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tdodd00
AncestralPea
PeaNut 99,028
July 2003
Posts: 4,814
Layouts: 76
Loc: sunny southwest
 |  Posted: 11/20/2012 7:17:26 AM
please tell me about it! I have some Vegas winnings burning a hole in my pocket and I think I may want one of these. I know they can go up into the "high" thousands of dollars (or so I am told), but I don't need one that is "industrial strength"...what amount would I have to pay to get a good one that does a lot but doesn't cost an arm or a leg?! |
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GamGam
PeaNut
PeaNut 552,272
April 2012
Posts: 126
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 7:26:33 AM
Play money--how nice! I suggest you visit a Janome dealer and look at their embroidery only machines. Mine is 8 yrs old (Memory Craft 300E) and has been a great embroidery machine. I paid $900. for it, and have no idea what the comparable model sells for today, but Janome embroidery machines have a solid reputation. It's the combo machines that cost an arm + a leg, so to speak. Have fun. | |
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odonna
PeaNut
PeaNut 394,810
October 2008
Posts: 107
Layouts: 0
Loc: so cal
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 9:06:31 AM
I have the 300e too and love it!! Does beautiful work and easy to start with!
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0612
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 8,807
December 2000
Posts: 2,859
Layouts: 311
Loc: Kansas
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 9:09:34 AM
I do not have one but my sister-in-law does, I would love to have one, here works great. I'm not sure what she paid for it but it is worth every penny. she has really made so cool stuff with it. If I had money to burn I would love to have one too. | |
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EricaLynn
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 34,917
April 2002
Posts: 2,312
Layouts: 72
Loc: Owasso, OK
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 9:11:05 AM
I have a Brother PE 770, it's treating me really good so I have no complaints. It's got a 5x7 hoop, you'll want to go as big as you can afford because you will have hoop envy real soon!
Mine came from Amazon (it was a Mother's Day/Birthday present) and I think they're running around $500. Don't forget you'll need good thread, needles, stabilizer, etc. | |
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jen7079
PeaNut
PeaNut 288,827
December 2006
Posts: 494
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 9:24:47 AM
I have a Brother PE 770, it's treating me really good so I have no complaints. It's got a 5x7 hoop, you'll want to go as big as you can afford because you will have hoop envy real soon!
Mine came from Amazon (it was a Mother's Day/Birthday present) and I think they're running around $500. Don't forget you'll need good thread, needles, stabilizer, etc.
I will second the Brother PE 770. I also got it from Amazon, but I think I paid $600. Then I spent another $300 on supplies. I love mine and I use it often. If I had $10,000 I would upgrade to the Entrepreneur Pro PR1000e. But that it just beacause I want to do bigger canvas bags.
Jennifer
Jennifer | |
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Leone
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 27,235
January 2002
Posts: 5,807
Layouts: 0
Loc: Margaritaville at The Islands (Gilbert, AZ)
| Posted: 11/20/2012 9:28:59 AM
I would look at Baby Lock and Brother...they are basically the same machines. My Bernina 730E cost $7500 and that's cheap compared to the 830. I go to lots of the big embroidery workshops put on by the manufacturers. If I was to do it again I'd buy the Baby Lock or Brother. Most are in the $8000 range. HSN sells a lot of Singer embroidery machines for under $1000. One of the places they really try to surprise you is the outrageous prices they charge for the software.
Also, you have to decide if you are willing to be hooked up to the computer...I wasn't willing to be so that's when the price of the machine increases a lot. | |
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dynalady
My soul is fed with needle and thread
PeaNut 25,620
December 2001
Posts: 20,142
Layouts: 49
Loc: Sweet Home Chicago
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cocoanmom
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 285,775
November 2006
Posts: 2,624
Layouts: 31
| Posted: 11/20/2012 10:04:21 AM
I have a Viking Designer 1. It is an older model but works like a dream. I know there are newer models now. My Local Jo anns has a dealer in it. |
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Shih Tzu Mommy
Million dollar camera, 10 dollar lock!
PeaNut 224,352
September 2005
Posts: 23,525
Layouts: 0
Loc: Right here
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 10:23:38 AM
I would not buy mine again! I am very displeased with it. It is at my other house or I would look at the model, but it is a Brother and I'd never buy from them again!
My mom has a Bernina that she loves and a Pfaff that she abhors. She traded in her 20+ year old Pfaff and this new one is junk! JUNK!!
