I have been very happy with all my Viking machines......congratulations on your graduation from nursing school. I am an RN and am retired. I worked mostly in the operating room. What area are you going to work in?

Congratulations!!...What a nice gift.

Research all the major brands: Pfaff, Janome, Bernina, Viking and see what you can get for that price. Make a list of features and compare. You will be happy with whatever you get.

Congratulations, we need nurses and God bless you for it!!! My workhorse for making quilts is the Janome 6600. I have four machines and that is my 100% favorite and so reliable. It also has some built in embroidery stitches too. I love the automatic thread cutter. Mine is five years old and never had a problem with it. Oh, I like the built in walking foot too. And it sells for $1400.00 depending on where you live. There are lots of good machines to choose from, but this is my baby. C.

CONGRATULATIONS, Nurse! That's a major accomplishment in itself and I know your proud that you did it!!! As for the machine - take your time and try out several (including a couple of vintage if you can) and go for the largest harp area - that means more than fancy stitches and alot of the little extras that the big name machines offer. Good luck in your search as you happily hunt down THE machine for you!

test drive machines, then decide. but, I do like my Janome 6600 for piecing and quilting. MY old Viking is great too.

Congrats on on graduating. I am an RN, retired after 30 years. Spent most of them in Labor and Delivery. It has been a wonderful career and there are so many diverse areas that you can work in. Moved 6 times with my husband's career and I had no trouble getting hired in the job and hospital that I wanted. Do you have a specialty area that you want to work in?

There are so many good choices out there for machines. Even though you only piece now, you are very likely going to want to expand your skills. I mainly piece now but the features I wanted were: needle down option, feed dogs that lower, IDT (called that on Pfaff, I'm sure that other machines have different names for it), auto needle threader and large throat space. I have a Pfaff Quilter's Expressions 4.0--I think that is what it is called but it isn't in front of me to check. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Buy from a dealer vs online or at Sam's or Costco. You want a place and person you can go to with question or problems. Try a bunch out. And remember that you are probably going to want to buy more feet for the machine at some point, so check out the price of accessories because they can vary a great deal. I have never paid over $30 for a foot for my Pfaff.

Happy shopping and have fun!

Congratulations on your nursing degree and good luck in your future job. Wow, you really got quite a bit of money to play around with for your sewing machine. If you are mostly going to be doing piece work, why don't you get a featherweight or some other vintage machine? They are supposed to be real good for that and then you could get another machine that could do other things. That way you have a backup in case your main machine has to go into the shop.

Congrats on your nursing degree! I've been an oncology nurse for the past 15 years, and love it. I started quilting about 3 years ago because I realized I really needed an outlet from the stress. Quilting has been so cathartic and therapeutic for me, as it will for you. What field are you going into?
What a lovely gift!!! I agree with the ladies who say to get a machine that you can grow into...I started with a very basic Kenmore and quickly outgrew it. Last year I bought the Janome Magnolia for $350... Love that machine, but now that I'm mastering piecing, I would lime to try embroidery. I never thought I would get so into quilting!! And yes, save some for fabric as it can get pricey. Good Luck!

Congratulations on graduation from nursing school!! Great job! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I would DEFINITELY look for a gently used Bernina machine. Or, if you can find a Bernina new for that price that fits your needs, that would be a good route. I love, love, love my Bernina and wouldn't ever buy anything else. :)

Congratulations!! Look around and purchase what you need for your type of sewing. Have fun :D

I'd buy a used car and a Singer 99. And fabric....lots of fabric.

Janome 6500, and congratulations on your nursing degree

I would get and old singer, I just got one ( love it love it), you know the old black ones. you will never have to do a thing to it. and the rest of the money saved can go to FABRIC.....

Wow, wow!! Congrats to you!! It's a wonderful field & you'll always have a job. Nurses do so very much...
I like the Brothers & of course Singer is a good machine.
Just shop around, don't be in a hurry...

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I agree with the ladies to get what is going to serve your needs. Don't spend the money if it's not going to be used. Me, I have 5 sewing machines and each one does something different. I have to admit 5 is to many but very often I'll have two machines going at the same time. Embroidery and quilting can be going at the same time. I must admit I retired a year ago and am trying to make up for lost time.

Congradulations! :thumbup:
I recommend one of the Bernina models. That amount would buy a wonderful machine and the quality is top. Find a dealer and give it a test drive.

I would get one of the Berninas that can do everything - quilt, sew & embroydery.

