Just send her a PM

Yikes! That's crazy! I think when I have time I'll flip it over and take a peek at what's going on there.

Go to Brother USA. Click on support and then enter your machine info. You can send them an e-mail and they should answer you in a couple of days. Don't know if they can help, but it can't hurt.

Any one have the new Bernina 830? My friend wants to sell her mom's who passed away last year. I am considering but think there is a big learning curve. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Continuous designs work best in a continuous hoop. But - if you have digitizing software, add jump stitches to the end of the design going side to side and line up on those. The side to side stitches need to be at the start and finish to make sure the needle lines up on the swing. I have a Pfaff 2144 and saw how they lined up the designs I got with the hoop. I prefer Babylock's Designers Gallery, and have added the same type jump stitches on everything I have split, including the Grand Hoop. Pfaff has precise positioning, but it's no good if you can't see WHAT you are positioning on.
The Continuous Hoop for the Pfaff is 100x120? (can't remember length) So you can use any design that is less that 100mm wide. I've hooked edging with eyelets together for finishing heirloom nightgowns.

The continuous hoop releases so you can pull the fabric up in length without rehooping.

You could also mark the end stitches with an air erasable pen - just side to side as the jump stitch. People used to do whole jacket backs with a 4x4 hoop.

Ifstampr, I think there is no more learning curve than most any new machine. You won't be sorry that is for sure. If it is a good price, then go for it.

I asked Patrice about getting the Embroidery chats all in one place like the Vintage Sewing machines, but she wasn't ready to do that yet. She is a bit afraid of a "slippery slope" away from quilting and into crafts. She may consider it at a later date. I mentioned that a lot of us are using it in our quilting. She also wondered about having a way to know how many would actually like to have a separate site for these discussions. If some of the rest of you are interested in doing this, you might chime in or PM her. It would have to be done during a maintaince time of some sort.

If you think I'm way off base here, say so, and I'll shut up. No biggie...

I don't think you are way off base. They have areas for recipes, etc. This isn't crafts; we are sewing. Yes, you can decorate with it but you can do that with quilts. I love to quilt and I'm excited about bringing my embroidery into my quilting to really expand on it. When ever I see anything with embroidery on it I read it. It's not like we are doing pottery; we are at the sewing machine and alot of us are using it in our quilts which I love and I love see all of the wonderful pictures of things that are being done. It gives this newbe a lot of hope.

I have a baby lock ellissimo

Thanks for sharing.