QuiltnNan

while the machines with computer boards are wonderful, i prefer simpler. now, i enjoy my embroidery machine, but had to have that motherboard replaced once. i have a juki on my frame, a kenmore as my faithful sewing machine, a new bottom line brother to teach the DGKs on and a serger. i have a singer treadle that needs a bobbin cover. is that enough???? LOL

traumaRN

I have several; my Janome 6600P is my most expensive but was only about 1200. I'm not into embroidery so have not need for those machines. I do have a love affair with vintage machines and have a fw, 301, 99, and another I haven't classed yet. Oh and a sweet little white fw is on her way.
I have all I want in machines, but I am definitely looking into getting a longarm.

tucsonquilter

Started out with a Montgomery Wards over 35 years ago then it broke about 6 years ago and bought an entry level Pfaff. Hated it. Traded it in for a Viking Sapphire. I am so in love with this machine.

AliKat

I have Pfaff's. I took advantage of the 3 year same as cash for my more costly one and paid it off early.

My first machine was a hand me down Singer ... back in the day.

ali

Gramie bj

I have:
1 Janome 4623 LE Plus paid under $600 for it new about 8 yrs ago.
1 Elna Plana Supermatic made in cabnet paid $45 at Salvation Army
1 Singer 132 feather weight (new model) paid $20 at yard sale
1 New Home HF 106 paid $15 at yard sale
1 Sphinx Singer treadel paid $35 at yard sale
1 Red Eye Singer treadle gift from Mom-in-law has been in her family for 4 generations
1 Montgomery Ward in cabnet, all metal, can not find parts or information on it, am still looking, machine and cabnet in great shape, no power cords or foot petal, Got it at yard sale with a beautiful hand blown vase for $5
1 Tin Lizzie 18 with grace frame under $6,000 new at the Sew Expo in Puyllup last Feb.
All except the MW work great and are used on a semi reg basis.
I would love to have an embrodrie machine and one of the new Huskavana.

BellaBoo

I test sewed on the new Bernina, about $9000, all day for a class and it was nice but didn't sew a straight seam any better then my other machines I have. I can afford to buy any machine I want whenever I want it and DH wouldn't bat an eye but the best value for the money I would buy a top of the line Kenmore machine.

I have:

Brother 1500
two Janomes
Four vintage Singers including FW, 301, 15 and the first Quantum model.

I had the chance to use a brand new top of the line Kenmore and it's fantastic.

Jill

I use a Janome 6500, but am thinking of trading up to the 6600. I don't have an embroidery machine, but am thinking about one. I also have my mother's Singer which she bought in 1955 and it's the one she used to teach me to sew.

Shelbie

I have several machines, Janome 6500 (has been my main machine for several years, 830 Bernina Record (old version 1976), 1947 Singer 201, Husqvarna Prelude 350 (DD has "borrowed it}, Husqvarna #1+ (just purchased for $200 to replace the 350, a newish cheap Brother and a Singer 457 given to me to use with the 4-H girls, and some Featherweights. I paid by far the most for the Janome 6500 and the Singer 201, Bernina and Husqvarnas all sew better than it does so I don't think paying large amounts of cash guarantees a great machine.It all comes down to what you expect a machine to do. If you are just straight stitching blocks and doing Stitch in the Ditch, you really don't need the most expensive Bernina. I have yet to find the perfect machine. Some are much better at certain tasks than others. My old Singer 201 will powerhouse through several layers of denim while my Janome 6500 would growl, rattle and break needles if I tried. There are features that I really like on machines but the trick is to find the features you need at a price you can afford. I don't want to have thousands tied up in a mchine.

JudyG

Charlee, you really don't have to spend a fortune for an embroidery machine. Brother makes a couple of embroidery only machines which embroider every bit as good as the expensive embroidery machines. In Washington I have an Innovis 4000D (for which I spent a small fortune) and my new Brother PE770 (which I bought to have during the winters in Arizona) embroiders every bit as nice as the expensive machine. It doesn't have the larger hoops, but I find I use the 5x7 the most anyway, so that's what I went with and I love it.

deedum

I have 5 vintage machines! Love them! Use them! I have 2 Janome's (one is embrodiery also), 2 sergers and no desire for a long arm. Oh, I can't forget about my "sweetpea" toy machine!