Becky we must be soul sisters. I agree with you & so does my friend who lives in Rodchester. We would buy the 820 next time as we hardly ever put the module to proper use. I am thinking of taking the Quilt University beginners class for embriodery modules that begins the end of January as a refresher. Their courses are fabulous; very well organized & inexpensive. I too owned the top of the line Husquarna Viking. I am a machine junky always looking for the next machine to challenge me. This one really fits the bill & I must say I don't think that I will ever learn all there is to know about this machine. My DH certainly hope that this is the case.
The 830; yes pesky, definately a girl with PMS at times but I do love her & her ways. She is off to the doctor today & as usual I will get a tongue wagging that I have not done this or that.

i really love my 830. also have a 440QE but it is lonely. learning to use my 440 was easy even though my previous machine was a 1977 top of the line viking. egads those cogs were pesky. learning all the ways my 830 can misbehave has been a lesson in humility. 99% of the time there has been a problem it was my fault or the solution was so simple it was laughable. for example my sensors on the bobbins wearing off, kootis in the bobbin, trying to use a stitch not allowed with the foot i have on, etc, etc,etc. a lot of problems used to arise because i refused to believe that i hadn't threaded it properly altho it is the easiest machine in the world to thread. i tend to be lazy and stubborn. turning the machine off and then on again has solved many a glitch.
to make a long story short, get the machine. it has changed my life literally and even though i have been quilting for over 30 years it provided me with the opportunity to make a huge leap in my skills and production. as a result my creativity has has made a great leap. i thought i'd start to embroider more since i paid for the privilege but found that i could do so many interesting things with design and technique without resorting to embroidery to execute my ideas that i rarely use it. if redoing the purchase would probably get the 820 but who knows. later i may be very happy i have that ability. best money i ever spent. even my tightwad norweigen bachelor farmer husband agrees.

becky

Betty Jo
The frame was not an option when I purshased it but I envy those who do have one when I see them in the stores. Honestly, I really don't have enough room in my sewing room to add anything else. My pride & joy is a huge custom-made cutting table with a built-in light box.

Barbara, Thanks. I will probably buy it sometime next year...was planning on getting all the trimmings with it. Do you have the frame? If so, is it useful at all?

I love this machine & have had one since they first came out. Like most advanced machines they have their special ways as we do some days. You will not regret your purchase. I am thinking a grandchild may have been tinkering with a button or 2 when I was not looking. My good friend & I affectionately call ours BB for Big Bertha. I would recommend you purchase an EXL Tutto if you are going to take her out to Retreats as she if a hefty one.

I am thinking of buying an 830. Does it have a lot of problems on average or is it just occasionally fussy like most advanced machines?

Marilyn
Thanks, the straight stitching is working fine now. I will make sure the threads seed themselves from now on. However the zigzag still seems to be acting up. Maybe a trip to the dealers is in order. It is a long trip so I just want to be sure. Any more sage words of wisdom?
Barbara

You are the best Marilyn. Why do things like this always happen when we are most pressed for time!I will try that tomorrow & report back to you.
Barbara

I am a guide teacher for Bernina and have had the same problem with my 830. It sounds like the top thread is not in the tension. Our machanic suggested I tell my students to hold the thread at the spool when threading and then actually move the thread back and forth a bit before completing the threading. It's sort of like flossing you teeth. Bunching in the bobin usually means no tension on top. Good luck. Marilyn

OUCH! I hope your thumb is ok and that your machines are behaving now. Sandi

Becky,
Thanks for the tip. I keep them in a dollar store box but anything is worth a try. Glad to hear someone else has gremlins too.

my bad girl 830 gave me fits yesterday too. bobbin no worky. lugged her to her my neighborhood bernina icu (bernina connection in phoenix, just the best), and lo and behold the problem was solved. apparently i am naughty with my bobbins and the silver dot sensors on the bobbins were worn away and so the bobbin wasn't talking to the machine. who knew. a new pack of bobbins and away i went. i guess they give you a place to organize your bobbins for a reason. organization is not my forte and sometimes the bad fairy of the messes flings things around into places they don't belong. imagine.

becky

Some days I just should do something else. Sunday was one of them. I was working on my 830 & suddenly it started to send me messages that the threads in the bobbin area were bunching up. So I stopped & fixed them. As the problem kept occuring, I checked the top & bottom tension, re-threaded the top thread, put in a new needle, checked that the uptake bar was working by removing the front plate (for some reason my machine has this quirky habit on certain days of not taking up the thread properly) & reinserted the bobbin making sure the thread was caught properly. After completing these steps many times with no success I threw in the towel & switched to my 430.

All was going fine on the 430 until my thumb slipped under the needle & went in one side & out the other. A quick snap (love those titanium needles) & a trip for topical meds & a bandaid & I thought I was back in business. Oh no, my trusty 430 began to do what Big Sister had done, bunching in the bobbin area. So I cleaned her, went through all the steps a few more times & then finally gave up & went & had a bath & read a book.

My 430 is working fine now & just needed a rest. I think I had thrown the timing out. However, for those of you with 830s, do you ever get days like this with your machine? She gives you attitude! Can you suggest anyother route for me to explore? I need to get a Christmas Tree skirt finished for one of my sons & time is ticking away.