ever so many things are going wrong here.
my machines have been on full tilt revolt in kalkatroona, as you already might know if you follow me on instagram or twitter. it has driven me to throwing fabric at my form in dangerous fashion. it has made sewing very... stressful. and we all know sewing is what we do to get happy.
sewists, as sewists will, as they are the best people on earth, flew to my aid: peter offered me my pick of loaners from his menagerie. carolyn is hell bent on letting me manhandle her high end janome (i am terrified). sonja drove me ALL THE WAY OUT to queens to bring my ailing friends in for diagnosis, and test drive some berninas.
we had an amazing day at sew right, if you're in the market, get thee there. harvey & co were just as delightful as they were on that thread cult podcast of yore-- the one in which harvey basically narrated my life as i tried my best to electrocute myself fixing my ricky. we spent four hours test driving all manner of machine, and yes, i did possess a bernina 1008 for about thirty minutes, but it wasn't love. actually, the further i get from the initial bliss of those test drives, the more i think i might not be a bernina girl after all. no offense, everyone has their favorite brand, right? harvey had a juki straight stitch that was heaven. the babylock jet air sergers were pure magic-- what about the babylock sewing jobs? and i haven't even tried a pfaff, husky or elna yet. um, and have you seen necchi's machines? i do have a soft spot for italians.
then there's the vintage debate. i've had six machines in seven years, and mostly it's been love: gimbles branded kenmore, singer featherweight, rocketeer, genie, elna lock pro dc 5, and finally my riccar superstretch 2600. combined, a total of $300. the argument of course being, if i had a brand new machine with quadruple the price tag, i might say i've had one machine in seven years that i've totally loved. one that might actually do professional buttonholes and solve tension on its own and such...
to my surprise, my riccar 2600 was pronounced by harvey to be the best model out there. good thriftin eye! yet, when i can buy another metal beast for less than the cost of service...it becomes somehow painful to keep him going. especially when, in the years ahead, parts for my riccar will become obsolete. as harvey said, although i scored the very best, there isn't a demand for vintage riccars. no demand, no supply.
product research stresses me clean out. always has. your advice is welcome, i'm mixing margaritas.
(speaking of stress, it has come to my attention that the oona drunken fat quarter challenge has produced unsafe levels of worry! not on MY watch. like i said, sewing is for happy times. the deadline is hereby extended to may 20, aaaaaaaaaand the contestants are hereby allowed to stitch whatever their hearts' desire. accessories! bikinis! placemats! TODDLERWEAR! and what man doesn't want a unicorn pocket square! have at, ladies!)
my machines have been on full tilt revolt in kalkatroona, as you already might know if you follow me on instagram or twitter. it has driven me to throwing fabric at my form in dangerous fashion. it has made sewing very... stressful. and we all know sewing is what we do to get happy.
sewists, as sewists will, as they are the best people on earth, flew to my aid: peter offered me my pick of loaners from his menagerie. carolyn is hell bent on letting me manhandle her high end janome (i am terrified). sonja drove me ALL THE WAY OUT to queens to bring my ailing friends in for diagnosis, and test drive some berninas.
we had an amazing day at sew right, if you're in the market, get thee there. harvey & co were just as delightful as they were on that thread cult podcast of yore-- the one in which harvey basically narrated my life as i tried my best to electrocute myself fixing my ricky. we spent four hours test driving all manner of machine, and yes, i did possess a bernina 1008 for about thirty minutes, but it wasn't love. actually, the further i get from the initial bliss of those test drives, the more i think i might not be a bernina girl after all. no offense, everyone has their favorite brand, right? harvey had a juki straight stitch that was heaven. the babylock jet air sergers were pure magic-- what about the babylock sewing jobs? and i haven't even tried a pfaff, husky or elna yet. um, and have you seen necchi's machines? i do have a soft spot for italians.
my southern man, however, has no love in his heart for this work in progress.
to my surprise, my riccar 2600 was pronounced by harvey to be the best model out there. good thriftin eye! yet, when i can buy another metal beast for less than the cost of service...it becomes somehow painful to keep him going. especially when, in the years ahead, parts for my riccar will become obsolete. as harvey said, although i scored the very best, there isn't a demand for vintage riccars. no demand, no supply.
