The cream of the crop of Husqvarna-Viking sewing machines, the Designer SE is a model that many seamstresses take years to work up to. Gradually purchasing and trading-in less costly sewing and embroidery machines, they finally arrive at this, the current pinnacle of performance.

Not recommended for the novice, this model is intended for seamstresses and embroiderers who demand the ultimate in design flexibility and convenience that this PC compatible machine offers.

Although the computerized sewing functions of this model are outstanding, what really sets the SE apart is the ease and convenience of working with the embroidery function. More than 175 embroidery designs come with this machine, along with four built-in lettering styles and a CD-Rom that contains a mind-boggling number of fonts you can customize to your hearts desire.

A total of three CD-Rom are packed with the SE. One CD loads your PC and the sewing machine with everything you need to get started. A second CD offers an even greater selection of designs, while a third CD provides a tutorial and tools for detailed management of all your embroidery files. This disk even has the ability to convert files to formats of other sewing machine manufacturers for use on their machines.

A handy embroidery stick is provided and eliminates the need to place your PC and your sewing machine side-by-side to transfer designs. This stick comes loaded with four designs and has a 32-megabyte memory that can store up to 12 million stitches. It can also be used to transfer designs to and from a floppy disk or CD drive.

Three versatile embroidery hoops come with this model. They include a standard hoop (4x4 inch), a large hoop (9-1/2x6 inch) and a mega hoop (14-1/4x6 inch). Especially impressive is the Designer SE's onscreen embroidery editing feature; with this feature you can scale, mirror, and rotate designs all with one touch. Thread colors and background colors alike can also be changed with a simple touch.

Every change you make appears instantly on the full VGA screen equipped with over 65,500 brilliant colors. The Designer SE finally makes it possible to see exactly what will be duplicated on your fabric. And talk about seeing; whether sewing or embroidering, the lighting on this model is like nothing we've ever seen before. Regardless of fabric color or design, the lighting can be adjusted from cool to warm for optimum visibility.

And like the embroidery functions, the sewing functions of this model are among the most versatile and sophisticated available. With just a touch of the finger, 16 stitch menus and more than 700 stitches appear in the actual size and direction they will sew. Instant help is always available on this model thanks to the Sewing Advisor and the Embroidery Advisor. These features make recommendations for needles, fabrics, accessories, and techniques. Many functions are also programmed automatically to optimal settings when you select fabric type and weight.

With so much to offer, we can't stress enough the importance of purchasing this machine from a reliable dealer. Unless you're incredibly experienced, you'll need to take some classes and work with a trained staff member to fully appreciate what this machine can do. Patience and practice are imperative, even with the extensive automated features and complete step-by-step tutorials provided. And once you master those, other challenging upgrades are available to stretch your creativity even further.

More designs can be obtained at a dealer or purchased and downloaded instantly online. An endless hoop can be added for increasing the versatility of what you can embroider. Husqvarna-Viking also offers the 3D Professional software package, which allows you to go beyond existing designs. With this you can create your own digital images to embroider, using favorite pictures and interesting photos. Cross stitch designs for your machine and even digitizing of complex shapes and fonts is made possible with this additional accessory package.

And better yet, when changes are made to the Designer SE machine, you can upgrade it quickly and easily right online at the Husqvarna-Viking website.

Pros: Currently the most user-friendly, flexible sewing/embroidery machine on the market, allows users to quickly and easily get started with professional results
Cons: Expensive, takes time to master the tremendous variety of features