I think I've been stung.

Darn it! Not something that will help my budget.....

Now, I need info and opinions....if you have an embroidery machine, what kind do you have, do you like it/use it often?, why do you like it, what kind of price did you pay? I'm trying to find something in the mid price range..not too high (can't afford it), and not too low. I've seen some around in the 1K (give or take) range that seem pretty nice. If I spent more than that, it would have to be a combo sewing and embroidery machine...

ALL input appreciated!!!!! Thanks so much!

I have been wondering the same things....

look up dealers they may have a used one then check to see if it is a good machine also a good price

I have a Viking Designer 1. It is the floppy version and I love it. I bought it used, but it had very few hours on it. It has been pretty easy to learn. My last machine was a Singer Touch N Sew that I bought in the early 70's. I would visit dealers and try machines out. I wasn't looking for an embroidery machine when I bought my machine, but once she showed me what could be done and the great deal that I got, I couldn't pass it up. Good Luck!!

I started out with the 605 Rose by Husqvarna viking in 2000.
Then in 2004 I bought a Designer 2 by Husqvarna viking.
You can use larger hoops on Designer 2. I love to do machine embroidery. Have not had any problem on either machine. You can go to my webshots and see some of my embroidery projects under embroidery wall hangings.
The url is below:
Dreamboat

I have a Janome 350E that I love. I use it all the time. I make quilts, embroider t shirts and sweatshirts, anything I can think of! Did I mention I love my embroidery machine????

check the size of the hoop area[bigger the better]----how the design moves to the machine[ease of transfer a must]----if the designs can be edited /combined[gives you more design options]

I have the Janome 300E and I love it. I use mine quite a lot, and have embroidered on just about everything. My mum uses it alot too, and its very easy to use, and mid range on the price scale. Im not sur eif they make them anymore though, as mine was a runout model, but I know you can get the brand new on Ebay in the US.

The next one up is the 350E, and that is essientially the same, but has a USB slot for your designs so you can transfer designs onto your machine with out the use of the PCMIA( I think thats what its called) adaptor.

I usually buy used so here's what I can tell you.

The lowest level machine you can get is the PE-150, very basic,used runs around $150. It's the same machine no matter what brand you buy. These are very dependable machines and have a good resale value. Takes cards and PED Basic software.

I own both the Bernina 600 and 650. These are embroidery only, will take cards and PED Basic software. Also very basic machines, the difference between the two is there are more patterns on the 650. Used you shouldn't pay more than $300 for the 600 and $350 for the 650, unless they are including bunches of accessories and/or software. It takes cards and PED Basic software. These also are dependable machines with good resale value.

I owned a Brother 8500D, which I paid $2800 for new. It was a great machine, no problems whatsoever, a combo sewing/embroidery machine. I never sewed on it. It takes cards and PED Basic software. I owned it for 3 years and sold it for $1500, including the PED Basic software

My newer machine is a Brother Innovis 4000D, which is also a combo machine. I paid $5000 for it nearly 4 years ago. I love it, it works great, but if I had it to do all over again, I would look for a machine that is not a combo. I will probably never sew on it, when I sew I always have the embroidery machine going at the same time. This machine takes cards, PED Basic software, and has a USB port.

If you find a machine that you are interested in, go to http://sewing.patternreview.com/ and look for embroidery machine reviews and see what others have to say about it. This is a great site to get reviews on embroidery machines, sewing machines, and sergers.

I have the Brother Se270D it is a combo machine - uses Ped basic and has some built in designs . i paid 350.00 for it from Walmart about 4 years ago . I have never used the sewing part of it, just the embroidery. It had the small hoop 4x4. I love it and it is easy to use :thumbup:

You will find many different suggestions. I would check out local dealers and see if you ca test drive some . Also most dealers give you lessons which are great , as embroidery can be tricky with what stablizers to use , how to use them , etc.
Good luck and happy shopping :mrgreen:

I have the Janome 9500 mc, sewing/embrodiery machine.I love it, like you I have been bitten! Still learning here!

I recently sold my beloved Janome 10001 in order to upgrade and went with a Babylock Ellisimo - very expensive but hey, I'm worth it! - and just received my retirement funds. However will say I had only wonderful experience with my Janome! If you are looking at an embroidery only, the 300 or 350E by Janome are both wonderful. If you want to start out with a sewing/embroidery combo, check out the 10001. You can buy them used on ebay. Just realize that they are becoming outdated and will not be getting any new features added. However, for a beginner and the price, they are wonderful.

I have a Brother 2500D, It's a wonderful machine but I've used it only a few times in the past year. I'm more into quilting than embroidery and will sell it. It sews also but I've never used it for that, only embroidery. I have a Bernina I use for sewing. It's a nice machine and I would recommend it to anyone. Mine costs $3,500 new. Brother makes a great machine.

