justflyingin

Just to show you how we are different.

I had about a 20 min. lesson on how to use the Janome 350E that I bought from the owner. It seems extremely intuitive to me.

To the OP:

Probably any of the big names would be fine for you.

My advice: Get one that is at least 5x7. Don't tell yourself, 4x4 is big enough. It isn't! --not unless you really don't enjoy doing much embroidery! I think of the 4x4 as intro machines.

I have two embroidery machines---an embroidery only and a combo machine. Janomes.

PlanoDebbie

My daughter has the Brother SE400 and loves it. I believe it's a discontinued model, and you can pick it up for about $299 on Amazon.

What is it that you would like to embroider with a machine? As someone else has already pointed out, the SE 400 can only embroider a 4"x4" space. If you are wanting to do much larger designs, you won't be happy with this one.

I don't know which Brother model mine is, but I bought it in 2001. It's the one that comes with the Disney designs. Sad to say, but I spend so much time quilting, that I never figured out the embroider part until about 18 months ago! It was much easier than I had anticipated. The only problem I have now is that unless I want to buy a $129 converter thing, I'm limited to the designs that come pre-installed on the machine. Mine is capable of using 3.5" floppy disks....which are sadly not available any more.

newjeepgreen

Thank you all for your advice. I have bought a Janome 350E as I have watched you tube as well as all your input and think I could work it. I don't get delivery until 7th May so will hopefully be well read up on it. Many thanks again for all your replies. I only want it to add some motifs to my quilts.

deedum

I have a Janome embroidery machine, it has proven to be a good machine with a issue or two. If I were to buy one today, it would be a brother, make sure you spend the money and get the bigger hoop. It is well worth it.

reginalovesfabric

Last November I bought a Brother Innovis 5000 Isadore, I call her Izzy, I must admit I was afraid of it at first for my other Brother emb machine (bought at Wal mart in 2004) was comfortable to me. This little machine only had a 4x4 hoop and I wanted something bigger. So bigger is what I got, this one has 4 hoop sizes and a big screen to look at. And the best thing about this is the quilt shop was running a special, price on machine was a sale price and NO financing for 4 years.