I'm a Pfaff girl here. I love the IDT or duel feed for sewing and quilting. I bought my first Pfaff when I was pregnant with my youngest son. He is now 26 years old. I am sold on the brand. I have had no problems with any of them, just regular maintenance about once a year.

Visit different dealers and play with the display models. Ask questions. A good dealer is an asset for any machien purchase.

One of the crucial issues is repairs and training. Part of the cost of a machine from a local dealer is for training and classes. If bought elsewhere, the owner must pay for classes.

Since 99% is straight stitching, that's the most important issue for me. Free motion quilting is a form of straight stitching. Any mechanical machine can do this. The size of the harp is important for FMQ.

Brother 1500SL Nouvelle is a work horse. Turn it on and it's ready to go. Has needle down, threader and cutter. It has a device that works like an even feed. Less than $1000. This is my 99% machine.

If you want a machine for traveling- get a light weight and expect it to take some beating. Most of these do zig zag. With these 2 machines you may have all your needs covered.

Machine embroidery is loved by some and never used by others. And it's expensive, but you already have that capability?

I’ve had a Baby Lock Crescendo for about five years, and I couldn’t be happier with it. I was relatively new to sewing/quilting when I got it, but I never felt overwhelmed or like it was “too much machine.” It’s also not a difficult machine, so there’s not a huge learning curve.

Having said that, I think your relationship with the dealer is as (or more) important as the brand you buy, so make sure you buy from someone you’re happy with.

I appreciate all the feedback, thanks.

I love my only machine. It is a 40 year old Bernina 830 Record with metal gears. The biggest purchase at the time for me. I am ready for a new machine that has a larger throat and has more automatic stitch selections.

I have a Bernina 770QE that I love! It's a fantastic machine. Lots of bells and whistles and sews like a dream.

I have a Bernina 770 too, it is the best machine that I have ever owned, and I have had a lot of machines!! I hate to admit this but I have been sewing for over 40 years, this will be my forever and ever machine!

My MIL recently gave me her Bernina 820 "sewing computer". She had problems with it and moved on to Janome. I too sew on a Janome 8900 which I love. One of the reasons I love it, is that it is relatively simple to use.
I decided to set up the Bernina and give it a spin so to speak. Wow! there is a big learning curve as it really is a computer. It took me a hour to figure out how to thread it Haha!
I realized that I like simple. Well, I knew I liked simple as I am not a gadget person either. If you go with the computerized machine, you have to put in the time to learn it. That may be fine with you, but for me right now, I just want to sew. Maybe down the road when I have more time on my hands I'll try again. I personally would not buy a more computerized machine, but that is just my preference.

One of the reasons i didnt go for bernina. Overpriced for features, ease of use, tension issues i had in classes, accessories overpriced. Really for me its comfort. I have used every brand pretty much on the market. I still would choose my v-series brother dreamweaver overall. There are features on pfaff like idt i liked. Janome i felt was comparable. The stitch quality on viking saphire still cant be beat. The only machines i did not vibe with were the bernina 550qe and the 765 as well. I did love their q20 but not the price

I own 7 machines and the Brother 1500 is hands-down my favorite. I've actually decided to start selling my other machines because I realized if I ever needed to take it in for repair, or if it died, I would much rather buy another 1500 than use one of my other "backup" machines.