Replies

1. 
   Cherrypops | Jun 19, 2008 04:48am | #1

   I own a 350e.

   All Updates, Machine and Software, I download from the global site. http://www.janome.co.jp/e/e_downloads/machine.html

   I have (but do not use often) Janome Customizer; updated 10000 Plus version 1 to include MC350e. also includes Customizer 11000 version 1.2 ( 1.4 update is available for 11000, but i do not have a hat hoop... 1.1 available for 10,000 but i do not have vista so did not download)

   I use the following from BuzzTools; http://www.buzztools.com/

   Buzz-2-Stitches; BuzzXplore; BuzzEditV2; BuzzSize

   Embird is popular with the ladies; http://embird.com/  free trial

   Generations is another popular one; http://www.generationsemb.com/ free trial. read questions and answers under Support.

   The 350e, Embird and Customizer has been discussed in length on this forum - use advanced search using specific keywords, to find the discussions.

   Software is very much personal choice, You are doing the right thing, research, try download trials, talk to dealers, talk to us, read the 350e manual before buying machine if you can.

   I chose the 350e because it was affordable, and did what i needed.

   All the best, any further questions just ask.

   Cp - Sydney Australia

    

    

1. 
   TrishyBob | Jun 20, 2008 03:48am | #4

   Thanks for all the info. Sounds like you have done a lot of research too. This has been an exciting research project, but I am getting a little tired and just want to go buy the machine and start learning how to use it. One of my main reasons for buying is the cost.  Some of the machines I have looked at are 5000 to 7000 dollars. That's a lot of money for a sewing machine - at least for me.  I have not found but one negative remark against the 350E and it was the size of the embroidery field. The woman thought it was too small as she wanted to do really large projects. I don't know what she wanted to do, but I think Janome's field is equivalent to most other brands.

   Again thanks for all your help.

    

   Pat

1. 
   Cherrypops | Jun 20, 2008 04:54am | #5

   size of the embroidery field - - What will you be embroidering?

   I understand you when getting a little tired and just want to go buy the machine . The 350e has Built-In Designs and some fonts. I used these before I purchased any software. I learnt how to use the machine this way.

   I have the "A" hoop, "B" hoop and GigaHoop. Haven't used GH yet. I don't have a Clothsetter. I have been informed some designs will need to be split to use the GHoop. software does this. and I am in no hurry.

   Once I familiarised myself with the machine and did a few test runs, I started downloading designs from the internet to my pc. With my BuzzTools Software, I viewed them on the pc, made changes to the designs and then using my usb stick loaded the saved .jef into the machine.

   I use Stabilizers from Floriani. http://www.floriani.com/ I have recently downloaded the free Thread Converter Pro III programme which lets you 'play' with their other software programs.

   I use Hemmingworth Threads http://www.hemingworth.com/ because Madeira here in Australia don't supply all colours. Hemmingworth has close colour matched Madeira and all are available to me.

   http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/default.aspx we ladies here refer to this a lot. It's very informative, with videos and printable instructions. Sign up is free, receive weekly news and specials. I have purchased designs ( email download) and have had no problems.

   Enjoy. Let us know how you go.

1. 
   TrishyBob | Jun 20, 2008 05:40am | #6

   Thanks again for all the help and info. Looks like I have a lot of work ahead and a somewhat steep learning curve.  It sounds exciting and interesting and I look forward to the challenge.

   Pat

2. 
   VKStitcher | Jun 19, 2008 06:59pm | #2

   Cherrypops gave you a lot of good information on customizing/digitizing software for the Janome 350e.

   I have the 300e (the previous model), and the Janome Customizer software was included when I purchased my machine.  I have used Customizer to combine designs, but I don't use it often.

   If you want to do monograms, another software to consider is the Monogram Wizard Plus.  I knew when I bought the embroidery machine that I would probably do a lot of monogramming , and this software was recommended by several members of my sewing guild.  It is not a Janome product, but it does allow you to save your files as .jef or .jef+.  You can download a free trial at their website.  I have really enjoyed creating unique monograms and names to personalize gifts and items for our home.  There are other monogramming packages available, but this is the one I use.

1. 
   TrishyBob | Jun 20, 2008 03:37am | #3

   Thanks Vickie. I am trying to learn and it seems that there is always something else I need to know about. I hope you are enjoying your machine. If the good Lord is willing, I will go tomorrow and purchase my new embroidery machine and hopefully enjoy it as much as I have heard others say they enjoy theirs.

3. 
   maggiecoops | Jun 24, 2008 05:14pm | #7

   Hi Trishybob, you ask about Janome's software and what the various things do. Customiser 11000 is a layout and extremely basic auto digitising program. It can communicate with your machine to send designs to it, if you have a direct PC to machine link option on your machine. It will write designs to a compact flash card or USB flash drive.

   Digitiser Pro/MB is a 3 part program suite requiring a security dongle.  Easy Design is the digitising element, it is a good honest workmanlike program without all the bells and whistles found in many of the other brand name suites. It has an auto digitising option that is reasonably easy to use and gives reasonable results, auto lettering generator that is a dream to use, and a range of manual digitising tools for creating your own designs. It will convert stitch formats, save the master Jan files you create to most domestic or commercial formats, write designs to whichever media your machine uses, allow you to create custom hoops should you own as I do, industrial embroidery machines with large sewing fields and a domestic embroidery machine with a 5 x 7 field.

   Design Gallery is an embroidery file organiser that converts most designs to other formats, will organise your designs into folders if you want it to. Allows you to create and print catalogues of your designs.

   Easy Edit is the editing part of the suite, it allows you to edit stitch files, resize, change thread colours.

   The whole suite costs half the price of most branded programs, and has a very easy learning curve.

   I own 3 digitising software programs, Digitiser Pro/MB, Generations, and Embirds basic suite and Studio plug in, the manuual digitising element. All 3 are superb programs, all three are different, and each of the programs have various things to offer the user. I use all 3.

   Embird is a wonderful program, has an editor that is extremely powerful, a file manager that is quite wonderful, and its digitising plug in is extremely good. It's cost is quite modest in comparison to other branded software, but it does have a steep learning curve. It has a stitch editor that allows you to create single stitch motifs, or fancy fill effects. It doesn't require a security dongle, but it must be registered for full functionality.

   Generations is in a league of it's own, it isn't the easiest program to use, but it does contain many functions found only in the professional digitising software costing a considerable amount of money. It's the most expensive of my 3 programs, requires a security dongle, doesnt have a design organiser, isn't a stitch file editor, but does have a good auto digitising element, excellent manual digitising, and allows creation of stamps (stitch effects) and many more functions.

   I own a Yahoo group that offers help and support to Janomes Digitiser Pro/MB users and Embirds Studio users, that want to learn how to manually digitise designs. The first thing they find out is that it's not the number of fancy effect options that will help them, but learning how to use the minimum tools to create the maximum effect. The importance of choosing the correct stabiliser for the task, knowing how density settings effect the finished quality of a design and understanding the physical properties of thread, fabric and fill angles affect push and pull effects.

   Maggiecoops aka digimad

1. 
   TrishyBob | Jun 25, 2008 12:41am | #8

   Thanks for all the great help. It is so good to be able to access a help area and get answers so soon.

    

   Pat