Does anyone use a Janome 350e embroidery machine. I'm finding it very difficult to match the machines default threads to the designs I download, they look beautiful on the PC but once in the machine they seem to change...it's really weird!

I am on my second embroidery machine and have never had the colours showing correctly. I make up my mind what colours I need for the design I am sewing and put them in order by my machine. Works for me and certainly does not take the enjoyment from my machine. As someone has already stated there are so many threads and the spectrum of colours are just many hundreds. I hope these answers will help. Welcome to Cute. We are all here to help each other. Sarah (South Africa)

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When I print my design information out I pick out the colours I want to use & write the brand name & colour number down then sometimes I will roll a small amount of thread into a ball & stick it onto my sheet next to colour number. Keep this by your machine until you have finished then file as you may use the design again, if you change colours add 2nd list. Good Luck

You need to get a janome colour chart for their thread and when the colour comes up on your screen, look at your chart to get the best colour choice.

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by jenni 22 Jun 2015

I also have a 300e and my dealer gave me a Janome colour chart which I use it to colour match my own threads, works well for me. Cheers Jenni

This problem exists even with my embroidery software on my computer. Just because I set my software to show the colors in the thread brand the digitizer used, it still doesn't match well to what the designer's colors were. Sometimes a design will not come with a color chart from the designer. So I always save the picture of the stitchout along with the design too. It's one of those small irritations that we put up with. I used to have a wide choice of threads to buy around here. But many of those stores have closed, so I buy a lot online now. It's worth the cost to purchase a thread color chart from your favorite thread brand so you can see the real thread colors and not the distorted colors you can get on the computer.

Some machines are limited on the number of colours they can recognise. You must remember that there are thousands of colours and shades . I line up the colours I wish to use in the order they will embroider and off I go! So don't be put off by what the computer can show you compared to what your machine is capable of showing you - that's two completely different things. The early embroidery machines were even more limited than they are today. The high end machines show a very good colour range, the lower end machines of course will show less.

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by airyfairy 23 Jun 2015

I do exactly the same

I have the Janome 300e which is really the same as your machine. I print out the design from the Customizer program that came with my machine. Then just write the correct colour in the squares. Quite often Black will show on my machine as Dark Green or White as Grey. As some one said the machine will stop at the colour changes anyway so just go with what you want.

All machines do this to some extent except where the software you use matches the software they digitized with. If possible, start from a photo and a color card of the thread brand(s) you stitch with. We all spend way too much time fiddling with color choices. The Janome thread hasn't been manufactured for quite some time (or is not available in the USA)and I wish they'd give that thread "slot" to one of the other big manufacturers, such as Floriani. Ah, we can wish.

OH, also, i find a color wheel useful when doing a "custom" thread choice. I like doing the triadic color set (imagine an equilateral triangle on the wheel,, starting with a color you wish to use. Bought my color wheel at a paint and wallpaper store, but can find at an art supply, too.

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by graceandham 30 May 2015

I have a 350e. PM me if you need other help! Lots of us have them and love them and have put a lot of "miles" on our machines. It's a great, dependable, nice to use machine.

I always download and print a color chart of the designs I buy. Especially if there are a lot of colors or specific colors.
I then print out the template and color chart from my Janome software and compare. I mark the color changes and keep both copies clipped on my board above the machine.
Hope this helps.

Welcome to Cute :)
I too have a janome mc350e but I never use the thread chart....lol!
As where I live too I dont get any of the brands of thread...I just use whatever I get and match it closest to the colours I see on the computer or change it as I feel (although I am not very experienced or confident about colour coordination)
Well this is a great machine so dont worry about this part and just try to figure out a way what works for you :)
Other Cuties might have lots of suggestions for you....good luck!

I suggest that you have on your computer/laptop the picture and thread chart of what you are stitching out. Follow the chart and ignore what your machine is telling you. You can collect the threads you intend to use and check out the thread colours first. You don't have to follow the colours used in the design you can be totally creative and choose your own. Anyway welcome to Cute and have fun with your new machine. Grandmamek has given her way of solving the problem which is a brilliant one. Hopefully we will see some of your work in Projects?

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by asterixsew 31 May 2015

ps I have some Brildor threads and they are great

I have a Janome 350E. What I do is print a color chart from my computer and then match up the colors from it. For example, most digitizers give you a color sheet with the design. I try and follow their suggestions as close as possible. I never heard of Bridor thread. I use Sulky, Maderia, Robison Anton . Thread Art and Metro. Hope this info helps. By the way, welcome to cute. you will find it a very helpful friendly site.

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by mops 30 May 2015

Brildor is a Spanish thread, lovely colours and very reasonably priced.
I have not found a colour comparison chard on their site, but I always choose my own colours anyway.

Some machines have a limited colour palatte. My Designer1 showed an awful lot of grey while giving the correct colour number and name. if a machine recognises say 20 colours, it just won't show 10 shades of blue. Very annoying but it stops in time for every thread change.