Janome 500E Review – Embroidery & Sewing Machine

The art of embroidery is simply stitching beautiful embroidery stitches on fabric surfaces with thread and other materials. The Janome craft 500e embroidery machine enables you to create beautiful imagery along with wonderful textures on the fabric. And if you’re hoping to get the perfect embroidery machine, then you have to read this Janome 500E review!

Overview of Janome Craft 500e Embroidery Machine

Key Specifications

Dimensions: 21.65 x 12.99 x 23.6 inches
Weight: 24 pounds
Stitches: 160 built-in designs
Speed: 400-860 stitches per minute
Computerized/Mechanic: Computerized

The Janome 500E or Janome Memory Craft 500E is actually an updated version and replacement for their Janome Craft 350E [1]. This embroidery machine can allow users to create projects which reflect their personal sense of style. This includes 160 built-in embroidery designs and 6 fonts for monogramming. It also has a maximum embroidery size of 7.9 x 11 inches and an extra wide table.

Pros

On Screen Editing of the Design – One of its greatest features is its colored LCD touch screen. This enables users to easily:
- Scan through numerous designs
- Enlarge or reduce the image by 20%
- Combine designs
- Copy and paste
- 4-ways mirror imaging
- Rotate, flip or arc
- Single color sewing
- Corner layouts
- Grouping
- Shift the image by .5 degrees increments
- Convert any design from a multi-color to a single-color
Ease of Use – This Memory Craft 500E is definitely user-friendly and has been hailed as one of the most comfortable machines to work with. Users can easily control everything with a mere swipe of a button.
Automatic Needle Cutter and Built-in Needle Threader – These two different features make it so efficient and easy-to-use. These will not only make embroidering easier but also save you more time for other projects.

Cons

Bulky Structure – This machine has a sheer size and a permanently attached embroidery arm which makes it hard to bring it from place to place. So, it’s better to use this as a home machine or place it in a fixed area.
No Foot Pressure Adjustment – This enables users to set the amount of pressure that the presser foot will exert on the fabric. However, this machine does not include one.

Who Should Consider Getting Janome 500E

The Janome 500E Memory Craft Embroidery Machine is great for people who are new in sewing and are hoping to love embroidery. This is definitely capable of creating excellent embroidery projects. It can even convert a multi-colored pattern into a single-colored pattern. As this machine has quite a user-friendly system, it will be an advantage for people with knowledge in embroidering. This also includes a larger embroider area of 5.5 x 7.9 inches, purposely for embroidering bigger designs without the need of rehooping. If you’re looking to get a machine that has speed and precision, then this is a perfect tool for you, especially if you want to start your online business with embroidered names and designs on canvas. This will help reduce the days you need to complete your projects.

Features and Benefits of Janome 500E

Bobbin and Threading

This machine has an extra spool pin, so you won’t have to unthread the machine while winding the bobbin. In order to wind the bobbin, simply follow the guides located just on top of the machine, and push the bobbin winding spindle to the right. What’s great about it is the adjustable speed of winding by using the + or – buttons on the LCD screen. The start/stop button, will allow the bobbin to wind continuously and stop automatically. If you’re out of thread, all you need to do is remove the cover and drop the bobbin with the thread and follow the thread guidelines. And in order to thread this machine, you can simply follow the numbered arrows down to the automatic threader and use it to thread the needle. For it to work properly, simply use a thread size of 50 to 90 and needles number 11 or 14.

Fairly Large Embroidery Area

As mentioned before, this machine has a maximum embroidery area of 7.9 x 11 inches to allow for larger designs without the need of rehooping. And since you won’t need to rehoop, you will definitely enjoy this highly comfortable embroidering experience. This can also accommodate several embroidery hoops [2].

Built-in Memory

You can easily save origina, embroidery designs as files in the built-in memory or through a USB flash drive. All you need is a click of a button on the screen to save the file. This gives users a swift transferring of files in and out of the machine. And in today’s era, this definitely is a great addition to your machine.

Editing Mode

All you need to do is press the editing mode key to open the editing window. It allows you to combine, create, copy paste, resize, and convert various designs. This will allow users to fully expand their creativity and showcase their sense of style. This great feature may be overwhelming at first, but when you get a hang of it, you’ll actually find it so convenient and easy.