oh ricky. you handled this silk lame with no demands whatsoever.
my dad, also known as big daddy here on the blog, surprised me with a loan of his featherweight (read: jeans hemmer) that i bought him several years ago, so stitching is happening. ploddingly. for those thousands of you experiencing sleepless nights, clenching your teeth, pulling at your hair, wondering WHAT IS OONABALLOONA STITCHING ON GODSAKES I MUST KNOW, you can rest semi-easy. myself, i am dreaming about machines nightly. that's not an exaggeration. i have... not nightmares, no, stressmares, in which i test drive machine after machine but always come out empty handed.
product research stresses me clean out. always has. your advice is welcome, i'm mixing margaritas.
(speaking of stress, it has come to my attention that the oona drunken fat quarter challenge has produced unsafe levels of worry! not on MY watch. like i said, sewing is for happy times. the deadline is hereby extended to may 20, aaaaaaaaaand the contestants are hereby allowed to stitch whatever their hearts' desire. accessories! bikinis! placemats! TODDLERWEAR! and what man doesn't want a unicorn pocket square! have at, ladies!)
I share your stressmares right now ;-). I am also in the market for a new overlocker, as my other one had to be left behind when we moved here. I'm hedging towards the Juki mo 1000 having been sent by others on the Babylock hunt, only to be distracted along the way. On the sewing front I drive a Pfaff expression 2.0 which I love for the walking foot and the dual voltage for when I cart it between Australia and the US.
ReplyDeleteinteresting! i've been sent on the babylock serger hunt as well. and the pfaff has the built in walking foot, right?
DeleteYep, the pfaff has a walking foot which I love. I ended up buying my juki mo 1000. My last machine was a 600dollar janome in Australia- can't quite remember the model as we speak. It was fantastic, no major problems, but I am so far twice as happy with this one. The air threading rocks! And the sew is lovely and smooth and tidy. It has pedal foot tension adjustment too. Sorry it's taken me so long to realise you replied ;-). Hope your serger hunt is going well!
DeleteAh, times have changed. Product research used to mean a trip to the library to read Consumer Reports Magazine, and/or a dinner table discussion. Aside from the stressing out bit, you're doing the right thing Oona. You're NOT making a decision in haste, and you're trying out various machines. It'll come down to the one that makes you giddy as you sew. You WILL know it's right...you just haven't met yet!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if your mannequin has a name, but if I draped my Madeleine in the same fashion; she'd surely laugh out loud, start swaying her hips and demand a Mai Tai.
Contrary to ruggy, I'm a northern gal, and I love the glimpse of what you're working on.
mine started wondering if she was supposed to be working at an island hooters.
Deletemaybe that's why research is so hard now-- there's almost TOO much information, and i hate not knowing every bit of it before i decide on a possibly big purchase. that's a vote in the vintage column, not as stressful to spend $50!
Dammit, you did an excellent job conveying your anxiety in this post, I broke out in an empathetic cold sweat. I'm sorry I can't be more help -- while the stitching of my childhood took place on one of those solid metal vintage Singers (lovely), as an adult I've made do with Brothers -- PC-420 sewing machine and 1034D serger. For years now they've never given me any trouble (nor second mortgages). And while I do drool over the beauties that reside in some folks' studios, I would rather spend my money on delicious fabric and trips to NYC. ;)
ReplyDelete"nor second mortgages"
Deletehahaaaaaa!
it is hard to think about what else the spending could buy. i for one am glad you used your mula to come to NY!!
I love my Brother machines. I have a basic sewing machine ($99 and has lasted me 7+ years with no problems...I should probably get it serviced one of these days for a tune up) and their basic serger (around $200 and have been using it for 1.5 years with no problems). I have tried the new Singers (my friend bought one--we both hate it) but my love will always be for the reliability and simplicity of Brother.
ReplyDeleteWHOAH. that's crazy! your brother must be magiked!
