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what kind of sewing/embroidery machine is a good choice?

I am looking for an embroidery machine to buy that is user friendly.I would like to know of other people's experiences with their embroidery machines.I am not particular to any brand but I really do not want to spend a $1000 dollars.Pleaase let me know of a good machine that works well.Thanks.

Public Comments

  1. I might check out used ones. Many people get excited about doing this and have "hobby remorse" and ending selling them.
  2. Hi: As you probably already know, you can find a lot of sewing/embroidery machines on eBay or other auction sites. Some of them might start out low, but with outrageous shipping costs. Usually these machines start out between $1,000 to $2,000 or higher, plus shipping. Depending on what you plan to do with the machine will determine what kind of machine you should purchase. If your primary interest is doing sewing and small embroidery projects for friends and/or family, a machine dedicated to the home sewer is your best option. All of the sewing machine manufacturers (Husqvarna, Singer, Pfaff, Janome, Brother) make combination sewing/embroidery machines for the home enthusiast. Each are reliable companies with superior reputations. However, a complex design with several colors will take an hour or more to sew out on these machines -- and then you only have one sew-out. If your interest is more commercially inclined, you should consider a commercial machine. These are more expensive, but can be purchased new or used with leasing and/or payment plans. Machines dedicated to commercial use have a faster stitch per minute and are designed for heavier use, with a wider variety of hoops, sew-out area, and the ability to sew through very lightweight fabrics as well as terry, denim, canvas and leather with no problem. Occasionally, you find a commercial machine listed on eBay or other auction sites, but these don't usually provide financing alternatives. You can find dealers on the internet who only list used commercial machines and provide lease-option, purchase, and financing opportunities. A commercial machine is not that difficult to learn to operate. Some dealers even provide training. But the initial investment (the machine, hoops, thread, backing, software, and other supplies) can be quite hefty. I've had a home sewing/embroidery machine (Viking Rose) since December 1997. This machine is great for sewing, but doing embroidery at a maximum rate of 125 stitches per minute is very, very slow. The embroidery area is also severely limited, usually no bigger than 4" x 4". And the more stitches on top of each other (in the same area), the more likely a needle will break. You are also limited by the bulk of the fabric that can be fed into the machine or put into the embroidery hoop. With a home machine, you have to stop with each color change to re-thread the machine. I got a Brother BAS 416A single-head commercial embroidery machine in 1998. Its slowest speed is 800 stitches per minute, the fastest, which I rarely use, is 1200 stitches per minute. I usually set the speed on 1000 stitches per minute. It automatically moves from color to color, and 9 colors available (9 different needles) at any one time. My smallest embroidery area is about a 3 inch circle, my largest is a 17x19 inch rectangle. I have had projects of 600 tote bags, up to 2000 shirts with designs over a breast pocket and on the back of the shirt, from 10 to 200 embroidered promotional towels, hat projects, and so many other commercial jobs. This is a very lucrative "hobby" or sideline. You are only limited by how many customers you have, how quickly you complete the job, and how pleased the customer is with your work and/or your prices. In the hour it takes me to sew out one design on my Viking Rose, I have sewn the same design out on the Brother BAS 401-A sixty or more times. Now I only use my Viking Rose for regular sewing and alterations jobs. Usually, a commercial client is not interested in contracting with a vendor (you) when the only equipment is a sewing/embroidery machine meant for home use because these machines are just too slow.
  3. If you get a new machine that boasts embroidery features for less than 1,000, you're setting yourself up for a lot of frustration. I spent a small fortune for a Bernina artista 180 about five years ago. This machine has done everything I've wanted, and handled big heavy sports bags (with lots of careful handling) as well as delicate embroidery on blouses. But, I have done production work on it, and doing a t-shirt one at a time will put me in the poor house. I can't compete with the commercial machines for speed. Some people will keep a machine like this for fine work - monograms on shirts and things like that - and use one of the big commercial monsters for their main production work. If you want something you'll love to use and make things for your family and friends for the next few decades, then I'd go with a Bernina or maybe a Brother. Both are very user-friendly. You can do lovely built-in designs without even thinking about it, and nice combinations are easy to program. I've been sewing for 35 years on all kinds of machines. Now that I've used a Bernina, I won't buy any other brand (I do all my sewing on it, not just embroidery). I use the digitizing software almost exclusively, rather than the designs on the machine, because my first love is creating the designs themselves. The artista software is very highly regarded - but you will have to be sure to ask specifics about the software that comes with the machine. The lower end software can be used to edit and combine designs, but not create new ones. So anyway, I wanted