Which machine would you suggest?
 

I'm in the market for a new machine! I don't really have alot of money to spend, but I want one that will give me the biggest bang for the buck.

I piece quilts and do some quilting on my machine! I would like one that could monogram and/or embroidery.

Any thoughts? I know I should buy from a local quilt shop so that I have someone close to service it!

I would suggest a Brother. At least the 5 x 7 hoop size for embroidery. With any machine, check the price on Amazon and other online dealers before going to a local dealer. At least you will know the markup price beforehand.

With that in mind, this should help narrow the field .... what brand(s) your local dealer(s) represent.
Of course, you may have many dealers close by.

Other considerations that I factor in ... while they service it, do they actually service it?
Too many shops offer servicing, yet send it out to someone else when the time comes.
Just something else that can go wrong ... and more delays in the turnaround time.

Also, what is their turnaround time for servicing?
For my dealer, I can make an appointment, and the machine is serviced the same day.
With a full time tech and general parts inventory, I have only had once where they did not have what was needed. Because there was going to be a considerable delay in getting the part, they set me up with another machine for the interim. That won a lot of brownie points!

Are lessons on the machine included?
Can you get one-on-one lesson/demo on a specific technique or WHY just by dropping by?
Are there people in the shop all the time that are knowledgeable on the machines ... and not just sales people! People that can help trouble shoot problems you may be having, whether it be sewing technique? or machine issues?

How do they value your used machine?
Eg. for my dealer (and I know some others that offer the same) ... if I want to trade my machine back within a year, I get the full value towards a different machine. This helps in two ways ... if you overbuy or hate the machine, you are not stuck! Or if once you get using it, you want one that is bigger and better ..... you could upgrade easily enough.

Most of the brands have good online comparative abilities, where you can find out the features between each of the models. It is always good to go in knowledgeable ... to be able to start out with I am thinking of A, B and C. Then go on from there.

When I bought one machine, I was seriously looking at model A ..... and was close to a decision. I turned to the dealer and said, if I don't go with this one, then what would be the next one or two above. He showed be the two and the differences. I went with the one above, as there were a couple of features that I really wanted. For the 2nd above, the extras just didn't seem to be what I wanted/needed ..... and later, had no regrets!

One thing I have learned ... usually go with one model better than you think you need. If you are going to be using it lots, your skills are going to improve and before long, you will want that better machine!

While I am not specifying any brands or models, I hope this give you some food for thought towards your purchase.

My best advice for getting a lot of bells and whistles on a low budget is to check with some of your local dealers for used machines. You can often get more bang for your buck this way.

Shops that sell new machines usually also offer a refund on a trade-in. When they get the trade-ins they service them completely then re-sell them, usually with a limited warranty (30 days is typical). They will probably also offer some training if needed, especially if the machine is a brand that they carry.

Depending on your budget and how much embroidery you really plan on doing, I'd suggest getting two machines. One for sewing/quilting and a separate stand alone embroidery machine. Machine embroidery is a whole different animal. You need embroidery thread, embroidery bobbin thread and stabilizers just as a beginning. If you use a combo machine there's much work involved with changing settings, adding the embroidery unit, changing the foot, etc. every time you want to switch between sewing and embroidering.

Cari

I agree with all the advice above. Figure out what you really want NOW and what you envision growing into skill-wise.
Not sure what your budget is, but I'd get two different machines (not at the same time). I'd get the sewing one first and figure out how often I'd say to myself in the course of a month, "Boy, I really wish I could embroider this!" If you're saying it a lot, and frustrated by the lack of an embroidery machine, go get one for a couple hundred . I THOUGHT I'd like it, but the reality is, it'd be a passing fancy, and if I really want embroidery, I have a couple friends who LOVE to do that and have said, " Bring it over!" But that "need" has never been great for me.

