jean knapp

First any janome or brother is a great machine. As for having trouble with multi layers one of my machines did that and all I needed was new feed dogs. I wore them out Go figure I have a brother 4000D which is expensivel But thats the only machine I havel I use it for both and itseasy to convert from sewing to emb as a matter of fact you can sew with the emb arm on. Love the fact that you push a button and it threads itself push a button and it cuts the thread. hit 3 buttons and when you lift off the foot beddle it cuts, and lifts the presser foot. Also if you shoulg break a leg you can sew without the foot peddle. love love it

davis2se

I originally bought a Baby Lock Sophia, and although I like it to sew with, I've had nothing but problems with the emboridery. Next I bought a Janome 11000 Memory Craft. It was expensive, but I love it. I've a friend who had a Janome for years. She upgraded to a Baby Lock - the next to the top of the line, but the name escapes me. She likes the machine, but it is not the workhorse that Janome's are. I'd go with a Janome that you can afford.

Krystyna

Here's my 2 cents. First of all, let me say that we do not have a lot of disposable income. So, my husband and I were passing by Sew Right on the way back from an estate sale (where, of course, I got a lot of fabric). I was looking for an upgrade to my sewing machine. I was not looking for an embroidery machine. Didn't think I wanted one or needed one. To make a long story short, DH got a Baby Lock Sofia 2 for me as a Christmas gift. I don't recall the exact price, but it was around $500-600. It has a 4x4 hoop.

It took me a long while to get it out of the box and even longer to start embroidering. Fast forward: I love it. At times I wished I had a bigger hoop, but I really don't need it. I mean am I going to embroider a mural? No. Are there designs that don't fit the 4x4? Yes. But ... there are zillions that do. Now, I embroider with it nearly every day - t-shirts, quilt blocks, tea towels, etc. Love it. It embroiders like a dream.

That said, by the time I got the stabilizer, thread, bobbin thread, a multi-position bigger hoop ... well I was over $1,000.

Maybe you won't find parts on the shelf in your LQS, but they're around and you find them easily. You don't really need a ton of bobbins anyway.

So, depending on your situation, just be aware that by the time you're done, you will be spending a LOT more money than you initially planned on.

BTW, I get stabilizer by the bolt with coupons at Joann. I also got a zillion smaller sealed packages of Sulky stabilizer at an estate sale for $1

JanetWall

I have a Babylock Ellegante 2 . I love mine.

rita222

When I was buying an embroidery machine I had the same problem. I wanted a emb. machine yet also a sewing machine. Well I ended up with a Singer 5000XL. It is both a sewing and emb. machine. and it has three size hoops largest being 5x7. you can also multiple hoop embroidering using the 5x7 hoop so you field of embroidering is limitless good luck on your decision. befor you decide, please go look at the singer.

scjoan

I have a Janome 300E. I love my machine and use it on a regular basis. However if I had to do it all over again I would get the Janome 350E as it has a very more bells and whistles that I would love to have.

As for software, you do not need to have the Janome software if you do not want to spend the amount of money they are going to want for it. I have found the software Embird. It is sold only on line. I believe it sells for around $150. They let you have a free 30 day trial. If you check the various embroidery forums on the internet, a lot of the women have embird. (I am not affiliated with Embird, just a very loyal fan.)

If you want here is a list of a few embroidery forums you can join for free and ask the ladies there what they think of the machine and software:
http://www.myembroideryhaven.com/forum/index.php

http://forums.marthapullen.com/tt.asp?forumid=9

http://www.sewforum.com/index.php

Joan

jitkaau

The biggest disappointment I have is that the computer will not communicate with my embroidery machine. I think the most important thing is to make sure the communication devices are not out of date before you buy the machine, and that there is more than one way to transfer the information from the computer to the machine. My machine has always had problems of this nature and the company will not support the software unless i update it to the newer version, which will cost another $2,500 on top of the $10,000 I have spent on machine and software so far. Of course, this makes one reluctant in case it still doesn't work. Therefore, I think you should also look at the cost of the software and updates as well. Good luck with your selection.

ImSvd1

I have a Janome 9000 that I got previously loved. Someone had traded it in and I got it for under $1000. For what I do with it, I love it. I want to upgrade someday but I'll save up for the one I want or maybe I will find an upgrade previously loved again in the future. Here's a couple of quilts that I made with my J-9000

suekenyon

I have a Janome 350E and love it. If you are going to
Thomas Sewing they are very nice to deal with, however
I had purchased mine before moving. You might contact
Richland Sewing Center in Hurst to price them..that is
where I purchased mine. Another thought on that Thomas
would be much closer if you have problems or need help. Good Luck on what you purchase and Enjoy.

deedum

I have the janome memory craft (combo),and I love it! It is truly a work horse, but I am having trouble getting my computer to tt the machine as well. The built in's are great, as someone said, check out the software and upgrades.