DeleteI got a used brother as my first machine when I was 20. Pretty certain that lasted me at least 10 years, if not more. It was indestructible. That makes me feel old. I'd like to buy a fancy new machine but would be equally as overwhelmed with the choices.
DeletePeople love that $190 Brother serger on Amazon. I see good reviews all over the place. I'm sorely tempted, as being the vintage straight-stitch purist is getting old but I don't want to make a big investment.
DeleteIn my opinion all Brothers are magiked! ;) I will say, after my vintage serger bit the dust I was anxious about buying another. But the $200 one on Amazon made sewing knits so much easier I've never looked back.
DeleteKeep test-driving!
ReplyDeleteMy old machine died just before Christmas and it would have cost too much to repair. I had a bunch of gift projects on the go, so I panicked, tried out two different brands and bought one that I thought I liked. But my new machine (a Husqvarna) has just never felt right to me. I wish I had tried out more, and spend more time testing on different types of fabrics and sewing things other than straight lines. I think you'll know the right machine when you find it!
it's pressure filled, isn't it?! MUST GET STITCHING AGAIN!! i think that influenced the 1008 for me.
DeleteI have my grandma's bernina and it is great. My mom has a Pfaff and I strongly dislike sewing on it. It is the least intuitive machine I've ever used and the buttonholer was enough to put me right off button holes in any form for a long time. It also has this strange feature that is unique to Pfaffs that the needle always returns to the upright position after you take your foot off the presser, no matter where you are, which is totally annoying if you need to pivot in the middle of a seam, but is totally nice if you are in the habit of reaching the end of a seam with the needle half down. It also has super good control for speed. I had a Necci when I first started sewing and it was the worst. The worst!! It had unfixable tension issues, and garments that should have been 2-3 hours took 8-10 as a result. Stress, unhappiness, and more stress. I stopped sewing for a decade after that. But then I got the Bernina after my gram passed, and all is happy land now.
ReplyDeletei wonder if only some models had that? i've read it has an up/down needle feature-- i'd hate for that needle to always be up. that's on eof my main gripes with my old machines- always turning that handwheel.
DeleteI've always had Pfaffs, and none of mine did the "only stay up" thing. I just sold all my older machines to upgrade, and even though I tried out a Bernina, I ended up with a Pfaff Ambition. It has needle up/down, drop in bobbin, add-ons like a quilt table thingy. Only thing I don't like are the snap-on presser feet, but after 2 months, I guess because I know the conventions of Pfaff machines I'm really pleased with my purchase. Best of luck with your search Oona!
DeletePfaffs aren't intuitive for buttonholes, it's true. The buttonholers take a bit of practice and getting used to. That being said, I'm a stitcher for theatre, and every shop in town has Pfaffs. They are tanks and will put up with just about any abuse you can throw at them. We run everything from chiffon to burlap and leather through those things and they always come through. And they sew for countless miles before they quit. None of our shop Pfaffs have that 'needle up' feature either. Pfaffs are so very trusty and sturdy. I love them so much I bought a Pfaff serger for home use and she's been just perfect. My home sewing machine is an Elna that my mom bought the year I was born. I learned on that machine, so many of my childhood clothes and toys came from that machine, and I have DEEP emotional attachment to it. Also, it's been sewing nonstop for over thirty years and is still running beautifully. I tune it up occasionally and have replaced exactly ONE part on it in my 15 years of owning and using it- the feed dog, because the teeth had finally worn down. So....Pfaffs and Elnas are my recommendation. Lastly, we in the biz have not generally loved Janomes. Those guys simply don't jive with our needs, they're fussy. And, as one cutter put it to me last month in her delightful Quebec accent- "I don't like Berninas. Zey are princesses."
DeleteI will also concur on the Juki love I'm seeing in this thread. They are lovely. So are vintage Singers.
DeleteHey Oona, I'll have a margarita on the rocks, no salt, lots of love....one five minutes after the other. :-)
ReplyDeleteKimberly
a taker!! comin right up. i make them strong, fair warning.
DeleteYou're so nice to change the rules. Even though we all know rules are made to be broken (MADE TO BE!!!!)
