I replaced my Viking about five years ago because I couldn't find anyone to service it locally. I bought a Pfaff, which I also love but the machines are very different. Finally, I got the Viking reparied, kept both and actually tend to use both of them. I'd unhesitatingly recommend a Viking though. Great machine.

I too love my husquevarna... but mostly I use my Singer #319 (I used to teach for Singer back in 1954) I also have a White Serger, which I use a lot.. most of all, I like my Singer.. I also have 2 treadle machines, (one an old German, in a hand-carved "box"...) and an american treadle,for which I must find some replacement parts... and then 4 other Singers, which I want to sell..(table models, not desk models..) I also have a pleater, which which to do smocking, and love all of my 'toys'..

I'm not sure how much money you have to spend. I didn't have much and bought a SE400. I really did have a difficult time at first because I was told to use the 40 wt thread...
BUT if you try to do a wonderfully detailed lots of fill design, you're, going to find the thread is WAY too heavy and it'll "eat" your fabric. So, now I use 50-60 wt thread (ThreaDesign makes it in 24 embroidery colors - yes it is embroidery thread). It is wonderful for stippeling on a quilt as well as embroidery work. I just select a design with less fill and it usually comes out beautifully.
Happy stitching. SandyG

[quote=Mattee]If I had unlimited funds? Bernina, without a question.


My Brother wants to be a Bernina when it grows up!

Janome...I have three and they last forever!

I have a White (older and a workhorse), a newer Singer which is garbage, a cheapy Brother ($80 or less off Amazon) that is awesome. Then there's my Domestic treadle machine - so pretty and what a workhorse. Waiting on a new part for it to make it sing again!

Ok I will add my 2 cents.
I have owned, Singer Golden Touch and Sew (hated it); Kenmore, upgraded to a Janome New Home (not computerized) a great work horse, out on loan with my foster daugher at college. I have a straight stitch Brother 1500, Love love my Elna Quilters Dream that I am wearing out, so just purchased Babylock Quest Plus.

I am currently a Bernina 820 worshiper.

I'm with you, Pfaff owner. I have always had Pfaffs. I presently have the 2140 with embroidery attachment. I also have the Bernina 630, but I did not buy the embroidery unit. I bought it for the Stitch Regulator. It sure has alot of icons on it. I get confused.
All in all, I love the Pfaff the best.

I have all husqvarna viking machines -- Older D1 (for basic sewing projects but can also do embroidery) and newer D1 (for all my machine embroidery) and a Huskylock 1003 serger -- all made in Sweden. I just love the machines. The service from
the shop I purchased them is just wonderful.

I think that is the key to buying a machine, can you get it serviced locally. Here in our town one of the dealers services all makes and models and is very reasonably priced. They are wonderful even if you didn't buy their brand of machine.

Janome all the way.
But I also like taking my Featherweight for a spin.

I love the way Babyloc sews, as well as Bernina. I'm using a Janome basic DC2010, but I'd love to have Baby. or Bernina.

I have a Fleetwood (made by Necchi) that is over 50 yrs old and still sews great. I also have a Singer FM-22C which sews great too. I would love to have one of the embroidery machines, but can't swing it now.

It depends on what you want to do with it and what you can afford. I have 4 machines because I use the different features. I have Baby Lock, Brother, Husqvarna and Pfaff. I use the Brother the most. Would also like to get the Bernina 830 but can't afford it. I have used friends' other branded machines to assist them sew or mend, do minor repairs or help with quilt projects and they were lower end models that did not appeal.
My advice is that you don't need to buy a machine with all of the bells and whistles on it if you are not going to use them.A good utility machine can work wonders in the hands of an artist.

I like my old singer and my FW but I love my 930 BERNINA !!!

I have 17 machines of which only 2 don't work. Of the ones I use, it is Bernina all the way. I love the features, the dealer support, the options, the knee lift, everything. The stitches are supberb and consistent every time.

I love my Babylock, if I had it to do all over I'd still go to Babylock, I have Elegante, BMP. Evolve Serger, and Crown Jewel . Absolutely love my machines and Dealer . Ruth @Ruthies Notions.