to increase my production rate, so I went shopping for the less expensive embroidery-only machines, since I already had the great software and a heavy duty sewing machine. I tried and returned a model that ran for about $800 from a local fabric store. The machine looked sturdy enough, but the way the embroidery module was done made for sloppy stitching, and after the first motif, the bar that held the hoop quit working. I'd tell you the brand if I remembered it. I tried another machine - one of the less expensive Janome embroidery-only machines - and was fairly pleased with it. It did good work, and was easy to use. Then, the excess folds of a t-shirt got stuck in the presser foot, the gears in the embroidery arm seemed to get pulled out of place, and now the whole thing is out of alignment by about a quarter inch. I've had to adjust the hooping of every design to accommodate for it. Since I've quit doing production work, it's sitting in my closet. I'll get it fixed when I scrape up the money for it - maybe. It would make a good starter machine, and is still great for everyday embroidery on clothes and household items, but there's just no comparison with the Bernina. It's just not as heavy-duty (though I'm sure the more expensive Janome models would be much more comparable - it's apples and oranges). If you want to spend less money, go someplace reputable and find a used high-end machine like the Bernina. A lot of people who use these will trade up as new models come out, so you're not getting a worn-out machine, just an older model with fewer features. Be sure they give you the software, hoops, etc., that should go with it, and angle for some free lessons to get you started. Developing a relationship with a reputable dealer will be a big help - they can explain the ins and outs of design formats, conversion software, and other things, depending on how deeply you want to delve into this arena. Whatever you decide, there are thousands of free embroidery designs out there. I put some links below for some of my favorite free and for-sale sites. Shoot - if you'll pay for shipping and want to see about getting it fixed, I'll send you my Janome for a minimal price. It shouldn't cost much to fix it - and it's usable without being fixed. I'll even throw in the extras I bought so I could convert my designs to the Janome format.
  4. You're not going to get much more than a very basic machine for under $1000--and you will soon want to upgrade!! You can try to buy used, but that can be iffy too. For a new machine, go to all the dealers you can find and play around with their machines. Of as much importance as the machine is the dealer service after sale--I got the machine I wanted, but at the time there was only one dealer, and the service and support is HORRIBLE!!!! You have to hang around the shops and talk to customers about what they like. You can also try Consumers Reports and the like. Better to shop around than to spend $400+ on something you'll soon outgrow. Also look for clubs and guilds in your area--may I take the opportunity to invite you to join the American Sewing Guild? They are a national group with local chapters full of sewing "sisters."
  5. I love my Pfaff 2140 sewing/embroidery machine. My experience in shopping for one told me that an embroidery machine under $1000 will eventually break. My Pfaff is a work horse and I had it repaired only once in 5 years. It was also waranteed by the dealer for 2 years parts and labor so my repair was free. Check with your local Pfaff dealers or go on <pfaffusa.com> and do the research yourself. Good luck and happy sewing. Rose
  6. ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO I STORMED OUT OF THE HOUSE TO GET AWAY FROM THE SUPER BOWL POOL, GOLF, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, ETC. ON TV. WENT TO FIX MY 40 YEAR OLD ELNA THAT WAS HIDING IN THE CLOSET. WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $39 TO CLEAN. BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE FANCY PFAFF MACHIMES I GOT STICKER SHOCK. BUT I MADE A GOOD DEAL ON A USED 7560 PFAFF SEWING & EMBROIDERY MACHINE OF $2OOO. I WOULD STILL BE USING THAT HAD I NOT GOTTEN HOOKED ON SEWING OUT DESIGNS I DOWNLOAD OFF THE NET INTO MY MACHINE ! THE FUN I HAVE HAS NOW MOVED ME TO A BETTER MACHINE THE EXPENSIVE DESIGNER DSE VIKING. BUT EVERY NOW & THEN I NOTICE AFTER VIKING OR PFAFF COMES OUT WITH NEW MODELS THE OLD 7560'S COME UP FOR SALE AS TRADE-INS COSTING A WHOLE LOT LESS THAN WHAT I PAID 5 YEARS AGO. BY THE WAY, THE TOP OF THE LINE NEW 2170 PFAFF [WHICH I ALSO OWN NOW], COSTING MEGABUCKS, ESSENTUALLY IS THE SAME AS THE 7560 BECAUSE YOU UPDATE THE OLD MACHINE OR THE 2170 AND THE OLDER 2140 WITH THE INTERNET SOFTWARE THAT KEEPS ALL THE MACHINES SEWING ALMOST THE SAME. NO I DON'T MAKE MONEY WITH THESE MACHINES, BUT I THINK ONE COULD AT A SLOWER PACE AND PROFIT THAN THE COMMERCIAL ONES. BUT IT IS LOADS OF FUN TO PLAY WITH THE EMBROIDERY AND TO GO TO SEWING CLASS MEETING WITH GOOD GALS. IF YOU GET INTO THAT YOU MIGHT NEED A LAPTOP TO AID YOU IN LOADING DESIGNS INTO YOUR MACHINE, OTHERWISE THE SHOP WILL UPDATE THE MACHINE FOR YOU AND YOU CAN LOAD DESIGNS INTO THE MACHINE WITH DESIGN CARDS THAT FITS INTO THE MACHINE. BY THE WAY, WHILE I HAVE EVERY EMBROIDERY LAPTOP SOFTWARE [KNOWN TO WOMEN] TO CHANGE CARD DESIGNS OR TO CREATE MY OWN DESIGNS FROM SCANNED PICS, I THINK PFAFF NOW HAS 4D EMBROIDERY SOFTWARE THAT IS VERY EASY FOR THE BEGINNER TO LEARN AND ECONOMICAL TO BUY SMALL SEPARATE PROGRAMS THAT EVENTUALLY MAKE UP THE WHOLE. THESE NEW AGE MACHINES ARE LIKE FALLING DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WITH ALICE. ONCE YOU TAKE THE TRIP, YOU NEVER GET BORED ! ENJOY!
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