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your search. t'is a difficult thing to do!
i mean, ABSOLUTELY! i try to break rules whenever possible!
DeleteYou know if you open this out you'll have stress mares of a different type, conflicting advice,everyone's going to have their fave after all. I think sewing machines are like a pair of well worn slippers- or an even better analogy is to running shoes. You find the brand that suits for you, there's a bit of wearing in and then that's what you get used to, it's easy. Come the need to go off to a different brand, now that is scary- even bobbin threading and winding is different. The stiffness and blister potential of a new brand of running shoes. Comfort zone - left behind forever. Confidence that performance will be affected? Undoubtedly. But with your sewing machine history you've had many different brands of running shoes!! You can cope with change. So you were eyeing up my pfaff creative1472, about 20 years old and as my sewing machine man says, it's got first class innards and will last forever. Its needle does what I tell it to, and it has a fab button that forces it to finish in the down position if I want, to keep my stitching line straight when I pause, and to make pivoting neater. I use that a lot, it's simple, but very useful. It's got a ton of embroidery stitches I don't use. I always thought its buttonholer was great, compared to my previous 4 step buttonholer. But then I saw that Marie ( stitching odyssey) had a machine that has a little place to put your button in for it to sew the right size buttonhole. Now that's magic. I have an air pumping baby lock serger too. When I bought it the sewing machine shop man said it was in the same league as my pfafff, so I bought it while I had the dosh....not knowing if I would in the future. ...
ReplyDeletethis is very true. it's probably like asking someone what their type is. but i have been super interested n the vintage & new pfaffs, that IDT system...all of the things yours does are on my hit list. and the babylock jet air threader! see... we're kinda simpatico....
Deleteand i am adaptable to change, that's true!
I was feeling sorry for you, because a fabric artist/sewist, such as you, MUST have a machine upon which to create beautiful things. Then I remembered a post at Christmas, about a most extraordinary gift, in the form of a gorgeous glass ornament depicting a sewing machine, accompanied by a large chunk of cash to buy a Bernina. I understand why you decided against it, but, in light of recent events, isn't it time to pull out that cash, and spend it on a new machine, even if not a Bernina? It will make your supportive family smile, that you have availed yourself of their generosity, and it will make you smile, when you realize that everything works on your new machine, with no stress, fuss or trepidation. I encourage you to buy a new machine today!
ReplyDeleteHA! ah, that very generous gift changed dramatically after the holiday glowed waned...and after i realized how much bernina it would actually buy. it was a nice chunk! but holy WOW those machines are expensive! i did spend it (for a minute) though-- but my experience with the 1008 was lackluster, i couldn't be comfortable keeping it. it made me think twice about what kind of machine i really want...
DeleteWhich Juki are you thinking about? I want to get a vintage bernina that zig zags and/ or a modern juki straight stitch.
ReplyDeleteharvey had the semi-industrial straight stitch that just came out. if i had a full on sewing room and space for multiple machines, i'd do it...
Deleteoh, look, YOU do.....
I love my Janome Memory Craft 3000--it's about 15 years old and I live in dread of the day I'll have to start the search for a new model. I love it. I learned on my mother's basic Singer machine, so the Janome was a big step up for me in terms of features. But it's got everything I need, all the basics plus some fancy extras like automatic and sensor buttonholes, and the operation and location of all the buttons makes sense to me. It sews through anything I throw at it--however many layers I throw at it. 6 layers of denim or upholstery brocade? No problem. Two fine layers of crepe de chine? No worries! Have you tried any Janomes? They're solid machines. My coworker also owns one and really likes hers, too.
ReplyDeleteif carolyn gets her way (and let's face it, she and i both usually do) i'll be trying a janome very soon ;).
DeleteI'm a big fan of Janome's - I decided to buy a new machine recently and played with both Janome and Bernina's... and my thinking is that the Bernina's are nice, but very overpriced. I bought the new Janome DC7060 and got a similar if not better machine than those found in the 3000 series, for half the price. I am in love with the up-and-down needle button, and the knee lift in particular. She is a lovely machine!
Delete(Interestingly, the Necchi EX30 looks like the EXACT SAME MACHINE as the new Janome 7060/7100, minus the knee lift).
