A New Addition

I am so excited! Yesterday, I went to my local machine dealer, to start my search for my birthday present - a new sewing machine. I've been sewing on a machine I picked up at Sam's Club - read into that what you will! I have had trouble with the think since they day I bought it - it seized up after about an hour of quilting. I had to take the sucker apart and oil it to get it to move again. So since I've had it, I have had to open it up for a good oiling every other day or so of high usage. Yuck!

It's been getting worse, and I was really starting to notice that the motor was not acting right. Sometimes I'd hit the foot pedal and nothing would happen. When it would sew, I would notice it would speed up then slow down, then speed up again. I could also never get it to sew at top speed anymore.

So I told hubby, that since my birthday is coming up in a week, that I suuuuure would like a new machine! He was receptive, and I let him know my price range (more on that later!) He agreed to that. Then he headed off to the State Fair again, and I promptly got into my car and headed to the nearest dealer. (Judy at Creative Sewing Center you are so nice!)

She was showing me a very nice Janome in my price range (actually, a good amount out of it, if you included the extending quilting plate I would have to order separately.) I asked if there were any used Bernina's - she said yes, but that she was sorry to say it was out of my price range. She said that's what she was going to show me first, until I told her my price range! So I asked if I could see it anyways.

So we had the Bernina and the Janome there in front of me, and I had her set them both up for free motion quilting for me. I tried the Bernina first, and it felt so good! Then I tried the Janome, and while it was pretty nice, it just didn't feel as right to me as the Bernina had! I looked at her and out of my mouth came, "I will take this one!"

I immediately started adding up how many hours of temp work I will need to do to pay the above and beyond the gifting amount - but in the end I still came home with this baby girl:



It's the Bernina 1260! Yes, I know, she's not the brand-new-this-year-model. But she also isn't computerized, which frankly weird me out anyways! She's also sturdy and hefty - I will most definitely need a case with wheels for retreats! And she sewing beautifully! :)

I didn't realize until I got home, that not only can she embroider an entire alphabet - and program in the letters to make words, but there is an extra plate that pops on, that does cursive letters, and a number set. To top it off, there is a period, and an apostrophe! Sweet, I can now add little poems and words to my quilting! AWESOME!

It was getting late, so on the way to dinner last night, I dropped in to JoAnn's and got a small packet of fat quarters, a yard of a batik, three threads and a small packet of batting. (It was too late to want to head to the other side of the city to the studio.)

When I came home, I whipped together a little piece to quilt on my new lady. I think it turned out kinda cute, nothing miraculous. But the piecing and quilting on the machine felt SO good!



Before dinner, but after getting the machine, I stopped in to visit my baby nephew Alex. He got to have some time in his Bumbo - isn't he ADORABLE? He is eight weeks, and it so good at holding his head full of crazy awesome hair up all on his own!

He's so cute, he's nearly edible! (I am not biased at all!)



Oh, and on Friday while running around and getting groceries for a big BBQ here at the house, I saw this out on the streets of Minneapolis! I love Jurassic Park, but apparently someone else loves it WAY more!

It also had the decal on the front that said "Jurassic Park" with the T-Rex head!

So this morning, I am going to be piecing together another little something, just so I can have more time with MY new baby, who is as yet, unnamed. But soon, my Bernina 1260 will whisper her name to me, I have a feeling she's gonna be a great best friend!

Have a great Labor Day!