Janome 1200D Review | Overlocker, Cover Hem & Top Cover Machine Guide
If you enjoy garment sewing, dressmaking, stretch fabrics, or simply love creating projects with a professional finish, there comes a point where a standard sewing machine alone can only take you so far. Crisp seams, durable stretch stitching, beautifully finished hems and ready-to-wear style details often need specialist tools. That is exactly where the Janome 1200D comes in.
It is not simply an overlocker. It is Janome’s premium combination machine that brings together three specialist functions in one powerful package, an overlocker, a cover hem machine, and a top cover hem machine.
Rather than filling your sewing room with multiple machines, the 1200D combines them into a single versatile system that helps create garments with a polished, shop-quality finish.
Whether you are sewing everyday clothing, sportswear, children's garments, knit fabrics or decorative projects, this machine opens up an enormous range of possibilities.
Table of Contents
- Janome 1200D Review | Overlocker, Cover Hem & Top Cover Machine Guide
- What Makes the Janome 1200D Different?
- Three Machines In One
- Wide Range of Stitch Options
- 2, 3, 4 and 5 Thread Capability
- Differential Feed, One of the Most Useful Features You Will Ever Use
- Automatic Tension Settings Remove the Guesswork
- Quick Rolled Hem Conversion
- Who Is The Janome 1200D For?
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
What Makes the Janome 1200D Different?
Many overlockers finish seams beautifully. Many cover hem machines create professional hems.
The Janome 1200D does both.
Not only that, it also adds top cover stitching, a feature more commonly found on industrial machines.
That means you can create the kind of decorative and functional stitching often seen on ready-to-wear garments, activewear, necklines and professional sports clothing.
For serious garment makers, that is a very attractive proposition.
You gain:
- Overlocking functionality
- Cover hem capability
- Top cover stitching
- Multiple thread configurations
- Automatic tension settings
- Professional stitch options
- Easier finishing techniques
All in one machine.
Three Machines In One
The Janome 1200D combines:
Overlocker Function
For trimming seams and creating strong, neat edges.
Cover Hem Function
Perfect for stretch garments, cuffs, sleeves and hems.
Top Cover Hem Function
Creates decorative and industrial-style stitching visible on both the top and underside of the fabric.
The result is clothing and projects that look far closer to professionally manufactured garments.
If you have ever turned over a T-shirt hem and wondered how manufacturers create those perfectly parallel rows of stitching, this machine is capable of producing that style.
Wide Range of Stitch Options
Versatility is where this machine shines.
The machine includes:
- Flatlock stitches
- Blanket stitches
- Overlock stitches
- Chain stitch
- Cover stitches
- Rolled hems
- Top cover stitches
This broad stitch selection allows you to tackle a huge range of projects.
One day you may be creating decorative flatlock seams on activewear. The next, you could be producing rolled hems on lightweight chiffon scarves.
It handles both with confidence.
2, 3, 4 and 5 Thread Capability
One of the biggest strengths of the Janome 1200D is flexibility.
Different projects demand different stitch structures, and the 1200D allows you to adapt quickly.
2 Thread
Ideal for lightweight decorative finishes and delicate rolled hems.
3 Thread
Perfect for standard seam finishing and edge work.
4 Thread
Excellent for strong, stretchy garment construction.
5 Thread
Creates highly secure seams with an integrated safety stitch for maximum durability.
This range makes the machine equally comfortable working on delicate silks and chiffons or heavier fabrics like sweatshirt fleece and denim.
For sewists who enjoy experimenting with different projects, this flexibility is hugely valuable.
Differential Feed, One of the Most Useful Features You Will Ever Use
Differential feed can sound technical, but in practice it solves one of the most common frustrations in sewing.
Stretch fabrics and fine materials can sometimes:
- Stretch out
- Wave at the edges
- Pucker
- Distort while stitching
The Janome 1200D uses independently controlled feed dogs to regulate how fabric moves through the machine.
The result is smooth, flat and even seams.
This feature is particularly useful when working with:
- Jersey
- Knits
- Lycra
- Silks
- Chiffon
- Lightweight cottons
- Thick layered fabrics
If you regularly sew stretch garments, differential feed quickly becomes one of those features you wonder how you managed without.
Automatic Tension Settings Remove the Guesswork
Thread tension is often the feature that intimidates people when they first move into overlockers.
Many sewists remember endless adjusting and test stitching.
The Janome 1200D makes life significantly easier.
Its automatic tension settings select the appropriate thread tension according to the stitch chosen.
That means:
- Less trial and error
- Faster setup
- More consistent stitch quality
- Reduced puckering
- Balanced stitches across different fabrics
For newer users this creates confidence.
For experienced users it saves time.
And for everyone, it simply makes sewing more enjoyable.
Quick Rolled Hem Conversion
Rolled hems are fantastic for creating beautifully finished narrow edges on delicate fabrics.
Scarves, occasion wear, napkins and lightweight projects all benefit from this finish.
On some machines, switching over can involve changing parts and taking time to reconfigure everything.
The 1200D simplifies the process dramatically.
You can move to rolled hem mode quickly, with no presser foot changes and no needle plate swaps.
Small details like this may seem minor at first, but when you regularly sew a wide variety of projects, convenience matters.
Who Is The Janome 1200D For?
The 1200D sits at the premium end of the market and feels best suited to sewists who want maximum functionality.
It may be especially attractive for:
- Dressmakers
- Garment makers
- Stretch fabric specialists
- Activewear creators
- Advanced hobbyists
- Frequent sewists
- Small sewing businesses
- Anyone wanting professional-quality finishing
If you sew garments regularly, it offers features that can genuinely transform the quality and appearance of finished work.
Final Thoughts
The Janome 1200D feels designed for sewists who want to take garment sewing further.
Rather than simply finishing seams, it gives you access to the kind of techniques and stitch options usually associated with professional clothing manufacture.
The combination of overlocking, cover stitching, top cover functionality and intelligent features such as differential feed and automatic tension makes it an impressively capable machine.
For anyone wanting polished, ready-to-wear results from home sewing projects, the 1200D remains a remarkably complete package.
Janome 1200D
£1,239.00
This top of the range model combines a full featured overlocker with a cover hem machine which will sew a top and bottom hem simultaneously to create an industrial style cover hem. The Janome 1200D offers everything you need to… read more
FAQs
Is the Janome 1200D suitable for beginners?
Although beginners can absolutely use it, the feature set is extensive. It feels especially suited to sewists looking to move beyond a basic overlocker and into more advanced garment construction.
What is a top cover stitch?
A top cover stitch creates stitching visible on the upper side of the fabric while maintaining a professional finish underneath. It is commonly seen on sportswear and ready-made clothing.
Can it sew stretchy fabrics?
Yes. Combined with differential feed, the machine handles jersey, knit and stretch fabrics extremely well.
Does the Janome 1200D replace a cover stitch machine?
For many users, yes. Since it combines overlocking and cover stitch functions together, it reduces the need for multiple specialist machines.
Is it suitable for delicate fabrics?
Very much so. Features such as differential feed, rolled hems and adjustable thread configurations make it capable of handling fine fabrics beautifully.
