I bought a Janome 300E used on ebay from a local person and it works great. I paid about $550. Hancock Fabric sells the 300E for $899. The 350E has some bells and whistles but I could not see a price around $1300 to have that much extra value.

The most important thing is to find out how you plan to use the machine, set a price point and then move forward. Wilcom has a free program that will convert most embroidery formats to the one used by your machine. The Janome uses JEF. The only transfer mechanism for designs you need is a compact flash (I use up to 512 Meg with no problem, just don't fill it up) and there is no extra expense for a transfer program.

Ebay has some great deals on thread - you can buy 5,000 or 10,000 yards for the price stores sell 1,000 yards. Of course, you will need a lot of colors which quickly adds up to $$

You could do it on a smaller hoop size and just break the design into sections. Move the hoop and keep going. The larger hoop machines are going to probably be too expensive.

I have a brother one and I really like mine I gave $379.00 for mine :lol:

Have you actually done this? I'd like to see a tutorial!

I did a baby quilt the fun and done method on mine

I'm hoping to buy the Janome 350E embroidery machine next month. The dealer will most likely be setting up a booth again at the Christmas at the Glacier craft fair and he may have better deals then rather than now. I have a business number and a friend of my Mum's gets her threads through Marathon Threads for a good deal. I am going to check out that website and see the prices. Otherwise I will look at eBay and start picking up my threads and stabilizers now so I'll be already when I get my new baby home.

At our local sewing machine dealer, they have a Brother 900D that they said is a great machine, a real work horse. They usually don't push the Brothers as much as they do their other lines, but this one they said is a real dandy machine. They sell it for $799.

Hi I also have a SE350 & LOVE IT! I use it almost every day it has a lot you can do with it!
I am doing stipling on my squares as I go! Got mine at walmart! :D

you might check with your local sewing machine shops and see if they have any used embroidery machines in your price range

I am looking for the same thing - to quilt with an embroidery machine. did you learn anything worth passing on? thank you.
Morely (opposite of Leslie)