160 Built-in Designs

This machine already has 160 built-in embroidery designs to choose from. You can easily browse the pattern list by design category or by hoop size. The visual colored touch screen displays information such as dimension of the design, hoop size, number of threads, required sewing time, etc. Thus, this is a reliable and convenient feature.

Bright LED Light

Along with its great features it also has simple ones that are highly useful. It features an LED light, bright enough to illuminate the work space during the evening. It allows users to use the machine even at night, making it very reliable and convenient for anyone.

Monogramming

As it is an embroidery machine, it allows users to do monogramming — Type of embroidering technique which includes the overlapping or combining two or more letters, used as symbols or logos. The size of the letters can also be changed by pressing through the letter size key on the screen.

Fabrics It Can Work On

This Janome embroidery machine can work on fabrics like denim, leather, suede, knits, cotton, linen, wool, silk, satin, taffeta, velvet, upholstery, polyester, and rayons. On the other hand, there are a few fabrics that can’t be used on the Janome 500E, these are reptile skin, fur, plastic, rubber, canvas, twill, and extra thick or multiple layers of fabric.

Other Features

6 spool caps – large, medium, small
Lint brush
Scissors
Extra spool pin
Bobbins
4 embroidery hoops
Oil dispenser
Instructional DVD
Extra wide extension table
8 clamps
Anti-slip sticker
Owners manual

What Others Are Saying

This machine has numerous features which you can control and adjust using the LCD touch screen. Yes, it is convenient, however it may be overwhelming and confusing at times. This issue can be easily solved through reading instruction manuals or tutorials before using it. Customers are also very satisfied with this model as it works so well and has many advanced features. The good thing about this machine is its very few problems and concerns, making it a great choice for a stand alone embroidery machine. Its features and options will help you come a long way in embroidering.

Alternatives of Janome 500E

Just in case this model isn’t available, you can also try getting an alternative which works well or even better.

Singer 9985 The Quantum Stylist Touch Sewing Machine

This is a computerized sewing machine with advanced features and tons of stitch varieties to choose from. This is an ideal machine for intermediate-level sewists and professionals who are quite knowledgeable with its features. This includes a 960 built-in stitch design, automatic needle threader, large LCD screen, extension table, 2 bright LED lights, 850 stitches per minute, and so on and so forth. The large LCD screen provides users with clear and easy viewing of stitch functions including stitch length, stitch width, tension settings, needle up/down position, and many more other features.

Brother Innov-is NS80E Sewing Machine

This reliable and compact machine is great for people who are fond of travelling or have small spaces. It includes features such as 80 built-in sewing stitches, longer feed dogs and J foot, bright LED light, start/stop button, and needle plate detection sensor. All these features are especially great for people looking to get a sewing machine that is highly-portable, reliable, and more comfortable to work with. Thus, this is an ideal machine for beginning-sewists wanting to learn all the basics and techniques in sewing.

Janome Sewist 780DC Sewing Machine

This is also a computerized sewing machine with 80 built-in stitches, LCD screen, automatic thread cutter, stitch elongation on satin stitches, easy set bobbin system, auto-lock stitch feature, needle up/down button, and a start/stop button. Unlike the first alternative mentioned, this only has a few stitch options, but is still a great performer for an affordable machine. And its greatest features is its built-in needle threader and start/stop button allows users to sew without foot control.

Conclusion

It’s a great tool for beginning embroiderers hoping to learn the techniques and basics in embroidery. The only downside is limitedness in sizing of the designs. This can be a big disadvantage for people who are avid embroiderers. It has a sturdy and solid built with a scratch resistant outer frame which makes it a good investment for anyone looking for a new embroidery only machine. You should definitely consider looking at the Janome Memory Craft 500E. And if you’re more than interested in this machine, you can go and check it out here.

Resources:

“Memory Craft 350E – Janome America: World’s Easiest ….” https://www.janome.com/machines/embroidery/mc-350e/. Accessed 11 Sep. 2020.
“Embroidery hoops and tapestry frames | DMC.” https://www.dmc.com/us/our-products-9001012/accessories-9001015/hoops-9001071.html. Accessed 11 Sep. 2020.