Thanks Cari. I have kept it well maintained, regular cleaning and oiling but I cannot fix the hoop carriage arm. Thank you for your response.

I have a Bernina and take it in once a year to be serviced by the dealer and have never had a problem with it. I keep it cleaned and oiled between times myself but the dealer makes sure things are working as they should. They also give it a deeper cleaning. So service for me is very important.

Have you tried to do any type of embroidery? I suggest an easy pattern to start with. It took me a long time to become comfortable with this thing we do.

Rhonda Lee,

What patterns do you suggest? (What makes one pattern easy and another difficult?)

I am just getting into embroidery. I have Anita Goodesigns. Are there other well digitized ones?

I decided to upgrade my machine after getting to demo the Janome 500E. After doing some research the 500E has had some issues with tension, right out of the box. I found this to be true with the one I got. After working to figure this out I merely changed the bobbin from what the dealer had given me, Janome prewound bobbins. Well that was the problem. I changed back to the cheaper prewounds that I had used before and the stitch is beautiful, with no adjustments at all. This is good info for those that are having these tension problems.

Patski, Those are good designs but there are many good digitizers online that have very reasonably priced designs. Embroidery Library, Amazing Designs, Etsy has hundreds of digitizers, Planet Appliqué for appliqué and the list is endless really.

This is the first I have heard about tension problems with the 500e. I've had mine for over a year with never a problem. I've used the Janome pre wounds as well as winding my own bobbins in all 3 of my Janome machines. The key with the 500e is using the proper bobbin case for the weight of thread you're using.

Cari

Cari,

Will you please write more about proper bobbin cases for thread weight? I didn't know this was a thing.

Okay, I'm specifically talking about the Janome 500e. It's the only machine I have that came with two bobbin cases. One has a yellow dot on it, that one is for regular embroidery, i.e.- whatever top thread you use and 60wt bobbin thread. The unmarked bobbin case(the one that comes in the machine, I don't know why) has less tension and is for heavier thread such as when you use the same thread top and bottom doing free standing lace.

Cari