I love my Bernina 440 QE. I bought the embroidery attachment for it in the Spring and it does everything I need. It runs off my home PC, but for me that is no problem. Occasionally there is a little wait while the computer talks to the machine, but I am not in a hurry. It does beautiful embroidery. Welcome to the embroidery world, there is so much to discover.

i have the designer one (viking) the first year we all used the embroidery unit lots, but now i don't think i've done an embroidery with it in a year or more...the novelty seems to have worn off. once in awhile my daughter will need something for the girls embroidered and she will use it, but it is not a regular thing anymore. maybe at some point i will catch up with myself and decide to try something new and get back into it. i still have lots of embroidery threads.

I have 2 embroidery/sewing machines - the babylock ellageo and the babylock ellure. The ellageo takes disks and everything is in color - but this was a very expensive machine at the time. The babylock ellure goes from the computer to the machine - it is not in color but for what I paid for it - at the time 1200.00. I use this all the time for sewing. I haven't done embroidery in a while but they both are great machines.

I have the Bernina 440 and the Janome 300. I never use my Bernina for embroidery ( I find it too time consuming to work from a p.c.). I love the Janome and use it daily. The neat thing with a separate embroidery machine is that you can embroider on it, and sew on your other machine.

I recently purchased a Brother PE780D. I got it for less than $1000 as the shop will not be selling them when their stock is gone. I have owned a Bernina Deco 650 for almost 20 years. I have about worn it out. Both are stand alone embroidery machines. I like the seperate machines as they allow me to embroidery while I am sewing on my other machines. My Deco was a Brother patent so the software fits my new machine. I have thousands tied up in designs that I would not be able to use with any of the combination machines. This new machine uses the PES format cards and also a UBS stick. It also allows me to do bigger disigns than my older machine. There is a model that is a little less expensive but this one includes built in Disney desgins. My only regret is that the hoops and extra goodies I purchased over the years for the older machine don't fit the new one. Like everything else these days there is always new technology.
No wonder our land fills are full of good but no longer "in" technology.

I have the Janome 350 for embroidery, and also upgraded to the Janome MB4 for larger projects. I love them both. Wouldn't change a thing.

well I have a Singer Futura CE 100, upgraded to a 200. It's a combo which to me is a waste because like everybody else, I'm sewing while it's embroidering, however when my other one went to the shop I did use this one for piecing and it was great. It works from your pc, takes almost any format and costs less than $500, the only thing I don't like is that 4X4 is the largest design I can do.

I too have had the Embroidery Bug. My heart wants the biggest possible hoop area and just about every bell and whistle. well then then the check book speaks up and well.... I just keep wanting. I have a sister who has the same hope for a machine as I do. We thought about a "time share" where one of us gets it for so many months( say 6 months a year) , and then the other has it . Has anyone ever done this? how did it work out?

I have a BrotherPE400. I love mine, but don't do too much on it as I have not had much time lately to play. I would recommend this machine if you aren't going to want to embroider something bigger than 4x4. That is the biggest area that it will do. Mine is also able to be a normal sewing machine also. I have used it with metroembroidery thread and have been very pleased with the outcomes.

If you live reasonably close together you could have a "sisters' day, spend time together, one sews, one embroiders. Whover has custody is the sewer.

I have a Bernina Artista 730 that I use for embroidery, but also love to sew with it. I previously had a Singer Futura that I grew to hate! The best advice I can give is to research any machines you are interested in and to also keep in mind that you may want a machine that can be upgraded.

I have a Bernina 185E. It sews as well as embroiders. I paid about $3200 for it and it does what I need, but I wish I had bought the next model up because I have seen a friend's and it does so much more than mine. I do like this machine, but in the future I would buy and embroidery only machine, I hardly ever sew on it.

I have the Singer Futura CE250. I bought it almost 4 yrs ago and I just love it. I mostly embroider with it and have another Singer 7470 I use for regular sewing. I think the CE250 is about $799. I use mine alot. Have done alot of embroidery on my blocks for quilting. If I had it to do over again would make the purchase. I am in a embroidery group each month and there are a few of us that have these machines and we don't have many problems with them at all. Any problems were user error and we worked it out. I bought mine at HSN and did the flex payments which made it a little easier.

I have the Janome Memory Craft 8000. I have never used the embroidery part. I have an extra kit and stuff that came with it. It will embroider by it'self, I just have to set it.

I really don't find a need for it. What do you all do with the embroidery? I used the decorative stitches for crazy quilting etc, the machine sews beautiful and that is what I mostly do with it. My Bernina 930 also does it.

If you do it for business, I can see why, other than that, how many towels, pillow case or whatever can you make and if you don't sell them, how about the storage. Not to mention the cost of so much thread.

I am just asking as I really don't know. If I am going to embroider, I like to do my hand stuff with the silk ribbons and the threads and stuff. I think if a customer were looking for hand work they would choose the hand embroidery rather than the machine one?

What do you all think?

I have owned a Brother embroidery machine that sent me into the embroidery business buying a commercial Toyota. But now I am happy to say that I have just invested in a Janome 1400 Quilt/embroidery machine and am really enjoying it!!!