Lets talk new machines

[Iminei]

Odd ... I cant see any reference to any hoops in the Features or Accessary lists ...

I think if you really want to know which it is ... Call the customer service team and get a definitive answer.

One thing ... Do you have a dedicated space for any of these machines? I have to set up and put away each time I sew and The Splurgess and Elvis too are really heavy machines ... Just something to think of!

[sewmuchmore]

They are mentioned near the bottom of the features list
View stitch out time, thread colours, size and stitches
270 built in embroidery designs
8 built in alphabet fonts
3 embroidery hoops
USB port for design transfer and firmware updates
Programmable foot control
New stitches - includes sideways motion stitches
Touchpen

I have e mailed Bernina to ask them to clarify.

[Celia]

There is a good Pfaff dealer in Sheffield https://www.directknitandsew.co.uk/ if that helps. In my opinion the Icon is a lovely machine but it is Basie’s on the Embroidery machine and you ar spaying a lot of money for some features that you would not really need on a sewing not embroidery machine.

If you can get to Birmingham I would suggest Frank Nutt https://www.franknutt.co.uk/  Even if you can’t get there they are a good place to deal with by phone and they do have YouTube videos of some of their machines https://youtu.be/PeWL_DccXwQ this is the one for the Janome.

I can’t watch the Janome as that is the machine I would love  :loveit:but realistically I know I wouldn’t use a fraction of what it has on it.  I already have the HD9 and the 6700 so I must not drool 

What sort of sewing do you want to use this machine for?

[Iminei]

See that now ... God Im so blind!

Well then that is definitely not one random typo so buy it and make sure you get the embroidery module or a HEFTY discount ... Strange thst they dont show the embroidery setup tho'

[Ouryve]

@Iminei our localish dealer has a golden bernina advertised and it's not even the most expensive machine on their website!
https://www.tullyssewingmachines.co.uk/product/bernina-790-plus-ae/

[Iminei]

  I suppose its that price because it is made from Solid Gold ???

And I did notice the ruler foot (???) with Gold Plating WTF ?

Also ... again there is mention of embroidery *** but no pics of the embroidery module, hoops etc ..

WHAT is it with Bernina being so ambiguous with their advertising ???
Or is it a case if you need to see the accessories you cant afford the machine ????

[Ohsewsimple]

I think there was a 790 and now it’s a 790 plus.  But it’s not very clear anywhere.  There are videos here which show the 790 plus with embroidery module.
https://sewingmastery.com/bernina-790-plus/

[Ouryve]

They do have the regular 790 plus listed and all the embroidery bits are mentioned https://www.tullyssewingmachines.co.uk/product/bernina-790-plus/

@sewmuchmore it might be worth a call, though I suspect that at this price point, they would order in. It is a Bernina dealer, though and if they can offer you a try out is a reasonable day trip -straight up the A1 and A19.

[Iminei]

Ah that link is much more understandable ... but if I was selling these I would offer pics with and without the embroidery module.

 @sewmuchmore Whichever you get will you post pics of the unboxing or even a video ???

[Gernella]

There is a good Pfaff dealer in Sheffield https://www.directknitandsew.co.uk/ if that helps. In my opinion the Icon is a lovely machine b

I think I might get that Pfaff Creative Icon 2 @Celia which has a current price of £500, unless that's the deposit to order and they daren't put the price down.

[KayK]

Here's my fourpennorth!

I have seen the Janome Continental up close and personal and it is HUGE.  But, I have the Janome 6700P (its rather smaller brother, but still quite large) and although it sews well, it is a tricksy little beast at times.  I will say that the Janome accessories and feet are not particularly well made or robust, and I don't think would stand up to a lot of very hard work, despite the actual weight/size/speed of the machine.  I am not a lover of it's drop in bobbin.  Yes, it is easier, but the bobbin cases themselves are quite fragile, can lift out of place at a moment's notice and develop a huge gouge in them (this can be filed down). So, I think the Continental would be a NO from me.

