Juki Sewing Machine Overview

Hi, my name is Robert Bettis. I am a maker at The Factory Maker Space at the University of North Texas, and today I will be teaching you to use the Juki HZL-G210 sewing machine. In The Factory, we keep this machine available to students, staff, and alumni for in-space use. The Juki G210 is easy to use and great for beginners because of its simplicity and versatility that allows it to tackle almost any type of sewing project.

My goal with this instructable is to use my knowledge and four years of sewing experience to get you started on our sewing machine. By the time we're finished today you will have a full understanding of how to operate the machine and you'll be ready to come into The Factory and use it for the sewing project of your choice.

Step 1: The Bobbin

Be sure to always check the users manual for instructions on how to thread your exact sewing machine, but typically a lot of the sewing machines are the same, and once you have one down, you'll be able to walk into pretty much any machine and know how to thread it.

First we will thread the bobbin. The bobbin is the clear spool of thread that is placed in the bottom of the machine and gets pulled up by the needle, through the fabric to complete the stitch. Most types of machines have different bobbins so make sure that the bobbin you are using actually fits in your machine.

To wind the bobbin you will need:

- An empty bobbin

- Thread of your choice.

1. Slip the thread onto the spool pin on the back of the machine.

2. Guide the thread through each thread point on the machine. (Follow the numbers listed on the machine that show you the steps in order from one to three.)

3. Thread the bottom through the inside of the spool and set the bobbin on the spindle as shown.

4. After placing the the bobbin on the spindle, engage "bobbin mode" by pushing the stopper toward the spool. You'll notice that the light turns orange to indicate that the machine is in "bobbin mode".

5. Press the start/stop button once. Again, the button will be orange when "bobbin mode" is engaged. Let it spin a couple of times, pause it by pressing the button once, and then cut off the extra thread on the top. Press the orange button one last time time and let the bobbin fill with thread.

"Bobbin mode" will disengage and stop automatically when it is done.

Now that you have threaded the bobbin, take it off of the spindle and de-thread the machine.

Step 2: Thread the Machine

Be sure to always check the users manual for instructions on how to thread your exact sewing machine, but typcally a lot of the sewing machines are the same, and once you have one down, you'll be able to walk into pretty much any machine and know how to thread it. After we have our bobbin threaded, it is time to thread the actual machine. It is easy to thread the machine, just follow these steps!

1. Place your spool of thread on the thread pin on the top of the machine, make sure that the thread can roll off smoothly without getting caught on anything.

2. Follow the numbers listed on the machine. If the 3rd thread point is missing, turn the wheel towards you to bring it up.

3. Use the automatic needle threader to pull the thread through the needle, or do it manually.

4. Turn the wheele towards you to lower the needele all the way down

5. look through the clear bobbin cover to see the thread of the top wrap around the thread from the bottom

6. Pull both threads up from the bottom

Step 3:

Step 4: The Presser Foot

Knowing which presser foot to use for which situation is crucial to completing a project and protecting your machine from damage. In this lesson I will go over two types of presser foots that will be most commonly used for sewing projects. The two most commonly used foots are the Straight Stitch Foot, and the Universal Smooth Foot.

The straight stitch foot is mainly used for sewing seams on lightweight or slippery fabrics, but can be used any time a straight stitch is applicable. The flat bottom is used to hold the fabric firmly against the feed teeth while sewing. The small hole in the middle of the foot is designed to support fabric from puckering, and helps reduce the likelihood of jamming the machine. The extra support around the needle also makes it easier to do precise stitches when sewing at the edge of the fabric Be sure to ONLY be using a straight stitch with this foot, or the needle will miss the hole and break against the foot. The risk of breaking the needle is at its highest when using the Straight Stitch Foot, so before sewing, It is always a good idea to turn the hand wheel slowly toward you to make sure that the needle does not come down on the foot. If the needle does come in contact with the foot, you should check the settings to make sure that the needle is set to the middle and not offset to the left or right.

After double checking everything you will be ready to sew!

Step 5: Buttons and Functions of the Machine

The Juki is unique in the fact that it has the ability to begin forming stitches with only the push of a button.

The Start/ Stop Button indicates its status by color. Red means that the machine is not ready to start, and if the button is pressed while red it will only move 1 stitch. Two things must happen before the light can turn from red to green (1) check and make sure that the foot pedal is not plugged in (2) the presser foot must be in the down position. After lowering the presser foot and unplugging the foot pedal from the right side of the machine the Start/Stop button will turn green, indicating that the machine is ready to begin stitching! Upon pressing the button once, the machine will begin stitching slowly, and build up to the speed as indicated by the speed controller.

The Speed Controller is a slider on the face of the machine that adjusts speed of the stitch. To increase speed, slide it to the left toward the rabbit icon, and to decrease speed push the slider to the right toward the turtle. Remember, when sewing with the foot pedal another factor of speed will have to do with how hard you press the pedal, similar to driving a car. Lastly, it is helpful to know that the speed slider can be adjusted while sewing.

The other important functions of the machine include the Reverse Stitch Button, the Needle Control, and the Thread Trimming Button. The Reverse Stitch Button is indicated by the U-Turn icon. This button can be pressed for a few seconds to form a backstitch which can strengthen a stitch at the beginning and end, and holding it down will allow the machine to stitch backwards (although it is generally not recommended to sew this way). The Needle Control is used to raise or lower the needle one time. This replaces the need to use the hand wheel (for most cases), like when you want to lower the needle to pivot the fabric or raise it to remove fabric from the machine. It is important to remember that the needle control will work regardless of if the presser foot is in the up or down position. Lastly, the Thread Trimming Function correlates with the scissors icon on the face of the machine. The G210 in unique in the fact that it has this function, which will automatically trim the thread for you, leaving virtually no mess! This one is a life saver as it relives you from having to spend time cutting and cleaning loose threads!

Remember, these functions are only the most basic that will be used by the beginner seamster. The Juki HZL-G210 has many other abilities, it can preform dozens of stitches which can be adjusted for length and width, and can include shapes, letters, and numbers that allow for hundreds of combinations. For more information on advanced functions of the machine check the Juki Website or download a PDF version of the user manual!