Originally Posted by RaeM

I have both a Brother and Designer from Viking that I really love, however, I really don't do that much embroidery and am more into quilting.....so I bought a Sapphire 930Q from Viking because of the larger throat area....what a difference that makes...so I would suggest you look for something one that comes with that....Viking has always been user friendly and the accessories are affordable. My dealer is having a sale on floor models to make way for new ones coming out....that is a great way to stretch your dollars.... check around.

Originally Posted by Buckeye Rose

Stay away from buying a machine at the big box stores, whether it is a brother, a singer, etc. They are the very lowest quality and will not last if you do a lot of sewing. I would strongly recommend that you go to a dealer and test drive every machine they have (bring your own fabric similar to what you commonly use). I found a gently used janome 6600 that I love from my local dealer for $1000. It has all the features I need....needle down, auto thread cutter, needle threader, built in walking foot system, feed dogs down, lots of deco stitches (and I do use them). Dealer support is a must for the new computerized machines of today. Mine came with unlimited free classes on how to use the machine as well as a technician/repairman on site ....which made me feel better about any future problems or tuneups.