Friday 22 March 2013

Meet: My Machine! Blog Hop

Hello, hello, and welcome to my stop on the Meet: My Machine! Blog Hop hosted by the lovely duo of Erin at Sew at Home Mummy and Stacey at The Tilted Quilt.  If you are new here, welcome!  Please feel free to take a look around - my machine and I like to keep busy so there is plenty to see.  This is my 150th blog post (I can't believe its been that many!), and to celebrate I am having a giveaway - check out the bottom of this post for details on how to enter.

UPDATE: THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

The Tilted Quilt meet My Machine Linky Party

So I am here to tell you all about my sewing machine.  I have a Bernina 802 Sport that my mum bought new in 1988 (yes, its 25 years old).  It's the machine I learned to sew on, so apart from its actual virtues, it holds great sentimental value for me, and I will never get rid of it.

The Bernina 802 Sport is a slightly obscure machine - I couldn't find out a whole heap about it online.  I did find this nice retro advertisement from the 26 September 1984 edition of the Schenectady Gazette.


The text below the Bernina 802 Sport reads:

"The beginner Bernina - the affordable version of the world's finest sewing machines.  Bringing you many exclusive Bernina features, including a wide range of practical built-in stitches.  Now at never-before prices.  You'll start with the 802 and stay with Bernina for a lifetime!".

Getting technical, this machine doesn't have a huge number of bells and whistles (it has all of 10 different stitches!) but it has all of the really essential features I need in a sewing machine - bearing in mind that I mostly make pieced quilts.  I even made a diagram to prove it!


So, I thought I would share some of the things I like about my sewing machine with you:

 - it is fully mechanical. To my mind, this means there are less things that can go wrong with the machine, and anything that does go wrong can more easily be fixed.

 - it is all metal. This makes for a very sturdy machine.

 - it is nice to sew on. Because my machine is fully mechanical, there is a sort of satisfying smoothness to the way it sews. I have used more modern machines (my mum has a Bernina 440 QE) and while I appreciate all the bells and whistles, there is a tiny lag between pressing the foot pedal and the machine starting up which I don’t have with my machine. It’s kind of hard to explain, but sewing on my machine just feels good!

 - I can buy new accessories for it, even though it’s quite old. This is an advantage of buying a “big name” machine. Bernina is still around and still making new accessories which fit my sewing machine – like the walking foot I use for quilting, and the invisible zipper foot I bought a couple of weeks ago.

 - service agents are everywhere. This is another advantage of having a Bernina sewing machine – it’s such a well known and readily available brand that I feel like I could go just about anywhere and would still be able to get my machine serviced.

 - it is portable. I can easily move my machine around my house, or take it out for classes, sewing meetings or retreats. It’s not light (it weighs 9 kg, or nearly 20 pounds), but it is compact so it’s not too hard to carry around.

 - I can say for sure that you don't need a big fancy sewing machine to make quilts.  Sure, it might make  things easier, and you might be able to do a wider range of things, but it is definitely not necessary.  Part of this blog hop I've really enjoyed has been seeing seeing how many other quilters are working with reasonably basic machines and loving them!

This is not a gratuitous cat photo - he's there for scale...  Also, not at all relevant, but this cat LOVES this chair.  Seriously, he's obsessed.  Like, he sits in the dining room on his own like a weirdo just because of this chair.

I'm not planning to buy a new sewing machine at the moment, but when I do, this is what I will be looking for:

 - large throat space. The Bernina Sport 802 only has a throat space of about 7”, which makes quilting larger quilts a real challenge. It also means I don’t have a lot of space for my right hand when I am free motion quilting, which can make things tricky. A (much) bigger throat space will be the number one must-have for me when I am looking for a new machine.

 - automatic needle down. Ooh boy, I spend a lot of time putting the needle down by winding the hand wheel on my sewing machine. This slows things down and can leave me with jerky stitching when I am working on (wrestling with) a large quilt or free motion quilting. Automatic needle down seems to be fairly standard on good quality new sewing machines, so it will be another must-have for my new machine.

- more speed.  I spend a lot of time pedal to the metal on this machine, and especially for quilting it would be great to have a bit more oomph.

 - knee lift. Being able to lift the presser foot with my knee sounds great – like it would speed up chain piecing and make quilting much easier.

Erin asked if we could show a little bit of our sewing spaces as well.  I do have a spare room in my house that I could theoretically use as a sewing room, but its quite small, a bit dark, and down the end of the house away from the kitchen and the lounge where it feels more homely.  So instead, the spare room is my stash room, and I sew on the dining room table.

