Tickets went on sale yesterday and we sold over half of them. I'm so pumped!
I'd love for you to join us and there are a few tickets left so pop on over and read all about this awesome retreat, the 4 workshops included and go ahead and buy your ticket. Come, on you know you want to come!
Today I'm taking part in Know Thy Machine- a great blog hop series organized by Shruti at 13 Woodhouse Road.
Each day Shruti has great prizes you can win, along with a grand prize. Pop on over after reading my post for a chance to win!
This week I'm in good company kicking off the first week of the hop with these other talented ladies:
Monday, October 22 - Emily from Mommy's Naptime
Tuesday, October 23 - Kimberly from Fat Quarter Shop
Wednesday, October 24 - Doris from Made by a Brunnette
Thursday, October 25 - Jennifer from Ellison Lane
Friday, October 26 - Sara from Sew Sweetness
Saturday, October 27 - Vicki from Sew Inspired
So what kind of machine do YOU sew with? I got a new machine last Christmas so this series would have really helped me out last year. With so many great machines out there, finding the right one for you is like finding a great pair of shoes. You have to try out several before you find the perfect fit!
1. What machine(s) do you have? Brand and Model. I sew with a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0, and I love it!
2. When and where did you buy it? What were the reasons for selecting this(these) particular model(s). What was its approximate cost. I got this machine last year for Christmas. It was a gift but I picked it out from Charlotte Sewing Center. It was a super generous gift as it is a bit pricey and runs about $2000-$3000. I sew every day so it is well-used and well-loved.
I shopped around and got lots of input and and test drove several models before deciding on this one. I had a Pfaff before this one and having loved it, I ultimately decided to go with another Pfaff.
Here's what I love about this machine. It has an integrated walking foot that I use all the time. It is a dual feed system that feeds your fabric layers through evenly on the top and bottom. If I don't have it on, I can absolutely tell! This is the reason I bought another Pfaff. It's a fabulous feature on their machines.
I also love the large throat space which is so helpful when quilting. Gotta wrangle a big quilt? It's so much easier with more space! Another great feature is the easy pivot feature. When you stop sewing, the presser foot automatically lifts slightly so you can turn your fabric as needed without manually lifting the presser foot. It's pretty cool and oh so helpful. I use it all the time.
3. What do you like about your machine? Have you named it? Have you made a cover for it? Funny, I haven't named my machine but this has inspired me to call her Stella after my grandmother. My grandmother was a fabulous seamstress although I didn't appreciate this growing up- she was just Grandma. She passed away when I was 24 so she never got to share in my passion for sewing. It seems fitting that I name my machine after her as a tribute.
I have in fact made a cover for it and have a tutorial for it!
4. Does your machine give you any problems? Could you tell us a few? You know, the only real trouble I ever have with my machine depends on the type of thread I use. She's really picky and absolutely prefers Aurifil! My machine has automatic tension settings which I LOVE. I think this prevents a lot of potential issues.
5. What do you sew on it mainly? Quilts, Clothes, Bags etc. How much time do you spend sewing on it? What are the features of the machine that help you improve your work? I began my sewing career making quilts but have recently branched out to all kids of accessories. I love making small things that are quick as much as I love quilts. Sewing is a constant learning experience. There is always something new to create.
I usually sew every day so my machine gets a lot of use. Some days more than others. The dual feed/integrated walking foot makes my life easier as does the ability to program settings such as automatic anchoring stitches and thread cutting. I use those the most!
6. What advice would you give others when deciding about which machine to buy? Shop around and test drive a lot of options to see what fits you best. Buy the best you can afford. I've found that some very low priced models have thread and tension issues that make it frustrating because you spend a lot of time fixing the problem rather than sewing. That being said, you don't need to spend a fortune. Read the comments in this post to get a lot of advice about machine shopping!
7. Will you share with us a special memory associated with your machine? I think the most special memory is that it was a gift from my parents. My mom always sewed when I was growing up but I was never interested in sewing. Only after having children did I have any interest in sewing. My parents saw that I had a passion for it and treated me to a super nice machine that I love. I'm lucky.
8. If you had unlimited resources in the world, which machine would you choose to buy and why? Part of me says an embroidery machine would be fun but mostly, I think my machine rocks and don't know that there is another that I would like better.
