I just got this machine and so far, I really love it. I have been sewing/quilting on a 45 year old Universal which was the top of the line Japanese made. I am 70 years old and I needed something lighter in weight. I read somewhere that you can't use inexpensive thread on this machine. However, I also have my husband's mother's treadle singer machine and while we were looking at it, I found several spools of thread in the drawers that have to be nearly 45-50 years old. So I thought I would try some of that thread on my CS6000i and whohoo, it worked like a charm. Stitches are perfect and it runs so quiet sompared to the 45 year old Universal. Now, I don't recommend using old thread but I was just curious to see if it would work on the CS6000i. Of course I am not going to get rid of my Universal and I am hoping to get the Singer Treadle cleaned up and tuned up so I can use it. I think that would be kind of fun.

Amazon.com has it on sale for less than half prive $179.97 I believe. Its a great machine and has some really neat stitches. Bought on for my DGD.

I have one and liked it so much that I bought two as gifts for my neices. I still use my featherweight but when I need a modern machine this is the one I use. :thumbup:

I have this machine and really like it :) I bought it to take to class with me. It's a light weight machine so if you're looking for something "substantial" this isn't it, but over all I would recommend it as a nice piecing machine. I've used some of the other stitches and they are very uniform.

i have this machine, and i like it., but i don't sew all day long like i think some of you ladies do. i like the speed adjustment and not having to use a foot pedal,and it hardly weighs anything, one thing, i can't get the automatic threader to work, but i think i just need to practice. but don't let this stop you from using it.

I have made several quilts on this machine and absolutely love it! I did take it to a quilting class once and was made to feel like the kid from the wrong side of the tracks because it wasn't a Bernina or a Janome, but honestly, my quilt looked just as good as the others and I like the feel of it as I'm sewing. I didn't know I would like so many of the features that I now couldn't live without, like the needle-down feature, the on/off sewing and backstitch buttons with the speed control - who knew you could sew without a foot pedal? I didn't know if I would like that, but now I can't imagine going back to the foot pedal. My verdict? Love it!

Renee...LOL...I know exactly what you mean! When I took mine to class also they all looked at me like I had the plague. It was at a Janome LQS but a lot of the ladies had Bernina's. Well, if I could afford a Bernina, I'd have one but I don't think I'd look down my nose at someone that didn't have one.

I just checked Amazon and the price today is $147.54. the same price I paid for mine about a week ago

Was there a problem getting the quilt into the small neck. I am going to be making a full size quilt for my niece to give to the people in Tanzania S.Africa where she is serving as a Baptist Missionary and it seems like from looking at the machine that the neck area is rather small. I have never made any size of quilt except the lap throws that I have been making and giving to the Nursing Home for their patients.

I have 2 Bernina's, but before I got the second one, DH got me a Brother CS4000 for a backup and it is a great little machine. The CS6000I has more on it, so I would assume it is even nicer. When my DD was home from NZ, she wanted to begin to learn to sew. She used the Brother and fell in love with it. She was so disappointed to find that she couldn't take it back with her due to the luggage limits and the difference in power over there. The only thing I had to get used to was that, in it's default position, the needle is over to the left. But that is no problem when you use the 1/4 inch foot you just move the needle over. Also, it makes great decorative stitches, 7mm (my Bernina 440 only did 5mm).

Check out the prices on Overstock.com. DH got mine there refurbished with full warranty for a very reasonable price.

Good luck.