This set-up is pretty typical for me, except there is usually WAY more fabric on the table!


I like to have the machine on the right-hand corner of the table so that if I am quilting, the table can take the weight of the quilt on the left.  I put a non-slip mat under my sewing machine (and also under my foot pedal, since I have a wooden floor in the dining room), and it really stops it moving around when I am sewing (yay - nothing worse than trying to free motion quilt and moving the machine around more than your quilt - believe me, I have been there!).


This is more typical - fabric everywhere (there is fabric for at least two, and possibly three quilts in this shot), cats in the way, computer at the ready.

So, this is not just my first blog hop, it is also my 150th blog post!  To celebrate both the blog hop and this crazy number, I am having a giveaway.  Up for grabs are these three fat quarters of Noteworthy by Sweetwater for Moda.


To win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  I'd love to know how you feel about your sewing machine, is it love, is it hate, is it a love/hate relationship?  Followers (existing and new, and however you follow) get a second entry - just leave me a second comment letting me know that you follow.

The giveaway will be open until around 10pm NZ time on Tuesday 26 March 2013, when I will draw a winner using the random number generator at random.org.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone, and good luck!

UPDATE: THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

108 comments:

SheilaN8 said...

Hello! I'm loving this blog hop bc I am in the market for a new machine - one with a few bells and whistles :)

Thanks for the giveaway! An congratulations on your 150th post!

SheilaN8 said...

I follow you on Bloglovin :)

Salsy said...

Glad that your trusty machine is a good sport! Thanks for a cute giveaway.

Sue said...

I am thinking about upgrading. I presently have a Brother 6000i. Not sure how much I am going to spend but this blog has introduced me to a lot of new machines. I love your cat and his love of his chair!!

Sue said...

I have been a follower for a while now!

Nat at Made in Home said...

I love my machine! Nothing fancy but really reliable... But my machine in France...well I hate it, you try to fix it and it breaks down again... Argghh!

Nat at Made in Home said...

Thanks for the great giveaway. I am a bloglovin follower.

Lisa England said...

I also have a hand-me-down machine. Mine is from my MIL. It's a Janome Memory Craft 9000 which is over 15 years old but it runs great and I love it!

Sewing Mom said...

Lovely post...and if it works, why fix it! I bought my first Bernina last year and would love to pass it along to my daughter...if she ever cared to learn to sew. =) I love the picture with the cat behind you. =)

Sewing Mom said...

I'm a new follower, thank you for a chance to win the giveaway.

Tammy said...

I am following via feed & GFC. Mahines that are all metal are awesome. Last you forever.

Tammy said...

Your pic of the cat int he chair behind you is how I have to sit to sew and work ont he computer but instead of a cat it is my miniture dachshund dog Daisy that sits behind me. If I try to not let her get in the chair she gets mad. She will start barking and jumping up and down and pawing at my legs...She is definitly a lap ..I mean chair dog...I have some everal older machines and 2 newer computerized Babylocks. A Babylock Espire quilting & sewing machine and Babylock Ellisimo embroidery & sewing machine.. But I am only quilting and piceing on a Old Bernina Bernette 730 from 1993 and the Babylock Companion 2150 from 1993. I own a very old aqua Sewmore unsure of the date. Someone told me from the 50's. A 1927 Singer, A 1940's Kenmore. A Kenmore Serger from the mid 1990's. And a Singer from 1988 that is a hunk of junk and never worked right from the day I bought it brand new. My sister bought the same machine at the same time and hers is a hunk of junk also just like mine. I also own another older Kenmore that is in a tabel that I recently gave to my neice to use until she can afford to buy a machine that she likes better and is more modern. Well thats me and my machines.

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures said...

I love my machines...including a Bernina. Come meet them. http://kwiltypleasures.blogspot.com/2013/03/nq-day-meet-my-machines.html

Mrs MomMegan Craftsalot said...

I sew on a Juki TQ 2000. It has many of the things you would want in a new machine, larger throat space, up and down needle, great for FMQ. It has no other stitches but it is a super piecing machine. I upgraded from a small kenmore when I really got into quilting. I enjoyed your post. Congrats on 150 of them.

Mrs MomMegan Craftsalot said...

I am a new follower

Fran said...

I love my sewing machine, it's a Janome MC6600P & it's a terrific machine for quilting with large throat.space & acufeed (like a built in walking foot). Great to read about your machine & thanks for the lovely giveaway.

