The Janome Sewist 709 is a great mechanical sewing machine and it will open up the doors to tons of creative possibilities! My favourite part of a mechanical sewing machine is that it is so straight forward to use. Set your dials and go! We have some great videos over on our YouTube channel to help you get started! Check out the videos for both the Sewist 709 and 721 as they are very similar.

If you are new to the sewing world you may have purchased the Janome Sewist 709 with a particular project in mind but before you jump into that may I suggest some beginner projects to help you get your sewing legs? A couple of quick projects will help you get the feel for your machine and make your first big project spectacular.

We have a Pinterest page just full of project ideas for you! A good place to start is with a project with straight lines and large pieces. I would suggest a throw pillow with an envelope closure like this! Here’s a great tutorial for a basic pillow.

I challenge you to take it up a notch. I used 4 different techniques on this pillow which is a great way to learn about some additional features on your machine.

1. First up the main front panel I cut to the right width but I made it 4” too long. Then starting in the middle I added some simple pin tucks . Here is a video with how to set up your machine for it. Pin tucks start at about 17:20 minutes into the video. Once the pintucks were done, I gave them a good press in one direction and then trimmed the panel to the correct size.
   
   

2. When hemming the two pieces for the back I used that opportunity to try out a blind hem. Learn how to do this by watching this video starting around the 11:22 minute mark. This gives you practice to figure out exactly where you like the plastic guide to sit for your blind hems. Take a picture of your blind hem foot where you like your guide so the next time you go to make a blind hem you have a good reference point.

3. Then sewing the 3 pieces together you can practice stopping with your needle down, lifting the pressure foot and pivoting your fabric around the corner.

4. Finally once the pillow is sewn together use the over cast stitch G or H and overcast the edge of your seam allowance to prevent unravelling when you wash it.

Just like that you have created a simple yet elevated throw pillow and you’ve learned a ton of cool things about the Janome Sewist 709. 

We can’t wait to see all the great projects you create! Make sure to Tag us @janomecanada in your projects on social media. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, YouTube and right here so you don’t miss out on all the great content we have been creating for you!