i have a commercial singer sewing machine,that goes 1 direction ,,forward,,,i have a montgomey wards that is about 60 yrs old and sew very well,,i do applique stitches on that

I sew with a Bernina, however if I had to pick a new machine I would probably check out the Janome. I recently used one at a retreat and loved it. Not going to give up my Bernina, but price wise, Janome is a good deal. Have a friend who has a Gem that she takes to workshops, its a great little machine.

I am a huge fan of older PfaFFs, pre 1995, when they were still made in Germany. and one with IDT is a must for me.

What is your price range, main use, needed features?
I have a Janome 6600, 4900, 9000 and a 3160-for class. For quilting I use the 6600, built in walking foot and that ever important automatic thread cutter for piecing....that is why I purchased the 3160 for class....extremely light weight and it has the autho thread cutter, becuase, face it, when you are in most quilt classes, you are piecing, not quilting your top. The prices are very reasonable. Try Brubakerssewing.com. I have p-purchased numerous machines from them. They also sell their accessories at 15% discount if you belong to the Janome 6500 yahoo group...I have saved a ton shopping there. In fact, they give me better customer service than my local shop. I had a problem with my 4900..local dealer said I had to spend $125+ to fix it....Brubakers sent me instructions...I fixed it..simple. Enough about them...back to your choice of machine. Try out the Janomes and then try out others....make a list of your needs to take with you. Built in walking foot, thread cutter, start stop button, separate bobbin winding motor-saves on your machine), thread cone holder, knee lift, decorative stitches, stitch memory, etc. ......(6600) Take a small sandwich..not food..although this maybe an all day outing....try your quilt sandwich on the machines.... Happy Hunting.
D in TX

Viking Quilt Designer II

I don't that the embroidery unit .... yet

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/global/572.htm

Before you buy the best advice I found here on this board is to test drive. This is an investment, so to speak, not just a purchase. Find a dealer you can trust. This is one of the few purchases I feel should be done through a dealer. They are mechanical devices that require maintenance from time to time plus the computerized ones will require firmware updates. Search the internet to read reviews of machines. Sometimes there are red flags that are hard to ignore. Even if you have to take out a loan, I know this sounds silly for a sewing machine, then do so, in the long run it will be worth it. We all have our opinions. After doing tons of research and finding a fantastic dealer in our area we are a Bernina family here. Good luck in your purchase and have fun with this.

I have two Berninas and I enjoy them very much. They are great and hold their value for a long time.

I have a Bernina 440QE and I love it. After I'd had it a few months, I found the embroidery module on ebay and asked for it for Christmas. Now I have that too. I love both. I've had no problems with it--none--and it does everything I need it to do. Mine was a demo and I got a good deal on it.

I have been a Bernina user for over 20 years and wouldn't have any other. "Nothing sews like a Bernina...nothing". I have a 1090 and a quilters 440 with the stitch regulator adapter. Works great!

I agree with Janome. There is a Janome 2010 that has 50 stitches; a right and left blanket stitch, 1 step buttonhole, a heart stitch, automatic needle threader, top loading bobbin, you can sew 8 layers of denim easily. Easy to set-up and manage, a real workhorse. You can also get a Janome 6600 Professional that has the built in walking foot for quilting, easy to free-style quilt, has the alphabet, made with all metal parts, the 6500 is not, great value. You won't need another machine for the rest of your life.