i sold bernina for 6 years and could buy one with my employee discount and i still prefer and have purchased 2 Juki machines.

i have the Juki F600 for piecing and the Juki 98Q for Frame Quilting.

the Juki is an amazing machine and they do not compromise parts to reduce the price like many sewing machines do.

For me, it's Bernina.....My Bernina 1090 is over 20 years old and still sews like a workhorse......

You need to take in considerations a few things. First, how much is she going to use it? Does she already sew a lot or is it something she would like to do? How old is she? Is life going to get busy and she will put quilting on the back burner including an expensive machine? Berninas are the most expensive for a reason, just like luxury vehicles are more expensive. If you were buying her a car would you buy her a toyota or a cadilac? What does she need at this point in her life? Second. the dealer? How much extra do you want to pay for having customer service at her fingertips for support? Costco has brothers on line for a good price. We bought my daughter a brother for HS Grad. from a brother dealer, on a closeout sale, and she is very happy and had that support when things go wrong. I sew on nothing but Bernina but would not buy one for my daughters unless I knew for sure they would always use . Stay in your budget, and take in consideration how much she is going to use it.

Make a checklist of functions she wants then compare various machines for these functions. Go sew on the top two to see which one you like better. It is important even for a novice to sew on them to see if one is easier to learn and work. A machine that is easy to use will make some one more likely to sew and enjoy. The quality of the machine does make a difference. The dealers will gladly let you try them. Once you decide, shop around. If you can find a gently used one, go for it!

I have used a singer, Janome, kenmore, and husqvarna and many others. Before I retired I wanted to buy a new machine, I went to a Bernina Dealer and bought one of theirs. That was 4 years ago and I have never been sorry. Its the best machine I ever had. You get a 20 year warranty on mechanical parts, 2 years on electrical and if you get a computerized machine you a 5 year warranty on the circuit boards. I sew everyday, as I make samples for the quilt shops, plus I am a quilter. Whether your buying a new or used one I dont think you can go wrong with a Bernina. Oh and Im not affiliated with Bernina in any way, just a retired woman who loves to make quilts and so happy I finally have the time to do it

I will have to go out of town , at least a two hour drive to find any kind of dealer for anything but a Viking.. Our little store here that is part fabric, part hot tub, and part sewing machine only carries a few Vikings.. I have not heard much positive about the store owner who does repairs, and not many will purcahse machines from him. We live in the middle of the mountains here, where winter is not good to travel one way over a mountain pass, or the other way, in a deep canyon .. so I need to figure out soon if I want to drive to Washington state to the nearest bernina .. snows already falling , so it will be next week that I need to check things out.. Thanks for your tips, and you are so lucky to be able to sew for quilt shops - thinking about all that lovely fabric you get to use.. I can only dream of what that much be like to have actual yardage to choose from.. :o

I have an older Viking 940 that I love. I purchased it new in 1982, and it has never had to go to the shop for anything. It's just a little workhorse. Nothing fancy, but I have been very happy with it.

I have a Bernina and a Brother that love. Both have features I enjoy and work very well.

Bernina is a great machine but to pricey for me.They all sew a straight seam,why pay big bucks?

Connie, I love your attitude,lol.. that made me laugh today when its been a day of not many laughs. Thank you...