I have a Sapphire 830 also, and would NOT trade it even to go up a level...
About the only thing it doesn't have that I would like is the "low thread in bobbin" feature that lets you know to change bobbin.
Other than that, I have had it 3 years and just took to have tune up... (oops! should have done sooner, I know!But there weren't any issues!)
Just my two cents- You need to get a Husqvarna!

[Didn't used to understand why people had so many sewing machines....but now I'd also like to have my late mother in law's white Featherweight too. And I have my grandmother's treadle machine....can we have too many?[/quote]

Started with the Husqvarna, added the Baby Lock Emore for embroidery, then small Janome for classes... Then was given old Singer treadle machine table so HAD to buy a 1939 Singer to go in the there didn't I???????????? ... Think I am done now... ????

:?

I have an emerald that I love, but I do have an issue when trying to fMQ. I can't get the tension right. I have tried all suggestions and nothing works. Other than that, I love it.

I have owned a Husqvarna (Viking) sewing machine since 1981. Simply love, love, love them. Very user friendly and almost needs no service. Can't go wrong.

My wonderful red 6570 is also still going...since 1981. I also have a Designer 1 and also think it is a wonderful machine.

Have a Viking Designer LE w/embroidery unit and love all the features: needle up/down, needle hover, speed control, settings for fabric selection, auto thread cutter and needle threader, fancy stitches including 1/4" quilting stitches, many feet, bobin notice, memory for designs and the website and SOS tech support and updates for your computer and machine. Most dealers give unlimited free lessons on how to use and some even have free clubs to aid in the learning process. Also, if the dealer you bought from goes out of business or you move, my experience is that the dealer you choose can take up and continue to teach you. Also, most of the dealers have a certified repair person to take care of your machine and if they can't repair it, then they send it to Ohio. I also have a 936 Serger. You can't go wrong with a Viking.

It's fun reading through these posts. I have for years stood by my viking - but everyone around here seems to think they aren't worth much in comparison to Bernina.

Thanks, everyone, for confirming my faith in the viking machines!! :thumbup:

My friend bought a Bernina when I bought my Viking, and the Bernina has started breaking apart./ The sewing table, cracked, the bobbin case, chipped, costly repairs Mine is still going strong and I love it. The Bernina was nearly twice as expensive.

Quilt mom I love mine been seing on them for over 20 years... had the others but in my opinion they cant compair in price and what they do and very very low maintance.... 3 times in 20 years for my old girl and that was just because I was there at a class and the teck said he check if any of us wanted him to...
It was just fine ....Connie

I have a Viking Designer 2 with embrodery attachment. I love it! Had it 4 years now and never any problems. I love the needle down and all the buttons for raising the presser foot etc. Also love the thickness feature. You can mend jeans and go from the thick seams to one thickness without a problem. Good luck deciding.

OK, went for my test drive today!! DH went with me, he didn't react as badly as I thought!! He's still alive! Saw the Diamond and the SE. The Diamond is sweet, but at this time just can't justify the $$$. SE Limited Edition very nice. Saw 2 Janome, MC11000 and the 6600. Both extremely nice! DH was ready to buy the SE. Then when we went to Janome and saw the 6600 he really like the construction of it. DH asked me, how much embroidery will I actually do? I'm not sure, maybe its something I'd play with, but I do do most of my stuff by hand (applique & quilting) so is it worth the extra $3-4,000 that I don't know how much I would use it? Then on the other hand I probably could pick-up a stand alone embroidery for a lot less than the $3-4,000. So confused!!!! :lol: :lol:

If you are looking for a new machine look at the Pfaff...the dual feed just makes everything so much easier and more accurate and it means you have a built in walking foot - they are a little more expensive but once you try one you will never go back. I had a Janome for years and then a Husqvarna....but the Pfaff is just amazing.

I have two Husqvarnas ...one i`ve had for about 35 years it`s a 2000 SL.......which i still love, then the other i bought second hand it`s the 1100...with embroidery cards etc....i love both ....thy are work horses lol I would never trade them in....

Spoke with a dealer yesterday on the Pfaff's. I'll definitely be checking them out. I also saw a couple of Brother's that were interesting. I just figure I might as well as to my confusion!!! :lol:

Thought you might like to know that Viking bought both Singer and Pfaff a couple of years ago....they carry both Singer and Pfaff embroidery designs on their website, along with the Husqvarna Viking embroidery designs. Jinnie

Thanks, good info!!!

I own the same model machine and would love a new one but would definately keep the 6440, such a workhorse!

I have a Designer SE. Has anyone ever done edge to edge quilting and what is the largest size hoop you can purchase? Thanks

No. LOL

Among my not intended collection of modern machines I now own 3 H Viking machines and truly like them all

* Emerald 183,

* T50 w the embroidery software package and the

* Sapphire 960Q

Had only sewn happily on a Singer. My sister allowed me to use her Diamond at a sewing retreat about 9 years ago
I was in awe-everything about the machine was amazing!!!

