This is all YOUR fault!

[pamd]

Hey, I have to have someone to blame. I mean, what would you have done? I NEED an embroidery foot for my old, trashy, low-end Singer. Found one online for $24.95. Yeah, right. Decided I would go to Jo-Ann's (fabric/craft store) to see if they had it. No, of course not. So......
I bought a new sewing machine! The one I wanted had a slide switch that would allow me to select the speed of the machine, but of course they were out of that one, so I got one that I just use my foot control? Was that a mistake? I have 10 days to return it. What do you think?

Oh, what am I going to do with it? Free embroidery on felt, of course. It's a Husqvarna Viking 116, not computer, just plain. Metal instead of plastic, which the woman said she liked better, but......

[Shepherdess]

You can't blame me i don't have an embroidery foot yet. I am not a sewer and I love the turtle and hare switch on mine. it is always on turtle but when a friend who is a sewer comes to help me with something I can switch it up for her. If you are good with the foot control it is fine (I used to have one like that) but you have that control with the speed switch too. Try it out on lots of scraps and see how it feels.

[lyn]

Oooh - a new machine - lucky you.

Here's my tuppence-worth:
You certainly don't need a computerised machine for free embroidery on felt - you're going to decide the sewing not the machine.
Metal wins hands down. I have a very old, solid metal Bernina and it's a workhorse. I also have a newish plastic machine that's under the table and unloved, and my daughter has an all-singing, all-dancing expensive Janome gathering dust in the corner whilst she uses her very old Bernina.
We both only have foot control for speed.....it's fine.......unless you sneeze.

But, during the next 10 days, play with your new machine loads and you'll make your own mind up.

[pamd]

Thanks, Lyn and Ann. I've been playing all afternoon and so far I am moderately happy. I think I need to play more!

And I see I forgot to add, they gave me the darning/embroidery foot ($42) for free, and because I couldn't get the one I wanted and was leaving, they gave me an additional $50 off the machine.

Thanks for confirming, Lyn, that the electronic do everything machine was way overkill. I almost went for it because it was so cool, but after thinking it over, realized that I wouldn't really need any of that stuff!

Oh, and this was an early birthday present for ME, from ME! I don't normally go out and spend sums like this, but I was getting really frustrated with my old machine and.....I did it.

[MTRuth]

Sounds like you did good. It just takes practice now. Have fun!

[pamd]

Thanks, Ruth. It definitely is going to take practice, but that should be fun!

[karen]

OH i see your going to be stitching up a storm now Pam lol Have fun

[pamd]

Here is my first learning experience!


flower1 by pamd8, on Flickr

Lots to learn, and first is how to set the tension on my machine so the thread will stop breaking!

[jufergu]

I do artist talks around town with my art quilts. When I tell people that I have no fancy machines, just lower end Phaff and Janome, they are surprised. No fancy stitches, no out of the ordinary anything. My phaff has the built in walking foot for piecing; and my Janome, which is used for free motion, has the slide for speed control. It is not the machine. It is how skillful you become when you use it. Practice, practice, practice.

[Shepherdess]

I think you did a great job on the flower.

[pamd]

Thanks, Ann, and Judy, for reinforcing my decision to get the machine I did.

I just finished making another sheet of felt to make "whatever" with.

[lyn]

That is really pretty - wonderful colours!

Good luck with the tension problem - that can be a pig to solve.

Just a thought - are you using a different thread? Some less well-known ones are prone to breaking easily.

[shelley]

Ha ha ha ha....

Fantastic story....and lovely flower, would look fabulous as a brooch!

[pamd]

Thanks, Shelley.

Lyn, I don't think it is the thread. I did another flower today, but before starting I did some research on the www and did some experimenting. This time I only had the thread break once and I think I have it figured out. We'll see. I'm going to make one more flower, or something, tomorrow and see how it comes out breaking-thread-wise. I go to my "free class" to learn to use the machine Thursday, so I want to make sure whether my problem is solved or not before I go. Oh, the thread was Robison-Anton. I seem to recall they are a reputable manufacturer, but I really don't know. (They had buy three get one free, so of course I got four. The sewing machine department in the store sells it, not where the other threads are sold, so I would think it would work on their machines, but who knows.

[karen]

Pam thats a gorgeous flower, once your used to everything you'll be stitching away like crazy lol