quiltnmore

It's too bad you aren't in Northern IL - I am selling my Janome 10001 for $1800 with 3D Embroidery Studio, the extension table, and a ton of floppy disks (really - hundreds of disks!)The machine takes the older 256mb Compact Flash, but your designs are usually on the computer anyway. You just need a memory card reader that allows CF. I am selling it only because I just don't need 2 embroidery machines taking up space. The Janome was great to take to class since you don't have a big bulky embroidery attachment to haul!

I started with the Babylock Ellure Plus because I wanted usb capable. I got a used Babylock Ellegante and really could tell the difference from the bottom line embroidery machine and the more expensive model.

I wanted a machine to cut jump threads, combine designs and text, a thumb drive, color screen, and a bigger hoop than the 5 x 7. The Ellegante is great, just older! Find out what you want from the embroidery machine first, and again find a dealer you can trust.

I am glad others have mentioned about the additional cost involved - wow! First thread and stabilizers, designs of course, and some of those designs take an hour to finish with 20 changes of thread!

I just gave my nephew a small quilt with machine embroidered nautical applique(he is in the navy, and another to my sister with a large garden gate embroidery design in the center. (The Ellegante also does well with quilting).

Best wishes on your search.

callie

I started out with a Janome 350E and loved it but wanted to upgrade. Now I have a Janome 11000 MC and it's wonderful. Both easy to use. My friend has had 3 Brothers and she has had each of them in the shop numberous times. Never had my 350E in the shop other than annual cleaning and when I bumped my hoop with my chair (not something you want to do LOL) and it was used like a commericial machine. My 11000 MC is like a cadillac to me and is well worth it's money. Every time my friend has got to take her Brother to the shop for repair I think how grateful I am because my machines have pretty much been worry free.

buttons

I have two Brother ULT's 2100 and a 2300. They use a floppy disk and also a card. I had the brother 150 for a long time but wanted to go up to a larger embr. size. so mine does a 4x4, 5x7 and 6x10. When you start to purchase a machine think ahead for the future because they do last a long time.
with the three sizes of embr. designs you can do a lot of things with it. I really like mine I purchased mine used. One from a Brother dealer and the other one from an person.
Good Luck

chuckstar158

I was a Viking girl through and through. One of my machines that I still use quite often is 15 year old Viking...

That is until I got a used Babylock Ellegante. Didn't think I'd be but I'm in love. I won't look back now. It's an embroidery work horse and sews like a dream. I have family that have the Brother Quattro which is the same machine with minor changes. They really enjoy that as well.

ljgraham

Have a brother innovis 1200 and love it, also bought a brother serger because of the embroidery machine it does a great job. Also make sure the dealer is customer oriented. My dealer is great its usually operator error when I've had to bring it in and he's never charged me.

1screech

I love my Bernina.

ann31039

my sister and i both bought the brother pe770 and love it. i am also using the free download Design era software. It was difficult to figure out at first but I am finally getting the hang of the software. it does fine. the machine does beautiful work and is easy to use. the automatic needle threader fell off but it is easy to thread with out it.

Annya

I also have a Brother1500D I also have 2 Janomes which I love one is 6600P and a small cheaper one for workshops.

Patricia Ann

I love my bernina sewing and embroider machine