I just bought my second brand new Janome 9500 for $1399. It is a dream machine. If you get an embroidery machine, you will soon be hooked. All kinds of nurse designs for on your jackets, pant legs, etc. You won't regret it.

Congrats! My daughter is a nurse. I'd spend around $500 on a vintage Singer Feather Weight & spend the rest on fabric or put it in the bank. Or even an old treadle &/or electric , old, old.

I have two Janome's and I absolutely love them! One is a 6600 the other a 11000 - but started with a 350E (& loved that too and was just for embroidery work). Good luck on finding an awesome machine & double congrats on getting your nursing degree!

Welcome to Nursing. I loved it and was never sorry . Perhaps consider a basic machine and start on your masters degree soon with the rest of your gift.

I agree with Prism99 and suggest Janome, Bernina or Pfaff. I beleive that if you are going to spend a lot of money on a machine that you get a well know brand with a good track record.
You will want one with needle down, thread cutter, decorative stiches ect..
Bernina's are pricey and so are the accessories but Janome's accessories aren't as expensive and they have excellent machines. I know this because I have a Bernina that I love but wish I knew that info before I bought it. I had a Janome before that. Good Luck with you search.

Judy C.

I agree. Go out and "test drive" several and see what kind of deal they can give you!! Congratulations!!!

Congratulations! I'd get a basic machine for what you really need now and then later get one with all the bells. Good Luck.

Masters UGH,LOL.I bet more school it the last thing she is thinking of right now. Speaking as a nurse that has been up and down the ladder I suggest getting a good solid floor nursing foundation, So many young nurses climb the ladder too fast because administration pushes education, I have seen bedside nursing skills drasticly decline over the last several years. Most administative nurses have totaly forgotten the reality of bedside nursing and what it takes. I can speak from both ends I have been everywhere on the ladder from aide,to Director of Nursing and now reside on night shift back on one of the lower rungs lol.

Excellent Advice!

No offense intended in my suggestion to start working on a Masters in Nursing. I graduated from a Diploma program in 1960. Raised the family in a small town. I was a big fish in a small pond. At 47 moved to a medium city. Quickly realized I had become a minnow in a big pond. I agree do bedside nursing to gain footing. BUT start the higher ed before and during early family. It makes a nurse more able to move up. Quilting will be fun . Only the new grad can decide for herself.

Congratulations on your degree, I just attended my 50th nursing school reunion, I don't think any of us regretted becoming RN's. AT 50 I returned to school & became a nurse practitioner.
Anyway, as to sewing machines, you'll get a different answer from everyone on this board. Go to the different dealers in your area & test drive the different models & brands. the vintage machines are great but I have to admit I totally love the computerized multi stitch & mutli task machines, my favorites are Brother or Babylock (Brother makes the Babylock) In my opinion much more bang for the dollar.
Personally I would stay away from Viking, Pfaff & Singer at this point in time, a couple of years ago those brands were acquired by a holding company and have been going thru growing pains & it is difficult to find parts for the older models which were great machines. Hopefully they will be able to rebound.
When you test drive the machine that is right for you you'll know it, it will call your name.
Let us know what you decide

I got my babylock espire for 1800 and haven't looked back, but thats just my personal preference, but congratulations, that is a wonderful gift

congratulations

Congratulations! Enjoy your new career and new machine whatever it may be. :thumbup:

Congratulations on your nursing degree!

Congratulations on becoming a nurse. And your gift was wonderful. Enjoy.

I would look around and find a great deal under 1000 and put the rest of the money into fabric especially since all you do is piecing. I would also look for a larger throat space on your machine. this way if you did ever decided to try your hand at quilting you could do it easier. but as everyone has already said, try them out first.

You could get a commercial straight stitch with a 9 inch throat. Either a Brother or Juki. Then if you decide to quilt later, you will be glad you have the extra area. Also, they make a beautiful straight stitch. I bought mine barely used for 650. Then if start taking classes, maybe you can watch for a Featherweight. Congratulations on your degree. I am an RN too but thinking about not renewing my license this year. You start, I stop. Of course, I am in my 70's. Lots of nurses quilt and do needlework. It is very relaxing.

Check out the newest edition to the Bernina machines...the 350B to 380B. They are very impressive for the price.

Congratulations! I loved my career in nursing.Lots of choices in machines out there. I got anew baby lock Quilters Dream for Christmas and like it so far.

Don't forget to look at the Brothers sewing machine line, also. I have both a Brothers and a Janome an love both. Viking is also good.