A girl can get used to sewing on top of the line machines 😎

I had a Husqvarna Designer1 for 16 years and the only reason I traded it in was they gave me a great price as trade-in and I didn't have any room to keep it. Already have one machine on the cutting table. Now I have a new Husqvarna and getting used to it slowly. 1st time using a walking foot and I think I like it. Haven't taken it off since I put it on. I got the walking foot with changeable feet so using the 1/4" with a side guard to keep me flush with the edge.

Still miss my old reliable Designer 1 though.

My first Viking was bought when I went to a dealer. He heard me say I was interested in an Elna so he went in the back and brought me out 2 machines, a Viking an an Elna and sent me home with them. He did not know me. That would never happen today, but I bought the Viking. Viking, Pfaff, and Singer are now owned by a corporation that came into my area, took the dealership from these original Viking dealers and gave them to a business I avoided for many reasons. Long story short, I got my first Babylock and never looked back. Babylock is owned by Tacony and many (higher end) are made in the Brother factories. I love my Babylocks, have had Brothers also. I just won't deal with corporations that I know don't protect their dealers. Bernina also did that about 10 yrs back. Heard they took away smaller quilt stores dealerships and gave them to multi brand dealers. I value integrity and both these companies have not shown it.
The sewing machines are fine - Bernina is expensive in the extreme, but if you love them you will pay it. All the machines have raised their game so it is what features make you happy.

I've had my Viking for 14 years now ( wow, time flies) I have other machines but 99% of the time use my Viking. Bought the embroidery module with it so it does everything I could want a machine to do. I love that machine and am ( spoiled) by some of its features. The dealer/ customer service is great too. I had a whole week of free new owners classes when I bought it so I learned how to use each foot, stitch, feature it had to offer.

I had my beloved Husqvarna Lily for 15 years and used it almost daily. It was easy to use and had a beautiful stitch and I made many quilt tops as well as doing the quilting with it. After all those years it needed replacing because the plastic gears inside seemed to have worn out and it was...tired. I got a Janome 6600, love it, and because it's got metal gears nothing should wear out for a really long time. I make all my quilt tops with it and it's doing very well for me so far, though I can't speak for doing the actual quilting with it as I use my long arm machine for that. If possible you should test drive as many machines/brands as you can to see which ones you're comfortable using, and what features you really like before making a decision.

I have not been to this list in 6 months, and the first thing I saw when coming back was this thread, so I just figured it was meant to be, I had to comment:
In 1988 or so my Singer died and the old guy that owned the shop told me I wore it out. I then learned it was a lot of plastic inside so I asked him "you got any that don't have plastic?
He showed me a Viking Husqvarna 630
I have the same machine still. I have always used it at least 5 days a week, if not more.
I started serious quilting 10 years ago. At one point I bought the quilting/darning foot, but after a year it broke. So, not wanting to wait for a replacement, I used my open toe foot. It worked perfectly, and has never been replaced.
The machine has 2 speeds and lots of features that I'm happy I have when fmg.

9 years ago I had a traumatic brain injury. I have been very very lucky and still retain my sewing abilities. One thing I have trouble with is learning new things. I know parts for this machine may be hard to find so I have accumulated 6 Viking 630s on ebbay, for parts was the idea. I'm not sure I could learn a new one.
They ALL work! I use them in rotation because I've heard of machines in storage 'freezing up.'
A couple even came with a walking foot.
I can't say it as fact. but I've heard that new Vikings are no longer made in Sweden and the quality has really gone down. If so, imo, they are now a plastic Singer.

I know newer machines have fancier stitches, but I'm satisfied with what this machine does

I have the Sapphira (can't spell worth a darn) 960Q. Love it! No problems, except the ones I make, but those are easy to fix too.

OK, so I have a Viking Designer1 - bought it <b>used</b> ten years ago, it's so old that it uses floppy diskettes to load the embroidery designs. I have worked that thing to death, and it still keeps chugging right along!! Then last week, one of the ladies in my guild bought a new Janome, and decided to sell all her other machines to help pay for the new one, and she sold me her Viking Quilt Designer. Again, it's an older machine, and I haven't had time to play with it since I picked it up Saturday, but I'm looking forward to the little bit extra throat space, plus all the feet work on both machines.
Even my longarm is a Husqvarna Viking.

I have been COMPLETELY happy with my machines, and think you will be too!!

As a follow up to another post's comment about the Viking's not being made in Sweden anymore... this is true - but only for certain machines. Ask the dealer where the machine is made, and go from there.
My two DSM's were made in Sweden, and I think my longarm was made here in the USA.

Again, any issues I've had were purely "operator error".

they may not be made in Sweden any more but they go thru rigorous inspections I have quilt designer 11 and topaz I use for embroidery they are good machines my quilt designer 11 was made in Sweden I bought it new in 2000