My husband took me to look at them today. It looks wonderful. I want a longarm, but this will quilt for me, and do embroidery and has so many great features. I do not have an embroidery machine currently and would definitely get the software package, jumbo hoop, and of course the frame that go with it. BUT then I would have to wait probably several years to get a longarm if I still feel the need for one. I am biting my nails to the nub.....
If you have the machine what do you like and dislike about it?

My friend just bought this machine not to long ago and she has yet to really sew on it. :roll: She has not even taken the embroidery unit out of the box... I think I need to go and help her with it. lol

One thing I do know is... you can deal with your dealer. she got hers for the dealers cost because he needed to sell one in order for him to keep the cost of his machines down. So dicker with them....

I don't have this machine .. but, if given the option of the 830 or a longarm, I'd pick the longarm ~ :D

I've got the 830 and love it. Do a search using the search feature above. There are many threads on it.

At our shop there is a quilt frame you can purchase to use with it - and quilt motion software - -so maybe once you get the machine figured out you can purchase these too.

I just paid for my 830 today and have to wait for a week for it to come in. Sure hope it comes in next week and that I don't have to wait until the week after because of the holiday

hmmm interesting post. I just posted both my viking embroidery and brand new long arm for sale on the board. Both beautiful machines....

I am selling the long arm because i have another one and i need the cash to buy my son a car, but the embroidery i figured i am not much into it. At least for now. I would rather have a long arm to finish my quilts.

I would get a long arm and use a vintage Singer for piecing.

I've had the 830 for 2 years and absolutely love this machine. For creative sewing and embroidery, it absolutely to die for! This is my "go to" machine because what it will do... you can't even begin to imagine until you've used one for awhile. Everything can be adjusted, altered... truly amazing!

However, if you're primarily a quilter... I would also choose a longarm over the 830, and a nice basic sewing machine.

I have a Bernina 730 and am very happy with that, then last year I got an HQ Sweet Sixteen sit down. I've seen the 830 and there is no comparison in the available size in the harps.

My HQ is sixteen inches between needle and pillar, BUT it also has 8 1/2in between the table top and the underside of the machine, so I can stuff the biggest quilt in that space and still have lots of room to manouvre. From memory, I would doubt if there is more than 5in in that measurement on the 830. I still get to sit down at this machine, it comes with a roomy table, but takes up a far smaller space than using it on the conventional long arm frame (but you can still upgrade to that in the future if you have the space).

If it were me, I would go for the HQ, and try to get a good used Bernina with embroidery package.

I had a go on the 830 at a recent show and it was OK (I did some FMQ) but I couldn't see where the money was, compared to my Janome 6600. If I had the budget, I'd get the LA. Or as Lace said, the Sweet Sixteen if space is an issue. But then I don't do any machine embroidery. I use my straight stitch, zig zag and occasionally blanket stitch for applique and apart from that, freehand FMQ so all those bells and whistles would be wasted on me. Plus I didn't like the stitch regulator but probably because I am so used to regulating my own stitch length - control freak - that's me!

I do mostly quilt, but also make clothes and bags. I have always wanted an embroidery machine and would love to incorporate embroidery into my quilting. Have you used yours much for quilting? I know it's not really longarming on this machine because the throat is so small compared to a longarm. If was 18 inches instead of 12 there would be no hesitation on my part!

The 830 is amazing for embroidery. Besides the jumbo hoop (10" x 16"), the ability to drag and drop on screen, absolute positioning, as well as being able to take any decorative stitch from the sewing side, alter it however you like (turn it 180 degree, stretch it, add more stitches to it, etc) then send it to the embroidery side to be sewn out in the hoop is really, really amazing.

You can download the emulator (onscreen virtual 830) and try the machine out here:
http://www.exnovodesign.com/DOWNLOADS/setup.zip

Also, lots of Bernina webinars showing some of the 830 features here:
http://www.exnovodesign.com/830.html

As for quilting on the 830, no. I have a commercial longarm.

I use mine for quilting all the time and use the embroidery, quilting designs on many of my quilts. It's awesome!!

My two bits are probably not worth as much as listening to ladies who have the machine. I looked at Bernina's 820 to use for quilting and it was really smooth and nice,except you cannot see your needle as it stitches because it sets back under the machine head a bit too much. A longarm has perfect needle visibility. Friends who have a longarm business done some demos on the 820 and told me it stitched beautifully,but felt that the lack of comfortably seeing the needle was a real detriment,so I decided that for all the money and still not having what I would really be comfortable with to opt for the Jamone Horizon and maybe someday have the longarm. This is just some thoughts to consider because buying expensive equipment can be mind-boggling! Good luck in making a choice!

The 830 is a super nice machine but the price is just mind-numbing, to me. And goodness - just getting the machine set up to do something is a chore.

You already have an embroidery machine - did it change your life?

The longarm has the potential to save you a lot of time and enable you to finish many more quilts. Maybe even build a small business. Would that change your life?

It would change mine - I would go for the longarm without even giving the 830 a backwards glance. :)

Candace, I had not even thought about using it to quilt patterns in the hoop on the machine. I think that just might be the clincher in this decision!!! That's like putting a computer on a longarm! With this machine, I wold finally have my embroidery machine, a frame with a short arm, and the capability of quilting computerized designs on my quilt. I will have to practice FMQ too! We had planned on waiting until Oct to purchase but the specials on the LE end 30 June. Guess I am getting a machine very soon! I can always rent a longarm, you can't rent and embroidery machine!
Thank you all for your input!

Yes, the quilting designs on the machine are wonderful. Also, go to the OESD embroidery site and there's a design package (also from Diane G.) called 'Whimsy'. It's $100 or so, but compliments the built in 830 designs nicely.

Hi, I saw that you have the Sweet 16. I have a Bernina 430 and was looking at the Sweet 16, Bernina 730 or 830. Are you still happy with the HQ? I have been machine quilting for over 20 years and just need more room and viability to see what I am quilting. Also, do you stitch in the ditch and use the acrylic 1/4 inch rulers? We have a AQS show in Grand Rapids next week and I have already sat down with one last year and at the dealer. I do like it. Do you use different threads. I currently like to quilt with Bottom Line by Superior or Silk. Thank you for your insight.

Cyndi Anderson
Rochester Hills, MI

I love my 830 - I like to quilt on it, the embroidery unit is awesome. That machine can be very particular about how it is threaded,and the type of thread you use. Wouldn't trade it for anything. I wanted a long arm for quite a while but just don't have room for one. (my husband told me to take over the family room for one) Then I finally decided I didn't want to have to learn yet another process and another machine. Good luck in your decision!