Fran said...

I'm a new follower, via Bloglovin, thanks!

linda said...

great to read about your machine i have just got a Elna7300 Quilting Queen so am getting to know her but so different from my little Frister Rossmann ,and we have bells and whistles some that i have not found yet love my thread cutter and needle down .

linda said...

i am a new follower thanks for the giveaway :))

JoyceLM said...

I have a Bernina 440QE that I love. It was expensive but well worth the money I saved up for it. Congrats on your 150th blog post. Thanks for sharing & thanks for the chance to win.

JoyceLM said...

I'm already a follower - thanks again.

nissaMade said...

Love the cats "helping" you work! I have a plain ol' Kenmore but hope to upgrade soon.

nissaMade said...

Following you!

tpott said...

Love your last photo, your cat sure does love that blue chair and, you too. I'm sewing on my second Bernina, my first a 1020 my sister now has. I just bought a 350 PE a few weeks ago, I really love it. Enjoy your sewing, thanks for showing us your machine and sewing space. ;-> Toni Anne

Maggie said...

I routinely sew on 2 machines- i do most of my piecing on a Singer Featherweight that belonged to my mom and then for other stuff I use my Viking husquavarna 315 Daisy. Neither has bells and whistles but I guess you don't miss what you never had.

Maggie said...

I follow your blog on BlogLovin.

Erika Mulvenna said...

Nice to meet you and your awesome little BERNINA!

Bonnie58 said...

I currently sew on a Pfaff Creative 2 and am focused on machine embroidery right now - adding it to a lot of my quilts. It adds another dimension and is lots of fun. Thanks for sharing your machine with us and for the opportunity on a great draw.
bonnielarson58@gmail.com

Janarama said...

I do most of my sewing/quilting on a Viking #1. I loved this machine when I bought it and still love it today.

Chelsie C said...

Following on bloglovin

Chelsie C said...

I just bought a Bernina 330 about 6 months ago. I love her, but of course you can always think of something nicer, like the knee lift. Maybe for Christmas

Gigi said...

I definitely love my Janome 2212. It's a basic machine, perfect for a beginner like me. Sometimes though, I have to admit, I dream about all those bells and whistle machines other people have in this blog hop.

Thanks for the chance to win.

Kathy b said...

I love my bernina 330, I just recently started quilting so I think a machine with a larger throat is needed in my future.

Kathy b said...

Glad I found this blog via the machine hop ! It's been faved!

Meredith said...

Thanks for sharing about your machine and space! Love your silly cat! My new machine is the Bernina 750QE and I love it!

Unknown said...

I have a 1980 Viking that I love - it still does the job! Love your cat-quite the personality!

Anonymous said...

HAPPY TO FOLLOW VIA BLOG LOVIN'!

msstitcher1948@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

HI! I HAVE A BERNINA 210+IT SEWS BEAUTIFULLY+MEETS ALL MY QUILTING NEEDS AS WELL!
THANKS FOR SHARING SOME BEAUTIFUL FABRICS!

msstitcher1948@yahoo.com

Kathy MacKie said...

I'm a new follower!

Kathy MacKie said...

I have a Bernina 830 and love her! Congrat's on your milestone blog post!

Unknown said...

I'm a follower - and thanks for the giveaway!

Julie S said...

This must be Bernina Day on the hop! I have never used a Bernina; I love my Juki! After hopping and learning about all these marvelous machines, I recognize the most valuable feature of my Juki is the automatic thread cutter.....on the foot!

Julie said...

I have a Baby lock which I love. The one thing it doesn't have that I would really like is top loading bobbin. With mine it seems like so much work when you are in the middle of quilting!
Congratulations on your milestone blog post and thanks for the chance at the giveaway!

Julie said...

I am a new follower to your great blog!

Sarah said...

I have a Singer Quantum XL6000 but I want a Bernina so I can have a stitch regulator! My FMQ sucks!

Sarah said...

I also follow you now!

Jan Baker said...

I have a Janome Memory Craft which I love the more I use it. I would like to get a more light weight machine for when I go to my sisters house to quilt. Contests on 150 posts. 3bakergirlsgo@gmail.com

Jan Baker said...

I follow on bloglovin. 3bakergirlsgo@gmail.com. Auto correct got me on my other post I was saying Congrats on your 150 posts and it change it to contests.

bee said...

i just upgraded to a new machine the Janome 7700 which I love! i had it at my work so I've been using it for the last year or so and am excited to have it at home. love the Noteworthy prints!