However, a big throat WAS a "need" (okay, when we say "need" it's not like food or water, but it's to keep us from super frustration with the process--for me, quilting was not fun till I didn't have to wrangle lots of fabric through a little opening. I could envision quilting bigger quilts with JOY if I had the bigger throat. The automatic thread cutter was a luxury; trimming my own threads was time-consuming but not a frustration. Luckily, a large throat machine and a thread cutter were standard features in my upgraded machine. The knee lift? Never used it. Didn't picture using it. I might, might not. So, all that to say, walk yourself through what you do now, and ask, "what do I NOT enjoy about this hobby with my current machine? What are my must haves, would like to haves, and what are the features I not willing to pay extra for because I wouldn't use them?

After those questions are settled in your mind, WRITE them down so they will keep you from being romanced by the WOW factors in a too-fancy machine. Then go test different ones and see which one you just feel at home with. You'll feel it intuitively. You'll like the sound. You won't want to get up and leave without it! (But do get up, go have lunch, think about it, "sleep on it", then when you're at peace, get it.

And be sure you like the dealer you're working with. Personality as well as knowledge is important. I actually have more respect for my dealer because she talked me into NOT getting more machine than I needed but convinced me why to go up a LITTLE from what I thought I needed. No regrets here.

I never thought I'd ever use some of the functions of the machine I bought, but as my skills grew so did my usage of more of the machine's functions. I bought my first sewing/embroidering combo machine used on Ebay and it is a great machine. It was two years before I tried out the embroidery arm. Now, I do machine embroidery as much as I do quilting. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used one from your dealer. Not everyone has the positive experience I had with Ebay. Plus, if you buy from a dealer, they will help you learn how to use your machine and will be happy to service it for you. Sometimes people just trade in their old machines because they want to upgrade, not that there is something wrong with the machine.

Last year my husband got me a new machine. It was so complicated that I traded it in and ended up with a Babylock. The Babylocks and the Brothers are cousins and both are very user friendly. The problem I had is that the newer machines is that they try to combine sewing/embroidery/quilting functions with computer functions. Frankly, the screens that come with these machines are too small for me to easily manipulate (resize, change stitch order, edit) an embroidery design. So don't be seduced by the "big" screens that "do everything" and you "don't need a computer" or anything else. If you really get into machine embroidery, eventually you'll want to get your own software for your home computer where you can easily make changes. They even have machine embroidery quilting designs that will do the quilting for you.

Decide what your budget is before you go shopping and stick with it. Don't even look at machines that are too expensive for you. Some dealers will not tell you the price of the machine until you decide to buy it! So tell them upfront how much you have to spend and to not show you any machines that are out of your budget.

For quilting, I'd get the biggest throat possible. For ME, I'd get the machine that has the biggest hoops...at least a 5x7. And don't forget to check for what feet come with the machine. Most come with a 1/4" foot, but if not, you'll want to buy one.

If you are happy with the machine you have now, if you buy one in the same brand the feet you already have will probably work with the new machine. That can save a lot of money.

When I bought my Janome MC6600P all I did was quilting. I wanted a quilting machine and I went to the place that specialized in quilting, they were having a sale which convinced me that is was time to make the leap. Up until then I was sewing on my 15-91. The shop offered free classes for a year, and if I kept the box I could get full price trade in if I decided to up grade. I love my machine. But I had wanted an embroidery machine for a long time, but always talked myself out of it. One day I was taking my FW in to have it cleaned and serviced in my local Sew/VAC store. They happen to be Husqvarna/Pfaff/Babylock dealer. The salesman asked me if I ever thought about buying an embroidery machine - told him I did but just couldn't afford that kind of money for a luxury like embroidery. Then he showed me the Viking Topaz 20 - he said he would sell me the floor model with the full warranty, free lessons (which were one on one), and it was price reduced by quite a bit. And I love it! My friend loves it too - she and I have done so much with it, when she moved to AZ she bought the Brother PE 770 because we wanted Disney designs too. The Viking is a sewing/embroidery machine, but I leave it as an embroidery machine, even though it converts in seconds.