Good luck finding a new machine - it can be very difficult, particularly with all the different models and opinions out there.
I have to say I do like me a good singer *however* I also have use of my mum's 40 year old 'new home made by janome' machine and it runs like a dream! So yeah either are good ☺
ReplyDeleteYou know since you're putting the business on the street, you need to accept the kindness of your friends! Dayum, take one of Peter's machine, borrow the one from me, and anyone else who offers one. Try them all out, see what you like and don't like, and then make a decision. All the research won't help you make a decision but the actual hands on use of the machines will. Sewing is sensory and you develop a physical connection with your machine NOT an intellectual one.
ReplyDeleteMy last point is obviously for the type and amount of sewing you're doing the cheap and inexpensive isn't working, so you NEED to upgrade. And yes buying a new sewing machine is like buying a car, a house or an apartment...you have to love it!!!
As for the challenge, I have an idea that I want to try before I throw in the towel. Oh and since I care for you so much I'm still bringing the dayum machine!!!
HAHAAAA! it's my way of not talking myself out of it!
DeleteI have a vintage White (ADORE!) and a Janome Magnolia 7330 that is "fancy" without a heart-stopping price-tag
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Janome-7330-Magnolia-Computerized-Built-In/dp/B001GTX2U4
and I love this machine too
~Beckie
I have a love/hate relationship with my Pfaff. It's the mid-level machine (which may be part of it's problem, IDK), and while I'm head over heels for the IDT feature, I hate that I can't adjust the presser foot pressure (you can on more expensive models) and the buttonholes are mind-blowingly atrocious--like seriously WTF bad. I did test drive a way-out-of-my-budget TOL Pfaff that was pink and had the adjustable presser foot pressure and made fantastic buttonholes, but well, I couldn't afford it. So if you are looking, give Pfaff a try, but I'd suggest avoiding the mid-level and below machines.
ReplyDeleteMy SIL has an el cheapo Brother that she highly recommends (and it makes beautiful buttonholes and and dead simple to use), though I would probably go a bit higher quality than hers for a hardcore seamster. And I don't know about Babylock sewing machines, but I have the Imagine serger and I LOVE IT.....LOVE IT!! I only wish I had a matching coverstitch to go with it....
Good luck in your sewing machine search! And don't settle for a machine you aren't head over heels for--you spend far too much time with it to be unhappy. :-)
I read a study about doing product research. It compared the satisfaction between groups who researched ad infinitum and those who did basic research and then picked the first option that met the requirements and felt "right." The second group had the highest satisfaction.
ReplyDeletei. BELIEVE IT.
DeleteI hope you will soon have a sewing machine again. I do not know what I would do when my Pfaff broke down, already some 20 years old...I follow your blog for a while now and it is amazing what you create. Sometimes it is too crazy for me, but always such a good work.
ReplyDeletei gotta say i love a good shot of honesty. thank you!
DeleteBernina Aurora line is a fantastic sew! Recently discontinued, so you may be able to find one at a very reasonable price.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any advice on the machine front, but I am drooling over that pleated orange silk!!! Best of luck as you continue to hunt for "the one!"
ReplyDeletePfaff all the way!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Bernina-lover, but it's such a personal thing. Go with your gut. It's almost never wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnd I literally JUST put the final press on a toddler's dress made from fat quarters. How did you know?
Sorry about your not-so-much love for the Bernina. I'll tell you what I love about them - I have two that were in a flood. They were tipped from their tables as the shop filled with water and ended up on the floor, in water and silt for two days before picked up, dried out, tuned and and yes, they are still going strong today! Both are 830's, which came out in the early 70's. My mother bought her 830 new in 1973 : ) I also have a 930, the same machine Peter acquired a year ago. FABULOUS machine, one of the last models before things were computerized. When I ran a costume shop we bought all new machines after the aforementioned flood in 1996, so we had computerized glory and could make the same buttonhole 10,000 times EXACTLY the same! I know because I once made 750 vests for a client that each had a dozen buttonholes so maybe the 10,000 is a slight, but only slight, exaggeration. (I hate vests to this day but can make one in less than 30 minutes in my sleep).