Love my Baby Lock saving for another

I have one embroidery machine, a Pfaff 2170, two old mechanical workhorse Pfaffs, a 130 and a 262, a handcrank Frister and Rossmann, and my mother's treadle, which is a New England Queen. Not really in market for any new machines except a machine for quilting with a harp larger than 8 inches which is what the old Pfaffs have. If so I would test drive the Pfaff Quilt Expressions 4.0, Janome Horizon, and by all means the Husquvarna Vikings equivalent.

I love paper piecing, and always use my gear driven - no electronics at all - when PPing. Bought it at one of those Joanne's special Singer sales for $199. It is REALLY a workhorse.

Love my brothers and babylocks, never been dissapointed

Love my Babylock.

I'm a Viking girl.

Ditto!

I have a Janome Memorycraft 3000, old but I love it. My sister has an Elna which she loves and also a Brother embroidery machine. I am shopping for a new machine right now too, and it is very similar to buying a car. You have to test drive and see what is best for you. I had an old Singer Stylist machine which I traded in when purchasing my Janome. I regret doing that now because now everyone says the new Singer's aren't like the older ones. Very sad.

I really like Janome

me to!!

Well I don't too much experience with a lot of brands, but I have had Elna, Singer, Kenmore, Bernina and Brother. I like Brother. Bernina is the cadillac in my garage, but I can only afford the basic model. With Brother, I get a machine that has all the features I want, for a reasonable price. In November I got the Laura Ashley model. It is WONDERFUL. Before that I got the project runway model to take to class. That one is great too. Maybe they will prove not to be reliable through the years, but for now. I am impressed.

I'll put my 2 cents in here, too. First, I wish my husband was still alive and he could read how many machines everyone has because he wondered why I needed all of mine.smile I have 2 Vikings and love them both, a Singer 401 Slantamatic that I bought new in 1961. I have worn out one motor patching my husband's denim levies plus I made all my clothes and part of my kid's clothes on it. It has a large number of different stitches and decorative stitches on it and I love the fact that by being a slant needle, you can see exactly where you are stitching. Had a new motor put on it and it still runs great and I love it. I have 3 old Singers, two are treadles and then I have a Singer Quantum XL 6000 which is a computer sewing and embroidering machine. I love the features on it and use it a lot. It has all the bells and whistles. So I really don't have a favorite among my machines.
Marquita

I'm with you on the Walmart Brother Machines. I have 2 of them. I also have a White that is 27 years old. Than Monday a friend of mine that I am teaching to quilt wanted an Sewing Embroidery Machine. She normally buys her things at Sears. Well just so happened we found the same Machine an Brother SE400 at Walmart for about $300.00 cheaper. So who says you have to buy at an expensive store.
Ann

I have an old Kenmore also, but it is way too heavy to take to classes. So there is the Viking for piecing and classes and the Bernina for embroidery (when I learn how)

Ditto

Been sewing since I was ten years old and that's been a long time. I have stitched on several different kinds of machines. I would not trade my Bernina except for another Bernina. Worth every penny spent.

I have a FW , love it. A Bernina, don't love it. A Babylock, super love it. Good luck!

I have had A White in 1959, then got a Golden Touch Singer in about 1972, worst move I made, then went to a Elna, not bad, but now I have 3 baby locks, love them. The decorator,
Baby Lock Quilter's dream and also my Ellisomo, they all work very well... best move I every made.

I have a low end Bernina Activa 145 and had always hoped to be able to get a bigger better one. When I started quilting I wanted a bigger harp, and the Berninas were priced over $10,000. My car isn't worth that much, so I knew Bernina wasn't in my future.
I got lucky and found a used Janome6600 that my LQS had taken as a trade. Now I have a friend who asked if they sold used and they said no, and Janome is not the brand they sell. So I think they took this in just to make a sale, and they sold it at a very good price. But I love this big workhorse of a machine. It cost less than my Bernina did about 7 years ago and has many more features.

Ditto, except I only have one.

8-)

I have the Bernina 440QE. If anyone had ever told me I would spend this much on a sewing machine I would have told them they were CRAZY!!! However, I love it and everytime I say something about the cost my husband says "it makes you happy, it's worth it". :D

I had to laugh a little about wishing you could show this to your husband because he couldn't understand why you had so many machines - my husband tried that a couple of times, so I told him I was going out to count saws, drills, you know, garage type stuff that all do different(or even the same) things. He really didn't question me again.