I hope y'all enjoyed that little Q&A. Be sure to head over to 13 Woodhouse Road and enter to win today's prize!
xo,
Jennifer
11 comments:
Fun post! It's always interesting to hear what people think of their machines.
Great Idea: naming your machine. I love the cover. I think I soon deserve a new machine so I'll be checking all the recommendations. I don't quilt (yet) so I might not need a big budget.
My main machine is a Juki TL98-Q I've named Tillie - she used to be my quilt frame machine, but since I graduated to a longarm, she's now my main piecing machine. I love the way she sews, and wouldn't trade her for anything! My longarm is a Janome machine made by Artistic Quilter - her name is Jolene and she's a workhorse!! We play a lot together. I have several other machines, all Singers, dating from 1900 on. Only one is named - Sweet Charity, because my daughter found her at a charity yard sale for $3! She's beautiful and runs like a top. We've also just added a half-size Janome for my granddaughter to learn on - I don't know what her name will be but I'm sure it will be interesting!
Funny, I used to have a Pfaff, one of the 2100 series, and it too worked best with Aurifil. That is where my Aurifil obsession began.
A gal in our MQG shared last week that she has had this same machine (as your's) for almost two years and had experienced nothing but frustration, tried everything she could think of, expensive needles, expensive thread, etc., and finally a dealer suggested she try regular Schmetz Sharps and she hasn't had any trouble since... funny how fickle they seem sometimes.
Hey Jennifer, I am still trying to work out sew south! It is the weekend of many of the march madness games and am trying to get some help for my husband with the kids. I hope there is still a spot open!
I now sew on a $50 machine from Walmart after my machine of over 30years died on me in the middle of a quilting project.... Several years ago I had to make a choice to go on mission trips or keep my job. I chose missions...which has been awesome, yet my income is well, zero..thus the Walmart machine. But....my dream machine....has all the bells and whistles, the bobbin never runs out, the needles are always sharp & strong as steel, never a missed stitch or tangled threads, my dream machine even does laundry and dishes and makes a mean glass of iced tea! A girl can dream and I'm learning to Dream BIG! :D
sowingstitches [at] gmail [dot] com
If I didn't have to fly to the states for your retreat, I would so be there! Unfortunately flights from Australia to the US are rather expensive! I look forward to joining you from cyberspace though :)
I read your post and just have to share! I too have a Pfaff (although she is 20 years old this year) but at the time I wanted her because of the dual feed, and I still use that feature nearly every time I sew. I also received the machine as a very unexpected gift of love(from my husband) after he observed me using my sister's Pfaff and raving about its great qualities.
Ironically, I also have a machine named Stella, which belonged to my grandmother's who was also named Stella. Just this past summer I traveled to Seattle, carefully packaged Stella - my grandmother's 1926 Singer treadle machine - and shipped her nearly 3000 miles to my home in Florida.
There are times when I really want to purchase a Bernina with the BSR feature, but overall, my machine does a great job, especially for her age.
Lastly, I really wish I could attend Sew South! Sounds like so much fun! I'll have to check out the budget and the calendar and see if I can make this work.
Thanks for a fun blog post.
I've got 3 machines ~ the Janome Horizon or Blanche as I call her, the Janome Gem and a really old mint colored Singer Feather weight.
Love them all and I'd say the only thing I wish my Horizon had would be a stitch regulator for quilting. I've been thinking of replacing it with a Bernina because it does have a stitch regulator.
The retreat sounds lovely ~ I've never been to the South and it would be fun!
I have a 4.0 Expresion I bought last spring I love it but am having trouble with the tension. I havn't seen Aurifil thread I use Gutermann it's a good quality thread. I also have trouble with the thread cutter. every time it quits working I find that a little screw has come loose but it is a pain to have go in and tighten it again. I find that so far I like my Viking that I used for over 20 years better than my new machine.
Ha! I just worked my way backwards through all Shruti's "Know thy Machine" post and found this! Of course, if I had started at the beginning I would have found it sooner! So glad to hear you like your Pfaff... I am looking at machines right now and I like it the most, but everyone keeps trying to tell me to get the Janome. But I tried it and I just really like the Pfaff! If you have any additional suggestions on how to enjoy it and keep it happy, I am all ears! I think I will commit to getting mine on Monday, so still doing last minute research.Such a great decision to have to make! Lucky me!
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