ReplyDeleteIt is LOVELY to be able to do fancy programmable embroidery but if a machine of mine can't go from 8 layers of denim to tulle without blinking an eye I have no time for it. Find one that makes you smile, the rest will fall into place : )
I am a Bernina gal, but have heard tell Janome is a great brand at a good price point. Trying to test them out, tho only 1 dealer around these parts carries that brand. Consider the fact that you need to buy your dealer as well as your machine - you hope to have a long happy relationship with the dealer. My 2 cents, sweetie! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAi ai ai.
ReplyDeleteI cannot really advise anything, so I won't try. But I feel you. You're dreaming about it!
Last night, I dreamt about a thrift shop type of shop that had Things. I found bits of silk thread in many colours. And in the back of the shop, there was a room full of metal sewing machine bits. Sewing feet. Lots. There were feet that would fit my machine waiting for me there. But I woke up. Dreams can be horrible.
Good luck in your search!
Oh how stressful indeed. I can't even bear the idea of sending my husky off for a set/rinse/service let alone be without her INDEFINITELY! I've only got experience on my mums 40year old very basic Bernina and my 35 year old husky that was generously gifted to me by mother in law. My mum reckons buy the best you can afford and go European. I have no other pearls of wisdom than that. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI know you said you weren't a Bernina girl, but I absolutely love my 30 year old Bernina 801. She runs so smoothly, does the best buttonholes, and handles everything with minimal fuss. She's a workhorse and I love her! On the overlocker front I am very happy with my Bernette 344DS, also an ageing beauty. I purchased both machines from sewing machine repair people so I know they're in great working order. What can I say, I love an all metal machine!
ReplyDeleteI only know that the stress of needing to suddenly buy a new machine wouldn't be so bad, since I know enough about sewing machines to know what I want. I hope you find a machine you love soon!
ReplyDeleteI on the other hand, spent the last 3 weeks muddling through how to choose a new laptop - mind you I was choosing between about 4 models! And I am as geriatric as it gets when it comes to things like technology. I'm totally ignoring the fact that my phone needs to be replaced! It barely works anymore.
I know the heartbreak of a broken machine all too well. Fortunately now, I have backups if such a thing were to happen. I have not paid over $300 for a machine yet, but may do so in the coming year. I guess it all depends how they handle when I do some test drives. Good luck with yours. It sounds like it's worth getting it fixed!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Boo. You're always welcome to come up to the heights if you need to use a machine! I LOVE my 15 year-old Viking Husqvarna Lily 545. Lily is my girl. I can't vouch for what new ones are like, obviously. And my Singer Stylist II serger is great. It sometimes goes rogue on me but i'm assuming it's often pilot error. The only weird think about Husqvarnas is that there is no invisible zipper foot. Like at all. So they've provided a workaround with another one of their feet that actually works just fine. Good luck on your hunt! And seriously you're always welcome..
ReplyDeleteResearch IS stressful! There's waaayyy too much information available to us! It makes it so hard! But I do think you're doing the right thing. I feel like if you're going to drop real $$$ ($?) on your next machine, you want it to be with you FOR LIFE! It's like getting married - except it's to a machine, not a human who you can communicate with - so it's, like, harder than getting married. I say take your time, and plod away on your loaner machines for the time being. Also, maybe tune out a lot of other people's advice and just try machines until you find 'the one'. Sometimes they just kind of show up when least expected...
ReplyDeleteWell I do hope you find the machine of your dreams! I am having sewing withdrawals myself, as we are in temporary quarters here in SF for a few more days. Excited to hear what you get! And I love love your works in progress, that gold is fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love my Gladys. She is a Viking. Stitches through all manner of heavy fabrics--wool, denim, vinyl, weird things I have found at the thrift store. Purrs ever so sweetly. She is mechanical, no computer, no fancy stuff. Weighs about a million pounds. About 6 years old. She was a gift, so I don't know the exact price, but less than $300. The only thing that I do not like about her are her buttonholes. So, I keep my old Singer around for that job.
