first machine help please Bernina or Janome or other?

If you like the Janome, you might look at Sears. You wouldn't get the lessons there (I don't think) but I understand you can get a machine made by Janome for a much lower price.

We found the lessons to be bitch sessions about the machine and came home another $50-$100 of more accessories and junk that would "cure" our problems each time the machine acted up. We learned more reading here than the sales people showing us what what right on screen with our Brother machine.

The local purchase may be worth the adjustments it will almost certainly need during the break-in period.

I prefer Janomes myself.

I have a Janome 9000 and I LOVE it! It was a Christmas present, but I had selected the Janome brand (was looking at a lower level, but hubby splurged). I am very pleased with not only the sewing features, but the embroidery aspect has been a new world for me. I do have the equipment to convert other software and import images, but that was extra.

Good luck with whatever machine you select. While I still use my workhorse

1950 Pfaff, I must admit I use this machine far more.

Paulette

Go with the Janome unless you have a lot of money to burn with Bernina (overpriced) and their $$$ accessories.

B~

I have a Bernina 180E and love it. I agree that they are very expensive. I also could not afford one, but my local store knew that I was looking fot one...so...when someone traded in their 180 to buy a

200...they called me. It was worth the wait. It's was only 5 years old and sews like new and I got it for half price. Although the warranty is not transferable...they have taken good care of me and upgraded it for free last winter when the upgrade came out for it.

Oh, Brother makes the Deco under the Bernina name...so I would just buy the brother machine if that is what you plan on doing.

5 foot 2

All I can say is that in the past 2 years of selling Janome machines not one has come back for repair. I cannot say that of the Husqvarna/Viking or Pfaff machines. I am most impressed with the new quilt machine the 6500 and the stand alone embroidery 300e. Very advanced and very strudy with a good backing by the company. I formerly sold Pfaff and HV machines exclusively. Janome was my choice to add to the list after throughly researching them. The profit margin on the Janome is less than any machine I have seen in the past 30 years. You really get your monies worth.

My wifes' 180E has been in the shop almost as long as in our house, the dealer has bent over backwards to fix it and has replaced about all that can be replaced on the machine. Since he couldn't fix the problem he sent it to the Bernina center in Chicago, 1 1/2 month ago, it's now back but he wants to give it a workout in the shop to make sure they fixed it. He gave us a loaner to use while ours was in Chicago. Bernina seems to have a problem with their newer 180's, the dealer said that up until a couple years ago he had very little complaints with the 180 but now is having a lot. The problem seems to have migrated to the 200's also, I have talked to several people that have the same problem with their 180's and 200's(same machine with more computer in the 200). I think Bernina should stand behind their machines at the price they charge for them. The dealer said he does not get reimbursed by Bernina for warrantee work. My wife bought the Janome 6500 so she could at least sew a straight stitch, she loves it.

stepping down from soap box

-- "Shut up and keep diggen" Jerry

Thanks for all of your responses. I ended up buying the brother 170d at Walmart. I went to the Singer store and the lady tried to sell us a more expensive brother machine and she had the brother 180d for $679, but I only paid 439 at walmart. I know I don't get the one on one service and all that but for 240 bucks I decided to take my chances, besides, walmart will take it back for 90 days if I don't love it. Anyway, now I am looking for the ultimate box or equivalent so I can buy cd's and transfer the designs to the cards.I'll eventually get the digitizing software if this turns out to be a lasting hobby but I have to prove that to my husband first. I have a habit of only staying interested in things for a little while and he doesn't want to spend a ton only to have that happen. I doubt it will happen this time tho, even he likes this embroidery hobby.

He wants me to find a Baltimore Orioles logo to embroider on a couple shirts (we're big fans) if anyone knows where we can get one please let me know email address is snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com again, I'll be watching this group and probably driving everyone crazy with questions.

Thanks again.

Sandy

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I'd say take it back anyway. If enough people did this (return machines) perhaps Walmart would get tired of all the hassle it causes and decide not to carry those machines. Competition is one thing, but it's something else when Walmart can sell a sewing/embroidery machine at a lower price than the wholesale price at which independent dealers can purchase that machine from the company. And then people wonder why they can't get information/help at local dealers.

gwh

I would have done the same thing.......for the difference you can pay for a basic class if you need it........

>

I would also like to find baseball logos, so if someone out there knows where we can find them, please let me know. I'm interested in the Dodgers and the Mariners, but could also use the Giants and Angels.

Please email me privately as I will be traveling in the next few weeks and won't get a chance to read the newsgroup.

Thanks in advance.

And let's play some baseball!!!!!!

Marianne T.