To ensure that your needle threader is operating correctly, please follow these helpful tips. 

  1. Ensure that the needle (and the take-up lever) are at their utmost position by turning the handwheel towards you in an anticlockwise direction.
  2. Ensure that the needle that is fitted in the machine is a Janome/Organ Needle. These needles have an elongated eye and are designed to be compatible with the Janome Needle Threader. 
  3. Check the “weight” (thickness) of the thread. The Janome Needle threader is designed to work with standard weight cotton and polyester threads. If you are using thicken thread (jean or topstitching thread, it is recommended to either hand thread the needle or use the handheld needle threader.
  4. Use constant gentle pressure when pulling the needle threader down into place. With most models, the needle threader unit slides down a shaft and then swings into the needle’s eye. If too much force is used while the threader is swinging into place, the fine metal “hook” can miss the eye, or hit the needle and potentially bend. 

As the needle threader consists of a fine metal hook that goes through the needle, if it is bent, it is unlikely to go through the eye as intended. This can be caused by trying to thread the needle when the needle was not at its utmost position, an incompatible needle was used, or too much force was applied to the needle threader when it was pushed down and into position. However, a bent needle threader it can typically be fixed. Depending on the bend, the hook can be realigned or straightened. 

  • If the needle threader hook is going to a side of the needle (instead of through the eye), you can loosen the threader alignment screw and with the needle threader lowered but not in the needle eye, you can gently move the hook to the left/right. When moved, tighten the alignment screw and gently test. Repeat as necessary.
  • If the needle threader hook is bent, it may be able to be straightened with a pair of pointed tweezers. Carefully unbend the hook and when it is mostly straight, use the tweezers to hold both sides of the hook lengthways and apply a light pressure to completely straighten the hook. This may be easier to accomplish when the needle threader is removed from the machine. Please see the following guide for removal and fitting instructions.
    Once straightened, you may need to realign the threader using the above step. 

 

If you are still having an issue, you may need to replace your needle threader. As a replaceable item (just like sewing needles themselves), needle threaders do need to be changed over every so often. This can be done by yourself or by a qualified Janome technician. To find the right needle threader for your machine, click here.