New Beginnings...

When I first started sewing in 2000, I bought my first sewing machine. At that time they used to have a Husqvarna dealer inside my local JoAnn's craft store. Not knowing anything about sewing or machines, I went to them for advice. I ended up buying a Husvarna Viking Freesia 425. Oh, how I've loved that machine! It has been a workhorse for the last 2 decades and I've spent untold hours sewing and quilting on it. 

Husqvarna Viking Freesia 425

In 2005, I became interested in embroidery. After some research, I bought a Babylock Ellegante from my local dealer. This machine is great for everyday sewing, makes a perfect quarter inch seam and has no trouble with thick fabrics. However, the embroidery part has given me nothing but trouble. I've had it into the shop numerous times for the same issue and each time they said it was user error. I brought it in again late last year and told them I didn't want it back until it could stitch out an embroidery pattern I brought with me. It turns out there is a known problem with this model when it starts sewing fast (which you have to do with machine embroidery.) It's far past it's warranty period and the cost to fix it is very expensive with no guarantee it will work. They suggested I replace the machine and offered to give me a good deal. Unfortunately, after this experience I no longer trust them.

Babylock Ellegante

Fast forward to just before Christmas last year. My trusty Viking workhorse started having tension issues and refuses to sew over bulky seams anymore. I was trying to use my Babylock for Free Motion Quilting, but the thread kept breaking. After trying to quilt a 2" block and having the thread break 20 times, I was beyond frustrated and decided to just stop sewing. My dear sweet husband then insisted on my looking for another machine. He justified the expense by saying it was cheaper than the therapy I would need if I quit sewing. (He's probably right...)

After careful research and several hours test driving it, I bought a Janome Memory Craft 9450 from The Broken Needle (a little quilt shop close to me). I know that machines have advanced significantly in the last 15 years, but I was surprised at how many features it has. Of course, I wasn't interested in most of them; I just wanted it to do what I needed it to do and do it well. I tested the free motion quilting, the quarter inch seam, how it handled fabrics of varying thickness and multiple types of thread. (My Babylock is a little fussy about silk and metallic threads.) The dealer was a little surprised to see that I brought my own thread for the test drive! It passed every test I threw at it with flying colors. 

Janome Memory Craft 9450

I got a great deal on it and it even came with a free sewing table.

Janome Memory Craft 9450 with table

 I love my new machine! It is a joy to free motion quilt again. Now I can finally get some of this backlog done! I hope this machine will be with me for the next 20 years and I can't wait to see everything I can create with it.

If you've followed me for long, you'll notice that I usually close with a picture of one of our furbabies. This time I have two. Jack and Gabriel have recently gone onto the Rainbow Bridge. They both lived long healthy lives; Jack was 20 and Gabriel a month shy of 15 years old when they passed. We miss them both greatly.

Jack on a quilting project

Gabriel

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. 

There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, 

for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelation 21:4 NIV