that was an issue with my old machine’s buttonhole maker. I could easily see the 2212 sewing machine. I was being used to make denim jeans or something similarly heavyweight.
Pros:
- Design is well thought out
- Easy to use and control
- Easy to control the speed with foot pedal
- Includes bobbin winder and needle threader
- Easily adjustable stitch options and customization
- Standard and Free-motion sewing options
- Comes with extra bobbins, feet, and needles in a removable compartment
- Vinyl cover makes it easy to store
- Works well with thicker fabric
Cons:
- No decorative stitches or embroidery options
- Quilting-specific accessories must be purchased separately
Final Thoughts
The Janome 2212 Sewing Machine is exactly what it’s marketed as a high-quality, entry-level sewing machine. It doesn’t own all the bells and whistles as some of the more specialized and expensive options but as a sewing machine. It performs exceptionally well. It works quickly and with seemingly no resistance at all, even though thicker material that other sewing machines would have difficulty with.
The machine transitions nicely between free-motion and standard sewing, and is versatile for both thick, layered material like leather or quilt layers to thinner materials like cotton weaving. For anyone looking for a well-made and easy-to-use basic machine, I highly recommend the Janome 2212 Sewing Machine.