I found a Brother ES400 at Walmart, identical to a Janome that cost $229 more, the Brother came with an embroidery attachment. I haven't use that yet but will. I really like it and hope we have a long relationship. And the Janome didn't have the embroidery attachment. Heard they are both made by Janome.
I hesitate in saying this, but do you always start sewing with the thread takeup lever at its highest point? If I don't, I have a thread lock and that throws the timing off. When the thread takeup lever is at the very top, the thread in the needle and bobbin can be pulled without effort and I hold the ends till the machine starts sewing. When teaching sewing, that is the first thing I tell students to watch out for. Thread locks still happen to me.
Carol J.