Janome Sewist 521 Questions & Answers

Value of any product is always what the market is prepared to pay for it and that varies over time from person to person, by supply and demand. Prices of second hand goods can vary by condition as well, if its in very good order its worth more than something that’s had more use, is cosmetically damaged, or missing some part and also how motivated the seller is to sell quickly. I can’t tell you what the value of a machine is, or if the seller is even asking a fair price- you need to do some research and see if you can find listings for the same model elsewhere and what prices are being asked for the same or very similar models to help with your decision making.

I am going to guess if it happens when you start to sew it is because the needle is on its way up and that will pull the thread out of the needle especially if you trimmed it close to the presser foot. Leave longer tails and hold onto them, and put the needle in the up position before you begin to sew so that it moves downward for the first stitch. Any sewing machine this will happen on, regardless of model or brand- its just how they work.

If its unthreading during sewing then you might not have correctly threaded it. Thread with the presser foot up so the thread gets seated correctly into the tension discs. It might look like it is, but thread can jump free again if you have the presser foot down when you thread. Again this applies to any machine.

Thanks - I will try threading with the presser foot up - I always have it down so that I can get to the needle easily. Will see how this goes.

It's not really to do with the needle being up. It's that the stitch cycle needs to be completed. Look at the thread take-up lever, that's all you need to worry about. Facts; When the take-up lever is at its top position, it has finished pulling the thread out of the hook/bobbin case area.

The needle has actually gone over it's top position and is on the way down slightly.

(So have it in this position when you stop and start.)

In this position you can also lift the foot and remove the fabric, change your bobbin, adjust your stitch width, change your stitch selection.

Also, as another rule of thumb for keeping out of trouble when sewing, when you turn the handwheel, always bring your thumb back toward you. Don't turn it the other way. Enjoy easy sewing.

What I'd do is unthread the machine. Pull the bobbin housing out and brush out the lint underneath it. Reassemble the machine and insert a new needle. Wind a fresh bobbin on a different bobbin to the one you had trouble with.. Insert the correct way around -its printed on the bobbin cover and the manual. Make sure it is a Janome original bobbin not the knock offs from ebay or wherever, there are some around that are not the exact right weight and size although they look similar to the eye, they can be slightly curved and thinner and are not correct for the machine.

Anyway once you have those things sorted and you thread the top of the machine with the presserfoot up, you should be right. If you are not, then dont' forget to approach your dealership as there might be something that needs adjusting or a rough spot that needs polishing off somewhere around the hook or shuttle race.