I have also used my friends Bernina 7 series, which is also a beast of a machine, very stable, but best of all, very well made, the feet are a work of art.  Yes, they are expensive but are way, way better than anyone else's, bar those belonging to an industrial machine.  I had a 4 series Bernina, which I sold to buy the Janome 6700p, as I wanted a larger throat space, an easier to use thread cutter button & much larger foot pedal that didn't walk across the carpet.  I got what I wanted, but there were things that the Bernina did which were SOOOO much better!

The Bernina I chose was 5.5mm stitch width, and the Janome has a 9mm - I have found this sometimes leads to 'tunnelling' unless I use a decent stabiliser underneath, so I have to say I haven't bothered with them much.
Both had a lot of fancy stitches, which I dont use,  I do a lot of free motion embroidery, which they were both pretty good at.  I preferred the Bernina for straight stitch piecing, despite the Janome having the HP foot and needle plate, which in turn is nowhere near a match for my straight stitch Juki!

I don't know much about Pfaff, apart from I  had a Performance 5 for a while and hated it!

A good thing to do is to do a Facebook search for the machines, and there are lots of owners out there that will share their problems and tips - I learnt loads about my Janome, having had a few problems with it, to find out loads of others did as well!

Regarding the embroidery bit, I think I would purchase a dedicated embroidery only machine, and see how that goes!

I wish you the very best of luck and fun with your decision, whichever you choose!

[sewmuchmore]

I think I might get that Pfaff Creative Icon 2 @Celia which has a current price of £500, unless that's the deposit to order and they daren't put the price down.

The Icon 2 is an embroidery/sewing machine with only 275 available world wide in each of the 4 colours. I did get an email from my Pfaff repair man asking if i would be interested, he thinks it will retail at £9999.00  I was put of because of the voice recognition, what happens i wonder when you have a bit of a paddy and swear at it.
@KayK i already  have an embroidery/sewing machine, Brother V5, which i use only for embroidery.
@Celia i do all kinds of sewing, dressmaking, soft furnishings, upholstery as well as more decorative stuff. I like the wide throat on my Pfaff and it is a pretty robust machine.

What i would really like, but impossible to buy, is a robust machine that can cope with heavy and delicate work but without all the decorative stiches. Do any of us really use them?

[Celia]

Sorry @sewmuchmore  I thought you were looking at the sewing only icon you linked to. If so I will tell you it is no longer listed on Pfaff latest price list. :thinking:   

@KayK I think I do agree with you about the Janome, I was happy enough to to buy the 6700 but would not go to the Continental. I also previously had a Bernina and do still have a Husqvarna that is Pfaffs sister machine, both from the same manufacturer.  I have used the Epic a lot and it’s a lovely machine but not worth the money.

Bernina accessories are by far the best quality.  I love my 6700, I mainly use it for fancy stitching.   I do use it for the piecing I do, I am not really a quilter.  I did intend to get rid of my HD9 but won’t it is definitely the toughest of the machines and I do a lot of topstitching of jersey fabrics which no other machine seems to be quite so capable of.  My main dressmaking machine is my Babylock Gloria, I very rarely use anything but stretch fabrics.


If you are looking for a robust machine to cope with both heavy and fine fabrics I would have to choose my Janome HD9. But of course it is only a straight  stitch machine.  It’s feet are very tough and nothing like the other Janome feet it will also take industrial sewing machine feet.

Now you know why I have 4 machines  one day I will sell one of them

[Ohsewsimple]

@Celia ooh an Epic and a Gloria.  Very jealous!   

[sewmuchmore]

Sorry @sewmuchmore  I thought you were looking at the sewing only icon you linked to. If so I will tell you it is no longer listed on Pfaff latest price list. :thinking:   

@Celia it is the sewing only Icon i was looking at, please don't tell me they have discontinued it already