ReplyDeleteRecently bought the Juki 2010Q, yes I am in love. I have the Babylock Quest - not a good machine. So I am shying away from baby lock right now. btw, Juki has picked up the air threading that Babylock sergers have. I guess I'm leaning more Juki these days.
ReplyDeleteI bought a new machine last year after mine was in the shop for 6 WEEKS and still came back broken...arg! I got a Juki F600 and I really like it...but I find myself pining for an industrial straight stitch, I wish I had done more research. But then what to do about buttonholes? My Juki sews some very pretty buttonholes :) I will be very interested to see what you end up with!
ReplyDeleteOkay, your Dad's sewing on a Featherweight? Did I miss that part? (I'm new here.) He rocks.
ReplyDeleteI started sewing again on a $100 Janome from Ebay that was fine. Then got a Bernette 20 on Ebay that's fine. It's not the machine, it's you. So get something that's fine, until the real thing comes along.
My place is full of Brothers, One all metal one with a few stitches, an plastic on and a serger. There are a couple of Singers I have been looking at but Vintage of course. Also would like an industry machine, babylock and coverstitch machines. So many wants, no room.
ReplyDeleteOona I had stressmares nightly with my Singer so I went out hellbent on buying myself a snazzy machine to end my worries (I was NOT ok with the wrinkle in my forehead being manifested by this nasty Singer machine).....I bought a used Bernina 1008 (no bells, no whistles)---heavy as hell, but that thing is my savior on every level. It is amazeballs. It will sew through anything, doesn't fuss, doesn't bitch, doesn't give me a single worry other than when I must rethread the bobbin-which I do on my little doohikey bobbin winder I picked up at Joann's. It was still sewing when I had it cleaned (read-husband opened it up with his man tools) and there was nearly a wig in it from all the fluff and fuzz. No joke. We only opened it up because I thought it was "time"... I love Bernina, maybe test ride one yourself and see the magic? :D
ReplyDeleteI got my machine at Sew Right when I still lived in Queens, and I loved it there. They are such an awesome group of people :) Good luck with the hunt and enjoy playing with all the pretty machines out there!
ReplyDeleteWell, all I can say is I got my Juki straight stitch (1500 stitches per minute!) a few years back and never looked back. I love not thinking about it anymore. Next machine I buy will be industrial, if I ever buy another. I WOULD like a nicer serger, and a buttonholer, and a coverstitch machine... but Juki is my sewing soul mate.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that butterfly is draped for what I think it's draped for... Nettie technicolour tit explosion.
ReplyDeleteI HAVE been wondering what the devil you've been stitching on!!! May I comment that your first pic looks like a rorschach test... I wonder if it's a physical materialization of your internal angst? ;) I'm probably not a good person to give thee machine advice - I have two old metal clunkers and they're both my friends at the moment but I would likely pay to get them fixed if the time came (depending on what transgressions they committed of course) :)
ReplyDeleteIt's taking me forever just to figure out what iron I should buy after my Sunbeam of 5 1/2 years crapped out. In the meantime, I'm working with the $15 Brentwood cheapo I picked up at my local discount store. I must be crazy, but it's not half bad... I can't even imagine trying to find a new sewing machine! Oh, and "product placement" is the best blog title ever paired with that first photo. Too good!!
ReplyDeleteI will weigh in with my two cents worth, because you can't have too much advice! I have a Janome computer equipped (very generous description of the technology!) sewing machine that was the be all and end all in home sewing machines 26 years ago. Fabulous machine, has never missed a beat. All metal, weighs a ton. And I have a Janome JL-620 overlocker which was pretty much all that was around in home overlockers 27 years ago. Fabulous machine, zooms along nicely. So I am a Janome fan.
ReplyDeleteHappy hunting!
Good luck, I think we sewists can get caught up in the epic search for the holy grail of machines, but with good reason, right?
ReplyDeleteI love that you do all your magic on old machines like this. And def. agree that there's so much option anxiety around choosing one. Dang the internet! But I was happiest when I went with my gut. (I realized I like the "sound" of certain motors, the sound of efficiency, whatever that is to me.)
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