If the 1530 is as heavy as my Bernina930 I wouldn't advise taking it to a class just because of the weight. I once left the case home and brought just the machine but that was so darn slippery I never did that again.
Thanks for all the good responses so far. I also liked the "heft" of
> the 1530 over the 210 and 230 they did have in the store. I hadn't
> thought about having to take it to classes and stuff though.
>
> I didn't set them side-by-side, but the harp (I'm guessing this is the
> round space to the right of the needle, for rolling up stuff and
> scrunching it through the machine) didn't look any bigger on the 1530
> than on the 210 (which should be identical, physically, to the sold- > out 220).
>
> Does the 1530 have a larger harp? Some responses seem to imply it > does.
>
> Also, Bev, I figured out RSI and FMQ but you lost me on BSR?
>
> It sounds as if she needs to mainly decide on whether or not she likes
> the track-ball interface, and if she likes it the 1530 is the better
> of these two machines. Thanks also for not mentioning actual prices,
> I'll have her look here and maybe follow up. I'm already pushing the
> budget at this level, and can't really go any higher right now. We
> were hoping the Bernina would hold it's value, and if she really gets
> into the quilting she can trade up later. I guess that's another
> reason I like the used machine over the plastic 220.
>
> Thanks again, and Merry Christmas