Embroidery Machine Guide

Janome · Embroidery only · Specs checked October 2026

Janome Memory Craft 500E: hoop size, file formats and specs

Also written: MC500E, MC 500E, 500E, 500 E, Janome 500E, MC500E LE, 500ELE

A single-needle, embroidery-only Janome with a 7.9 × 11 in (200 × 280 mm) field and four hoops. It has 160 built-in designs, 6 fonts, a color touchscreen and a top speed of 860 stitches per minute. It reads JEF files by USB and does not sew.

The Janome Memory Craft 500E is a embroidery-only machine with a 11 × 8 in (280 × 200 mm) embroidery field. It reads .JEF files and gets designs by USB stick, and has 160 built-in designs and 6 lettering fonts.

Memory Craft 500E hoop size and embroidery area

The Memory Craft 500E can stitch a design up to 11 × 8 in (280 × 200 mm) in one hooping, which is the 6 × 10 in size. That is the field limit: a larger hoop from another maker will not let it stitch a bigger area.

8 × 12Memory Craft 500E field6 × 105 × 74 × 4
The Memory Craft 500E field (filled) next to standard hoop sizes, drawn to scale.

In the box: RE28b hoop (11 × 8 in (280 × 200 mm)), SQ20b hoop (8 × 8 in (200 × 200 mm)), RE20b hoop (8 × 5.5 in (200 × 140 mm)), SQ14b hoop (5.5 × 5.5 in (140 × 140 mm)).

Optional from Janome: ASQ18b hoop (AcuFil quilting kit) (7.2 × 7.2 in (184 × 184 mm)), RE10b hoop (4 × 1.6 in (100 × 40 mm)).

Check if your design fits the Memory Craft 500E

What file format does the Memory Craft 500E use?

The Memory Craft 500E reads .JEF files. You load designs by USB stick. Designs in other formats (for example .JEF or .EXP) need converting first with embroidery software.

Where to buy the Janome Memory Craft 500E

About $2,099–$2,399 new (checked October 2026)

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Janome Memory Craft 500E specs

TypeEmbroidery only
Embroidery field11 × 8 in (280 × 200 mm)
Hoops includedRE28b hoop (11 × 8 in (280 × 200 mm)); SQ20b hoop (8 × 8 in (200 × 200 mm)); RE20b hoop (8 × 5.5 in (200 × 140 mm)); SQ14b hoop (5.5 × 5.5 in (140 × 140 mm))
Optional hoopsASQ18b hoop (AcuFil quilting kit) (7.2 × 7.2 in (184 × 184 mm)); RE10b hoop (4 × 1.6 in (100 × 40 mm))
Cap frameNo
File formats it reads.JEF
Design transferUSB stick
Built-in designs160
Lettering fonts6
Screencolour, touch screen
Max embroidery speed860 stitches per minute
StatusSold new
Typical priceAbout $2,099–$2,399 new (checked October 2026)
Skill levelIntermediate

Who the Memory Craft 500E is for

Suits people who want a roomy field for jackets, towels and large monograms and who already have a sewing machine. Not for anyone who needs a hoop longer than 11 in (280 mm), or a machine that also sews.

Strengths

  • 7.9 × 11 in (200 × 280 mm) field, big enough for most jacket-back and large monogram designs
  • Four hoops in the US Limited Edition package (RE28b, SQ20b, RE20b, SQ14b) plus an extra-wide table
  • Embroiders at 400 to 860 stitches per minute with an automatic thread cutter and needle threader
  • Color touchscreen with on-screen editing: resize, rotate, flip, combine and group
  • 160 built-in designs and 6 monogram fonts, with 2 and 3 letter monogramming

Limits

  • Embroidery only: it cannot sew
  • Single needle, so every thread color change needs a stop and a re-thread
  • Janome's spec page lists only the JEF format; other formats need converting first
  • Design transfer is by USB stick only, with no Wi-Fi or app

Good to know: Janome's US site lists the standard MC500E as discontinued. The 500E Limited Edition is the version still sold new: same 7.9 × 11 in field and hoops, plus a USB drive with 30 large designs. The status and price range here follow the Limited Edition. Janome's format guide says its Digitizer software writes JPX files for the 500E, but the spec page lists only JEF, so only JEF is recorded. Janome pages and dealers show different weights, so weight is left blank. The hat hoop is a listed optional accessory; its stitch area was not confirmed. Dealer pages show the RE10b hoop as 100 × 40 mm; one inch figure on a dealer page looks like a typo. Hoops marked included are those in the Limited Edition package; Janome Australia lists fewer hoops with its base machine.

How the Memory Craft 500E compares

Listed in our buying guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the embroidery area of the Janome MC500E?

The maximum is 7.9 × 11 in (200 × 280 mm), using the RE28b hoop. The Limited Edition also includes SQ20b, RE20b and SQ14b hoops for smaller designs.

Is the Janome 500E discontinued?

Janome's US site lists the standard 500E as discontinued. The 500E Limited Edition has the same field and hoops, adds a USB drive of 30 large designs, and is still sold by US dealers.

What hoops come with the Janome 500E?

The Limited Edition comes with the RE28b (7.9 × 11 in), SQ20b (7.9 × 7.9 in), RE20b (5.5 × 7.9 in) and SQ14b (5.5 × 5.5 in). The small RE10b hoop and the AcuFil quilting kit hoop are optional.

What file format does the Janome 500E use?

Janome's spec page lists JEF. Load JEF files from a USB stick; other formats such as PES need converting first.

Can the Janome 500E embroider hats?

Janome lists an optional Hat Hoop for the 500E, and its page says the hat hoop fits in the RE20b hoop. Janome does not list a stitch area for it in the sources used here, so check the hoop page before buying.

Sources

Specs come from Janome's own pages and manuals, checked October 2026. Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. We are not affiliated with Janome. See how we research.