I recently brought "Laura Ashley NX-2000" by Brothers. I am deaf and was having trouble with one machine due to the quietness of the machine. I couldn't even feel if it was messed up. So far, I am getting along good with Laura Ashley machine. The computer would flash on screen if some maintanence needed to be done.

Just took my FW and my Janome 8000 o the shop/ While I was there I started looking at the Janome Horizen, WOW. I bought it! I love it. Love the space and all the bells and whistles. I think I even sew better with it.

Love my Bernina!

a) My Viking Designer SE and b) My VikingDesigner Diamond - but not necessary in that order. I love both of these machines, and switch off between the two.....I do a lot of quilting with embroidery designs and use the Diamond more for that because of the design positioning capability it has.

Brother Nouvelle 1500s.

I agree, a sewing machine is a "tool" not a luxury...I knew someone who considered the sewing machine to be a luxury as well. He had golf clubs, a boat, computers, motor bike, movie screen etc and always had enough money for beer....I now have 4 machines and use them all without any feelings of guilt - just wallowing in my 'luxury'...

I have a Janome 9700--use it for piecing, machine quilting, machine embroidery, general sewing, etc. I also have a 20 year old Kenmore portable that is so much lighter than the Janome and I take it to classes, quilt-ins, and working days at my quilting clubs.
I love the Janome--it is a very sturdy machine and does lovely machine embroidery.
I also have an older Kenmore surger that I would never part with.

My ABM Inova 18" midarm and a 930 Bernina. My Bernina decided it was time for a check up so she went to the shop. Now I am using an old Montgomery Ward machine that was my moms. I got it out and oiled and cleaned it and so that is it till Bernie is home.

I bought my 1471 the same year you did Texas Sunshine. What a great machine. Mine is still going strong and I love it every bit as much now as I did when I first got it. (except for button holes at times!). I just recently bought a Pfaff quilt expression 4 and so far, am loving it. Just machine quilted my first quilt the other day and it went very smoothly. I had always hand quilted up till then but I can see that I may be doing way more machine quilting now.

I have a Bernina 830 that I bought in June. It is a great machine and I'm really on a learning curve right now. It does so much that I don't know if I will ever learn everything.