Mareenchen said...

I love my Brother Innovis-10. It was the best investment I ever made and has brought me so much joy over the last 2.5 years and has helped me to bring joy to others. I know I'll upgrade to a biggerbettermorespaceandstitches machine one day when I can afford it but it was perfect for the beginner and still is perfect for the intermediate me. :)

Mareenchen said...

Following on bloglovin. :)

sntbosch said...

I sew on an oldish singer. For the most part she is an excellent machine. I would love to upgrade to a new to me bernina someday.

sntbosch(at)me(dot)com

Debbie said...

I love my Brother SE-350 machine. It's just not very fast. I once worked in a sewing factory for a couple of years ( many years ago) and the machines would fly. I would love to up grade but can't afford it right now.

Your space looks so peaceful to me. Great for sewing.

Thanks for sharing.

Emily C said...

I love my sewing machine. It's a hand me down from my mother =)

Kirsten said...

My first Bernina is an 801, so I totally get where you are coming from. I really like the mechanical/metal/heavy, until I take it to a workshop... My other Bernina is an 830 record - a slight increase in harp (maybe 1/2 inch) and a few more stitches. Another very reliable workhorse.

Cheers, K

Barb and Sharon said...

I used to sew on a Singer Featherweight and loved loved loved it. I made lace curtains up to leather skirts on that machine. I was encouraged to buy a newer machine many years ago and reluctantly started sewing on my Husqvarna Lily 540. Now I love working on her, she runs like a dream.
Barb@Witsend

Leanne M said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leanne M said...

Oh my goodness, look how many comments you have already! I have a Brother NS30, and compared to the Brother PS53 that I used to have, I love it! It has an automatic bobbin winder function, needle threader and reverse/reinforcement stitch button. It sews beautifully and seems to handle different fabric thicknesses better than my old machine too. It also comes standard with several useful foot attachments, including a blind stitch foot. Thanks for the chance to win your fabric bundle and congratulations on 150 posts.

Leanne M said...

I am also a follower, having discovered you through the recent Quilting Gallery blog hop :).

Unknown said...

Greetings from Texas! Love your machine.

lindaroo said...

I recently upgraded from a very basic, small, lightweight Brother to a lovely, full-size, fancy Pfaff. Stitches are always even, it sews anything, it never gets pushed around the table during FMQ sessions! I'm not happy that I can't open it up and really clean it when I want to, and the plate markings and presser feet haven't yet combined to ensure the perfect scant 1/4" seam. Still, love is in the air!

Linda said...

I'm not leaving a comment to win - just had to laugh out loud at the photo of you sharing the chair with your cat - it's priceless!!

I have a Janome DC3050 I purchased from Amazon, with money I earned from catering. I have since retired from catering to quilt and play with fabrics. ;) It's the nicest machine I've ever had; I love the solidity of it and the smoothness of the stitching. So far it's quite adequate for me, although quilting is pretty tricky - there isn't much throat room.

If you happen to draw my name, go ahead and draw another since I live in the US and don't want you to pay for shipping that far. :)

Kirsten said...

I tend to use my older sewing machine more than the new one, as I can take it to sew-ins easily. Love your kitty "helpers"!

Kirsten said...

And i am a follower of your great blog.

Ellen said...

Love that you sew in your kitchen. I did that when my husband traveled overseas, but now took over my son's sunny room. So I can be messy on close the door when company comes.

Sarskhia said...

Your little Bernina looks great - the machine I learned to quilt on was a Bernina 1010, which I bought second-hand in the UK in about 2003. Unfortunately it was just too heavy to ship back to Australia when I came home, so regretfully I had to leave it behind. With hindsight I should have made room in the crates. :( Damn, I still miss that sewing machine ...

After borrowing my mother's spare machine for 4 years, my current machine is a Janome 2160DC which I have had for only the last two months. The salesperson wanted to sell me a machine which was 'especially for quilters' but I did the maths and decided it was cheaper to buy a sturdy little machine and buy a walking and a darning foot. So far I haven't come across anything it won't handle. Give me a few years time and I might think about something more 'serious' but, like you, I'm always pleased when I see beautiful quilts being produced by people who value the quirks and qualities of their work-horse machines.

You're very brave putting a photo of your working space out there for the world to see - mine looks like a fabric volcano just erupted.

Sarskhia said...

And I am a regular follower. I love finding fellow antipodean quilters.

Patricia Lessell said...

