I am thinking about buying an embroidery machine, and this one is on e-bay at a reasonable price. What do you recommend? Is this a good machine or do you recommend something else. Thanks for your help in advance.

The 180 was my very first embroidery machine. I loved it, but quickly wanted a machine with a larger hoop so I could do larger designs. At one point I was embroidering with the 180, my ULT 2003 and my Innovis 4000 and you could not tell from looking at the embroidery which was done on the expensive machine or on the little 180. It's a great starter machine. Be forewarned tho, you will want a larger hoop quickly.

The 180 is a little work horse. It is older technology, you will need Ped Basic software and the card reader box to use any designs from the internet. You can buy design cards for it but the Ped Basic card reader is a better deal.

You will be limited to a 4x4 field for your designs. If you do a lot of children's clothes you'll be fine. There are thousands of designs on the 'net to fit in a 4x4 hoop. I have noticed too, that digitizers are making more 4x4 size designs. I know I don't have an hour or more to spend watching a huge multicolor design stitch out! I stick to a 5x7 max.

You can purchase a multi-position hoop for the 180 machine. You will still be limited to a 4x4 design area, but with the multi-position hoop you can stitch a design then move the hoop and stitch a name under or above the design, without having to re-hoop your item. I made a bunch of baby blankets like this with my multi-position hoop. You can also buy software to split designs into smaller segments to stitch in the 4x4 hoop.

Good little machine. Love mine.

I love my 2800D

Thanks, I just might get this one!

Let us know and post a pix of your new machine.

I just got my first embroidery machine, Brother PE 180D. I have no idea of thread for it. My question... can I use regular sewing thread or does it only use embroidery thread? If only embroidery thread, does JoAnne's carry the thread. I don't have a JA near by or I would head out tonight to check. :-) Thank you for any help.

isharu2, did you get your machine? I have a Brother I'd like to sell, if you're interested. I live in Luttrell

I just bought a Brother PE780D for $700, including shipping and a 24 pack of Robison Anton embroidery thread. I just stitched out my first design last night and like it alot. It comes with a 5x7 hoop, with options for a larger 5x12 and smaller 4x4 and 2x2 hoops.

I have two brother embroidery machines. The Innovis 950? - I bought it at the sewing machine store for $600. It is a combination sewing machine/embroidery machine that does 4x4. I bought the Disney one, but haven't stitched a thing with Disney on it, so it was probably money wasted for the extra designs. Anyway, I had it for a few months and quickly realized that the hoop was too limiting. I then purchased a 780 on E-bay. It was brand new and I paid around $1000 for it, with a full Medira Thread draw set full of all their threads (retails about $400). I really like my little 4x4 better for actual stitch quality. I rarely have threading issues, breakage, or missed stitches. My bigger machine is more temperamental.

I purchased all my thread through Metro Threads on line. They are not the highest quality, but they work for most embroidery projects. The small cones are less than a dollar. I bought their bulk sets so I could get all the colors. Then, I went back and ordered the colors that I end up using the most. Their stabilizer is pretty good too... and much cheaper than any other place I have found.

I have the Disney SE270 and it does wonders. I do get frustrated by the limited embroidery area. But it sews beautifully and all my quilts to date have been pieced on it.