No matter what, buy it locally and be sure they fix on site. My mom's biggest peeve with the Pfaff, is they send it off for any of the warranty issues. Machine is gone a month at least. The Bernina, they can do it all on site. |
Dog people are a special breed! | |
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tdodd00
AncestralPea
PeaNut 99,028
July 2003
Posts: 4,814
Layouts: 76
Loc: sunny southwest
| Posted: 11/20/2012 10:35:18 AM
Thanks for all the opinions...lots to consider. I have not done a lot of research therefore did not know that you had an option of embroidery only. $8000...not goin' to happen, even if I had that kind of money, I probably would not go that high to begin with...even as it is, I am not sure how much I will use it. I just love "gadgets" of all kinds and have seen some cute projects made with the embroidery machines.
Is it worth looking for a Black Friday sale...do these things even actually go on sale? |
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dynalady
My soul is fed with needle and thread
PeaNut 25,620
December 2001
Posts: 20,142
Layouts: 49
Loc: Sweet Home Chicago
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tdodd00
AncestralPea
PeaNut 99,028
July 2003
Posts: 4,814
Layouts: 76
Loc: sunny southwest
| Posted: 11/20/2012 4:52:45 PM
So, do most of you have the embroidery only machines or all-in-ones? |
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AussieMeg
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 51,689
October 2002
Posts: 6,634
Layouts: 16
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 5:53:32 PM
I bought one 2nd hand about 12 years ago for $2500. Waste of money, I've never used it for embroidery!! I went to one lesson then they stopped running them so I never really learnt how to use it properly. I'm sure it works very well I've just never used it apart from as a normal sewing machine. It came with a ton of CDs with designs on them as well as a scanner so I could supposedly scan in my own designs. | |
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eebud
Doxie Pea Mom
PeaNut 52,841
October 2002
Posts: 30,990
Layouts: 25
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scrappinghappy
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 38,979
May 2002
Posts: 5,308
Layouts: 71
Loc: Anywhere one or more of my kids are
| Posted: 11/20/2012 6:11:41 PM
I have the Bernina 730e as well. Love it. I also have the Bernina 440qqe. I upgraded because I wanted an embroidery machine that cut the bobbin threads between color changes. So the 730 e does the embroidery while I sew on the 440.
I bought the 440 from a dealer but the 730 e was a Craigslist deal.
Eta. I don't own any additional software. The few times I've wanted a design custom made, I just paid someone else to do it. At $10-$15 a design, I can get a LOT of designs before the software would have been a better bet (and there's no learning curve my way  ) |
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lindaton
PeaNut
PeaNut 135,644
March 2004
Posts: 339
Layouts: 0
Loc: IL
| Posted: 11/20/2012 8:31:36 PM
I have the Designer Diamond by Husquarna. I traded up from the Designer model. If I had it to do over I would have stayed with the Designer. There is so much this machine will do that I will never use. My machine is also a sewing machine. I would go to a dealer and buy a used viking if I were you. They are great machines. Of course all the above mentioned machines are top of the line also. Singer isnt as highly recommended as it was 30-40 yrs ago. | |
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TheBiscuitScraps
Bubbie is my most prized title.
PeaNut 99,833
August 2003
Posts: 5,226
Layouts: 2
Loc: Raleigh, North Carolina
| Posted: 11/20/2012 9:21:19 PM
I'm with Shih Tzu Mommy, buy local so you have on-site support...even if it is 50 miles away. I want to know I don't have to pack that sucker up and send it in for maintenance.
I don't have an embroidery machine, I'm getting the Janome HD3000 for Christmas, but, if I were to get one, it would have the capacity for a larger hoop.
Sewingpatternsreview dot com is a great place to look at reviews and ask questions about the machines you are interested in. |
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Kim M.
"I am the holder of Virgin Superpowers. Really."
PeaNut 73,616
March 2003
Posts: 13,141
Layouts: 254
Loc: Living in Kim's Perfect World
| Posted: 11/20/2012 9:24:05 PM
I have a Viking Rose, which is an older embroidery machine that I've used the embroidery attachment for, done a lot of regular sewing on and I've done a number of quilts on it, also. I bought it used, took it to the Viking dealer to have it cleaned before even using it (though, it was really clean to begin with) and have used it for the past 11 years. I think it was about 2 years old when I got it.
That being said, I barely use the embroidery feature any more, have not quilted in a couple of years and really only use it for basic stitching now. Such a wonderful machine that isn't being used how it should be.
I was just pulling everything out that I have for it so that I can list it on eBay. I just haven't pulled the trigger to list it, yet. I'm afraid I'll regret selling it!  |
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squillen
Tier 1 Baking Pea
PeaNut 133,550
February 2004
Posts: 39,550
Layouts: 321
Loc: Hudson Valley, NY
| Posted: 11/20/2012 9:28:49 PM
If you go with a local shop, they often have classes you can take to teach you how to use all the features. My mom spent as much on her machine as you would a car. Thing is a freaking fortune but it is realllllllyyy nice. I wish I could remember which make and model she has. She got it from a local sewing shop and went to all their classes. |
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styxgirl
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 183,117
January 2005
Posts: 2,531
Layouts: 24
Loc: Middle of the USA
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 11:16:32 PM
I have a Brother Innovis 4500D. I love it!
