Embroidery machines

[Rob H.]

Wanting to get an embroidery machine - probably a stand-alone system. I can't decide between one of the larger machines with a free arm, specifically looking at the Babylock Alliance, in order to do things like onsies, bags, etc. But these machines are much more expensive and the hoop sizes aren't as big as some of the flat bed machines. Can someone who does a lot of embroidery advise me? I'm thinking of doing kids items, mostly, providing I one day have grandchildren! Maybe some quilt blocks, as I also make quilts. Especially things like redwork. Or quilting in the hoop. Help!

[Beverly C.]

I have a Bernina 580 that I really enjoy. With a new baby grand daughter I've really put the machine to work with every thing from burp clothes to applique. It's worked beautifully.

[Anne B.]

I bought my 1st embroidery machine over 13 years ago. I had a Brother 2004D and a Pfaff 2170, both of those machines have died on me. I now have a new to me Bernina 830, it has a pretty steep learning curve and can be quite picky. I'm pleased with the overall quality of the machine, but time will tell it's longevity. I sew a lot, probably 30 hours a week, ( how blessed am I?). I love making personalized gifts for family and friends, as well as playing with all the amazing features. There is a lot of great online video support as well as my friendly dealer for my questions. It's so important to have a dealership to help you get started, machine embroidery is a lot harder than you realize. Back when I 1st started, I didn't even have the internet! You tube is a great resources to check out machines! Make sure you test all the machines you are interested in, even those you aren't interested in, see how much support your local dealer will do for you. Do your homework, it's a major investment. One last thing, it's ok not to get the absolute top of the line machine, do any of us ever really use all those features anyways?

[Anne B.]

Thanks for your input! Does anyone have experience on Janome, Babylock or Brother for embroidery?

[Anne B.]

My 1st embroidery machine was a Brother 2004D, that was in 2003, I was not happy with the overall quality of the machine. Things have changed a lot, they might be better, but Brother is not a brand that I would ever buy again. I would never buy a Pfaff, Viking or a Singer again, they are all made by the same company.

[Rob H.]

I have a Husqvarna Viking Topaz 30. Excellent embroidery and sewing machine. And I have a Bernina Artista 165e for travel and light embroidery.

Machines are very personal. I looked at Brother/Janome and personally found the stitch quality lacking. Some will argue. But that was my opinion.

Also liked Pfaff and Bernina larger embroidery but on the expensive side. The Bernina 700 embroidery only was one sweet machine.

I choose HV because i found the stitch quality equal to the Bernina and my dealer gave me a great deal.

[Rob H.]

I like my Brother PE770. It is a great embroidery machine for the price. Comes with a well-written manual. Following this manual, I easily learned how to use the machine, how to put the fabric into the frame and how to attach the frame to the embroidery arm. The machine offers 136 built-in designs for embroidery. The change in embroidery speed is automatic, depending on the type of cover and stitch length and can be customized by the user. I'm enjoying the machine and it appears to do a decent job of embroidering.