QandE2010

I also have the new Bernina 830. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I agree that a good dealer/service technician is very important when deciding which machine to purchase. My first embroidery machine was the Pfaff 7570, then I got the Pfaff 2170. I had intended to get the Pfaff Creative Vision and my dealer (who sells both Pfaff and Berninas) talked me into getting the Bernina because of the way it is built. Make sure you test drive whichever machine that you buy, though. And find out what the working parts are made of. Good luck and let us know what your decision is.
I find that Embroidery Library has some of the nicest and least expensive embroidery designs & they have sales quite regularly. I have never had a design stitch out poorly from them. (I can't say that about some of the other places that I purchased designs from.)

Krystyna

I have a Baby Lock and love it. It is so easy to use. The down side is that I really didn't think I needed or wanted an embroidery machine so I got one with only a 4x4 hoop. It's actually fine as I can use a larger hoop and then split the design with Buzz Edit. From time to time I think that I might get a bigger one some day, but ... why?

PUGLOVER1

I Have a Viking Designer 1, IT IS MY ONLY EMBROIDERY MACHINE. IT IS TEN YEARS OLD NOW AND A REAL WORK HORSE. IT WORKS AS GOOD TODAY AS IT DID THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. IT HAS MANY SIZES OF HOOPS, BUT I FIND FOR WHAT I DO I USE MAINLY THE 4 X 4 OR THE 5 X 7. I MAKE SURE IT GOES INTO THE SHOP ONCE A YEAR FOR A TOTAL WORK UP. THERE ARE MANY NICE MACHINES OUT THERE, HOPE YOU FINE THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT. FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH, IF I WERE GOING TO BUY A NEW MACHINE TOM
MARROW IT WOULD BE A VIKING!!!!
PUGLOVER1

Ruby the Quilter

I have the Janome 11000 SE and it does beautiful embroidery and great sewing also have the MB4 strictly embroidery and it's great. The closest dealer is about 5 hours away - but only take it for annual cleaning and maintenance. Both are great machines.

shrabar

I have a designer 1 & I can get Disney designs for free to embroidery never had any problems embroidering them & selling my items I have been doing it since 1997

Normabeth

Last year, I purchased the Bernina 440 EQ - with the intentions of only using it for emroidery. It does a wonderful job. Then I got curious, this is a quilting sewing machine - so I took the plunge and took my first quilt piecing class last November. Now I am HOOKED!!! So now I incorporate my embroidery with quilting.
NormaBeth

shrabar

I agree I love mine even if it is old

LyndaK

My Janome 11000 is now 4 years old and has never let me down. I also have the Janome embroidery only MB4 and I'm so pleased with it as well. I have a terrific Janome dealer and repair person, so it's the logical choice for me.

sharin'Sharon

Well, mine is the lesser expensive Husqvarna-Viking Scandinavia 300 that has the 2 smaller hoops-4x4 (100 x 100) and 100 x 170. When I first purchased it 4 or 5 yrs ago, I was only interested in being able to "make my own quilt labels".......little did I know I would get so involved, but stay satisfied with the smaller hoops bc that gives me more time to sew in lieu of getting involved in = larger embroidery projects. It's amazing how you can learn to group designs to be a larger completed one. It's been a real workhorse for sewing AND embroidery and also take it in for an annual check up. I agree about having a good local dealer. Good luck with your decision making.

verlena

I have had all the embroidery machines that Viking had put out up till 2 years ago. The last one I bought has the 3 way Megga Hoop and I enjoy it very much. You need to get one from the dealer that you can trust and will give you good service and help. I have the soft ware that is made for the machine. However othes will work fine.