I have a Janome TXL 607 and I love it to pieces. I was on the Blog Hop on Thursday and spoke all about him/her (haven't picked a name yet so I don't know if it's a him or a her). Your working space was so neat and tidy and lovely and after reading about all the Bernina's now I'm hankering after one of those but don't my DH or he will kill me because I've only had the Janome for around 6 months.

Patricia Lessell said...

I am now following you via Bloglovin' and once I figure it out I shall be putting my blog on there too. Thanks for the chance to win that gorgeous fabric.

Tammie said...

I have a new Pfaff, we are in love!

✄ Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy ✄ said...

Hi girl! Thank you SO much for hopping with us. I hope you had as much fun writing up your post as I did reading it!
LOL - your cat cracks me up. Uh, he obviously wants that chair, so, uh, could you get your own?
ba ha ha ha.
I love that you're sewing on a 25yr old machine. You must love your ol' girl as much as I love mine!
Thanks again :)
xo
Erin

Marga (MarPie) said...

I have to admit that I have 11 sewing machines.
One Pfaff sewingmachine (it is mine but it is at my daughter though)
Have three Feather Weight (one white, one black and one black with a free arm)
One Janome embroiderey machine.
One Singer treadle sewingmachine
One singer hand sewingmachine
One singer vintage electric machine in a suitcase.
one pfaff quilter 4.0
one Pfaff grand quilter
one bernina serger
I use one feather Weight/Grand quilter/serger/quilter 4.0 and the embroidery the most of the time.
The one I love the most is the Grand Quilter 1200, on that one I machine quilt my quilts and it go's so good on this beauty. Just love it.
Thanks for the give away.

Warm regards,
Marga♥

Sharmond said...

I am loving the fabric in your giveaway. I sew on a Pfaff 2046 which I like and would only prefer a larger throat space for quilting. I do share my space with the guest bed, so have to straighten up when my grandson spends the night.

Erica said...

So fun to see your machine and sewing space. My mother-in-law has a Bernina and it looks very similar to yours, I will have to check next time I am at her house to see if it is the same model.

I have a Janome 6600P which I love. It is a little big and fancy, but since I had to buy a machine I wanted something that I wouldn't grow out of for a while.

Erica said...

And you know I'm a follower! :)

Ellen said...

I am a new follower.

Marlene said...

I love my Bernina also. It is a dream to sew with. Thanks for a chance to win

Kaynik said...

I have a Janome Horizon 7700 and I love it. No regrets

ktreve (at) hotmail (dot) com

Kathy said...

I have a Juki TL98 Q and I love it. It om=nly has the straight stitch but it is a workhorse I can rely on :)

Cecilia said...

I have a Bernina 440QE and I love it! I think your cat is cute on that blue chair. :-). Thanks for the giveaway.

Nita said...

Oh, that photo is too funny! Cats are such great helpers, eh?

Nita said...

I am also a new follower via bloglovin. Nice to meet you!

Dianne Neale said...

Hah! I have to fight the cat off my sewing chair too! And I sew on the dining table. Thanks for an interesting post

Gill said...

Thanks for a great post!
I love my machine (Viking) but I do have one gripe! the walking foot is so fiddly to attach!!

Gill said...

Congratulations!!
I'm a happy follower!

Lisa said...

What a nice way to celebrate, I've a really old Singer handed down to me that I love, because of its history, but I do not use it so much now as its been replaced by my lovely little Elna. Much lighter, portable and quiet :) thanks for the giveaway

Lisa said...

And I'm a new follower thanks to the blog hop :)

Unknown said...

This is awesome to find out about everyone's sewing machine. I have a love relationship with my Janome Professional memory craft 6500. It has a needle down, auto thread cutter, knee lift and it it like melted butter to stitch on. I also have a 1925 Singer that has a beautiful straight stitch and a brother that is good for just piecing. It has always been a dream to own a Bernina but my purse just will not allow it. Thanks for sharing your machine with us.

Unknown said...

I am a new follower.

nicole said...

Mine's definitely a love/hate relationship. My mom and my sister gave me my Kenmore machine about 15? years ago and it's been well used. But i would love a bit of an upgrade. Enjoying the blog hop and seeing what others use. Congrats on 150 and thanks for the chance to win!

nicole said...

I'm also a follower on bloglovin!

Kathleen said...

Have a Brother XL 5700 and mostly love it. There are no big bells and whistles, and its not the quietest of mahcines, but it does what its supposed to and is my first proper new machine. Happy 150th post!

B Greene said...