The bad part of embroidery machines is they are addictive. The designs are so much fun. So many sites.... And all different kinds of stabilizers, and thread, oh my, the colors that are available is fantastic! I have made so many quilts with embroidered blocks. And if you are a person that puts labels on your quilts, you can make your own labels. And free standing lace is fun too. One thing I would say if you decide to get an embroidery machine do not get one with only a 4 x 4 hoop, you can do a small design on a larger hoop but not a larger design on a smaller hoop. So far I have not wanted to make anything larger than my 200 x 260 mm hoop.

I use a combo brother and it is super easy to change settings, not much involved, don't even have to remove my unit. I love my combo. don't have room for 2 machines, also it ends up being more expensive. I to this day never understand the need for 2 machines

I love my Pfaff Creative Vision. Now so many are trading up from whatever they have, I'd check used machines as well. My LQS does give a 1 year warranty on their used machines as well as instruction. If you want new, then after the major quilting shows the dealers sell the demo models for a good price.
QuiltE has good points to consider.
Also, where I live there are several machine technicians available that are not affiliated with any LQS. One of the many joys of living here.

Just remember that unless you have another machine while your embroidering you can't do anything else!

..... and from what I have heard, some of the embroidery designs, can take a long time to punch out.

While I know you can walk away and let it do its own thing,
I am sure I would want to be there in close range, just in case!

You don't understand the need for 2 machines and yet you have three. I have many machines and switch out depending on the job at hand. A few are just cute to display(toys). I like looking at my machines and even more, I enjoy using them.

Cari

There are some good suggestions here. So, for what it's worth, here's my 2 cents (and we all know you can't buy ANYTHING with that anymore!)

First of all, I would definitely check with your local dealer for trade-ins!!! That's what I did with my machine, a Viking Designer 1. Some one else traded her in for a newer machine. Mine is so old, it uses FLOPPY DISKS, but I have software that will convert any program out there (more about this in a minute...) I've had my "Vicki" for 10+ years now, and she's been a workhorse. I have no idea how many quilts I've pieced and quilted on her.

I never really thought I'd get into the embroidery that much, but I have. Not as much as quilting, but still, there are a lot of designs that "piece and quilt in the hoop". As others have mentioned, there are a ton of embroidery sites to download designs, as well as the more common (and often more expensive) commercially produced designs. Both have their pro's and con's, and both have the potential to have both beautiful and ugly designs. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all.

One thing I would REALLY recommend that you NOT do... don't skimp on hoop size. If you're given a choice of two different machines and there's only $50 or so difference between one machine that has 6x6 as the largest hoop or another machine that has 8x8 or larger as the largest, bite the bullet and get the one with the bigger capacity. If you DO get bitten by the embroidery bug, you'll be much happier, trust me. And usually bigger hoop capacity means more throat space, and that's always a winner for us quilters.

The embroidery software I use is "Embird". It can "talk" pretty much every version of embroidery format there is, AND convert it to whatever you need. And it will "talk" just fine to my "Vicki", even creating the floppy disk in the special divided folders it needs. Just Google it - it's a download. The people who own it are great!! My hard drive crashed, and after I rebuilt it, I just emailed them and told them what happened, and they sent me the link to re-download again. Very user-friendly software, and very inexpensive, in comparison to most of the "Manufacturer dedicated" software.

The few real drawbacks to the combo machines are:

(1) you have to change the thread color manually. This can be both frustrating and time-consuming. One day, I'd love to get a multi-needle machine.

(2) chances are, you will NOT be able to do ball caps. Some of the newest machines have that capability now, but for the additional cost, you'd be better off getting a multi-needle with the cap set-up

(3) if you're thinking of using it for a "embroidery business", don't bother. The combo-machines (single needle) are too slow for you to keep pace with the "big boys".

Again, this is just my opinion based on personal experience.
Good luck with your search!!

I vote for any of the Baby Lock machines...SUPER user friendly. great features, and I believe the best bang for your buck, if you have a good local dealer........I have found that service after the sale is as important, if not more so, than the machine itself.......