I think it was about $4500 new. It came with the digitizing software. I have digitized many things and just used the heck out of it! I love being able to personalize things and make people gifts. The are many, many websites you can buy or download free embroidery files if you don't digitize or want to learn how to.
I got it about 5 years ago for Christmas and it was the best Christmas gift ever. Love my Brother machine. |
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nighthawk
PeaFixture
PeaNut 118,730
December 2003
Posts: 3,445
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 11/20/2012 11:20:54 PM
If you can go to a sewing machine dealer (or two). Around here there is one group that sells, Pfaff, Brother, Husquarna...and there is anoter dealer that sells Bernina.
There are embroidery machines that you can also sew on and there are embroidery that do only that. | |
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megmc
AncestralPea
PeaNut 497,090
January 2011
Posts: 4,879
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 11/20/2012 11:37:18 PM
I would attend classes first before deciding what machine to get. | |
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tdodd00
AncestralPea
PeaNut 99,028
July 2003
Posts: 4,814
Layouts: 76
Loc: sunny southwest
| Posted: 11/21/2012 7:12:25 AM
Thank you...everyone brings up some valid points.
I have thought about going to an actual sewing machine store (as opposed to JoAnns) and looking at used machines, might be a good way to go as well. |
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rainbow_scrapper
I'm in NO SHAPE to exercise patience.
PeaNut 308,697
April 2007
Posts: 7,644
Layouts: 18
Loc: where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet
| Posted: 11/21/2012 8:07:13 AM
I have the Viking DSE and I got it at the Viking store inside our JoAnn's. They send it out for service and they have classes. I have barely scratched the surface of what this machine will do. The machine was pricey, as was the software and supplies, but it will do more than you will ever need. There are newer machines out now, but I've yet to see anything this machine won't do except serge. (I had a serger and took it back.)
ETA: the Viking store is in JoAnn's but is not a part of JoAnn's. It is it's own store. They also sell used machines and do trade-ins. I traded up from a Designer 1. They also have owner classes. I took the class when I first got my machine and I'm going to take it again because it's been a while since I've used my machine. The classes are free. I really want to make a free standing lace bowl. |
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jen7079
PeaNut
PeaNut 288,827
December 2006
Posts: 494
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 11/21/2012 8:27:04 AM
Mine is embroidery only as I already had a sewing machine. I found the stores to be much pricier than Amazon and a lot of the stores have classes that you can take (at a cost) even if you don't buy the machine from them. I watched a ton of videos on you tube and don't feel like I would really benefit from a class for the machine.
That being said, when you are looking pay attention to the hoop size and I wouldn't buy enything smaller than a 5x7. Check craigslist, if you are looking at an older machine make sure that it has a jump drive so that you don't have to connect the machine to your computer.
I don't have any software, but have started looking and I am expecting to pay in the $200 range for what I want. There are soo many designs out there,I can find anything that I am looking for. I don't have smaller children so I wasn't looking for cutesy stuff and I still have no problem finding stuff. Also, there are a ton of free tutorials for embroidering and knowing which stabilizers to use.
Urban Threads is a great site for "different" designs and they have great tutorials. I think she also has some video's for using the machine.
Jennifer
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Leone
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 27,235
January 2002
Posts: 5,807
Layouts: 0
Loc: Margaritaville at The Islands (Gilbert, AZ)
| Posted: 11/21/2012 8:33:55 AM
Buy local as your dealer can make all the difference in what you experience. Remember they are expecting to sell you way more than the machine...multiple expensive feet, manuals, and yearly maintenance. Viking is a good machine but the fact they are in Joann's is a huge negative...poor locations as the space is limited for classes...and the fact they have to send the machines out for maintenance is not good.
Take a class before choosing...the mastery classes are essential. Also, what is the likelihood the place will be in business during the length of your warranty? My friend in Seattle found that when her Bernina dealer closed, the closest dealer wanted $500 to transfer the warranty to her shop and provide the mastery classes. Sadly, I found my Bernina dealer to be lacking in customer service and not interested in keeping me as a customer after spending $10,000 in her shop over a three year period. My Seattle friend has been treated the same way. | |
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styxgirl
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 183,117
January 2005
Posts: 2,531
Layouts: 24
Loc: Middle of the USA
| Posted: 11/21/2012 8:36:46 AM
Here is a really good site for embroidery files. Embroidery Library
There are also many smaller independent designers that digitize the most beautiful designs!
I also agree with jen7079 when she says to get a machine that does at least a 5x7. That is the hoop I use the most! Hardely ever use anything smaller. I do have a bigger hoop that I have used several times. |
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