I got a vintage Singer 15-91 for Christmas and I love/love it! It is only a straight stitch machine, but it is a joy to sew with! Thanks for the great post about your machine and for the chance to win (love Sweetwater!).

Janet said...

It is great to see someone showing an older and simpler machine as their love. Really all we need a machine to do is sew, right? I have a bit fancier machine though. I was sewing on a new Singer, bought after my old Singer bit the dust. Not literally but she has tension issues that noone in my neck of the woods can fix. The new Singer sews, but I didn't love her. Loud and clunky but reliable. When I discovered that there was NO way to FMQ on her I started looking for something new. I have a Bernina 230. She is wonderful... If I was to get something new it would have a bigger throat space and a larger choice of embroidery stitches. That isn't in my near future though.

Mara said...

My mom bought my machine for me too! aren't moms the best, love the photo of your cat gently massaging you back for you.

Andrea said...

My sewing machine is a brother cs6000. I'd love something a little more powerful.

Pedal Sew Lightly said...

My viking 1100 was purchased slightly used in the mid 90s. Over the years I have taxed it sewing some pretty wild things and when I got the urge to quilt regularly last December I thought it may no longer be up to par. I meticulously cleaned and oiled it and adjusted the bobbin spring and it sews better than ever. I took it in for a maintenance service a few years ago and it was pronounced too far gone to adjust. I was skeptical and I am pretty sure they were trying to get me to upgrade. The 1100 has a deep throat for its era but I would love one of the newer deeper models but I still want to keep the 1100.

Siobhán said...

My machine is a Pfaff Hobby something or other. I really like it--it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that some machines have, but I use it for quilting and it does what I need it to do. We plan to move back to the US from Ireland in the next 5 years so I'll need a new machine due to the voltage differences. I think I have my sight set on a Bernina.

Judymc said...

I have two Berninas--an Aurora 435 & Activa 210, two black Featherweights, one Singer 401A and a Singer treadle. I bought my Aurora 435 for the 9mm stitching, blanket stitch, and stitch regulator for machine quilting. I enjoy the Activa 210, but I wish now I had purchased one with more stitches. It's really a wonderful little machine for taking to classes. My first Featherweight belonged to my great aunt, who was also a quilter. My treadle has a "bullet" bobbin and I'm going to learn to sew on it one of these days--I've found a lot of info about it online. Your cat is just too cute sitting with you on your chair!

Judymc said...

I just found your blog today and will be a new follower!

CitricSugar said...

Thanks for telling about your Bernina! Boy, they sure don't make them like they used to… I have a Janome 4120QDC and it's definitely a love situation with a 95% love it, 5% I love you but you're annoying me and I need space right now relationship thing happening. :-)

KathySue said...

I have a Bernina 801! I had never heard of Bernina but s introduced by the wonderful gentleman at the store I found through an ad in the newspaper. I was tired of having to get my second hand Singer serviced every time I moved (I was in the Army and enjoyed 5 different assignments in 6 years - and found lots of sewing machine repair shops) It was my treat to myself and 30+ years later I still love it. My granddaughter wants it, but I have been watch Craigs List and eBay for another just like it for her.

suemac said...

I just got a Janome 3160. So far I love the thread cutter and how quiet it is. My Singer Confidence Quilter is okay but I was looking for a little more bells and whistles.

Hanke said...

I have a Bernina 440QE since a year. Unfortunately I had to bring it to the services for 3 times ;-( I hope all is ready now so I can start with the BSR. I have give it a try, but find it very hard! You have to practice a lot I guess ;-)Nice to read your blog!

sueann said...

Congrats on 150 post!! I am adding you to bloglovin :) I just got my first machine, an old Kenmore that is heavy duty and I really like it, but its is hard to find parts and feet for so one day I will get another machine that is easier to quilt on, but I have a lot to learn before then!! :)

Wendy said...

after reading so many posts where quilters have amazing machines, it was nice to read about your relatively basic one! I have a Husqvarna Viking E-something which is my first machine. he's very basic, he drives me mad but I love him anyway!

kelly evans said...

i have a singer from the 1960's that was my grandmother's and i adore it. it's heavy, all metal and only straight stitch but that thing is a monster (in a good way). i've been sewing on it for over a year now and i haven't had any compaints really. i'm almost done with my first quilt and i am very excited. :)
thanks for the opportunity!

kelly evans said...

also i just followed you on bloglovin!

(ps i love the picture of you with the cats. such an annoyingly cute situation to be in! haha)