Brother makes a good machine, and get one that has at least a 5x7 hoop and buy locally if you can. When you buy from local shop you have someone who can help you and probably have free lessons. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more and have a good source of help and back up. I think another good machine would be Elna or Janome, I have both. I also have and love Husqvarna.

My DH wanted to give me an embroidery machine for Christmas. He did a lot of research on the internet and I did some. I have a Bernina 930 and two FW's for my regular sewing. I posted a thread on this board asking for insight from all of the knowledgeable folks here and many gave me lots of information and suggestions- most suggesting that I get the machine with the largest hoop possible, Many suggesting the Brother PE770. I thought I wanted the Brother Innov-Is NQ1400E- went to the nearest dealer to check them out- 100miles away. The lady was very knowledgeable and kindly spent a great deal of time providing information and demonstrating this model. The cost was quit expensive more than $2000.00 and the longer we were there in the quilt shop, the or nervous I became, which is highly unusual for me. I just could not bring myself to committing to this machine. We went to lunch an I just cold not go back and get this machine so I told DH, I wasn't getting the machine. When we came home, the next day he printed out the info. on the Brother PE770 with the grand slam pkg. 64 spools of thread, 140 pre wound bobbins and also the Elipse pkg. that is available for this machine with 4 more hoops and lots of extra things. The total price was $948.00, free shipping and no tax, which was a lot less than the other machine with many any more things included than the high priced machine. My new toy arrived day before yesterday. I haven' t started playing with it yet because I am still reading the instructions but hope to this week end, since I have never owned an emb machine but I'm really anxious t get started. If you want more info on this one- where I ordered it- pm me and I will let you know, because I'm no sure giving the name of the place we purchased it from is allowed on this board- it is a reputable business, but I might be advertising. Thanks to all who gave me help on my purchase.

I have a Babylock Sofia that also does embroidery and I really like it. I paid $700 for it but have seen it on sale for a$499. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles that my Babylock Ellegante has, but it's a great little machine. Easier to take to classes and retreats as it is small and light weight.

I have 2 machines, Brother 270D (use as backup & don't use embroidery 'cause DGKs are no longer small) & Memory Craft 4000. Use the Memory Craft all the time-it has lots of decorative stitches. The Brother has auto thread cutter, which I could get used to very quickly. Another Brother (some day) would be wonderful!

QuiltE is absolutely right. Some designs can take an hour or more to do. Yes, the machine does the work BUT I wouldn't want to be too far away from it, IN CASE. I own a Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic machine which does about everything except pay the bills. The screen is large (equivalent to an iPad) & there is a function that will send a message to your tablet that messages you to change the thread & when the design is finished. Awesome, if you, like me, live in a 2 storey house & I am downstairs & my machine is upstairs. VERY pricey here in Canada though.
This will definitely be my last machine so my hubby decided, why not !! Gotta love him.

:) You mean it even buys your fabric for you? Absolutely impressive!!
We all need a machine like that! :)

ha! .... that is until he finds another incredible machine just has to get it for you!!
You've got one special hubby!!!!

When I was looking for a new machine I made a list of features that I HAD to have and features that would be nice to have. Then I started looking and test driving. My choice machine is from Baby Lock. Kind of funny because I had a built-in walking foot AND front load bobbin as a must have feature. Baby Lock machines have neither. So the message is to be open to negotiation with yourself.

Thank you to everyone for your input! I'm really excited about tackling the search for the right machine!

I knew I could count on you.

I always vote for Brother. It is kind of like cars, there are Ford people and there are Chevy people. Part of it is what you get used to. I love my Brothers (yep, plural) , my sister lovers her Bernina, my mother loves her Viking.
This thread has a lot of good info for you. If at all possible go to the dealers and try out different machines.

Check out your local sewing machine dealers as others have said they have good trade ins and usually have a warranty to go with them. The store where I bought my Pfaff Performance 5.0 has several stores and sells display and classroom models at great prices. Although I bought new there was a Pfaff with embroidery that was from a class and was high priced. I viewed Youtube videos of machines I looked at and then made my decision for what would be best fit for me. Happy shopping.