No, not my family brother, my new Brother sewing machine! I've had it for almost a week. My old machine was a Singer. I should have taken a picture to show, but I only have eyes for my Brother now.
I'd been wanting something a bit fancier than what I had, actually I wanted something
a lot fancier than what I had. Not having the means to spend $$$$ on what is, so far, only my hobby, and hasn't earned me any money, I've purchased what I think so far is a pretty nifty machine.
I read lots of reviews and looked at lots of specs before I decided on the Special Edition Project Runway machine. Mostly, I wanted some fancier stitches, and a larger harp space. I got those things, and more. So much more it seems.
I'm sure a lot of folks discovered these wonderful advantages years ago, but they are all new to me, so I'll mention what I like best, in case anybody is thinking about making a change.
1. Automatic needle threading. Such a beautiful thing! No more trying to line up the thread and pushing it through, only to have it stick to my finger and come un-threaded when I pull my hand away.
2. Thread cutting with the touch of a button. I'm still trying to get used to not reaching for my scissors every time I need to clip the thread.
3. It's quiet! Not silent mind you, but compared to my Singer, it's a big difference. I do my crafting in the living room, the same place we watch TV. I've never felt comfortable trying to sew while anyone was watching a program because the machine would be too loud to enjoy the show. Now I don't have to stop just because someone's watching TV.
4. Lots o' Feet. I probably will not use most of the feet, but it is nice to have the opportunity. It came with 12 feet, plus a bunch of other nice tools and doodads.
5. More than 200 stitches. I've been hesitant to even think about ever doing applique, but with the blanket stitch, it should be a breeze. There's also a stippling stitch. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping I'll like it.
6. Knee lift attachment. I foresee this coming in handy when I'm using that stippling stitch, or what ever stitch I use to do my machine quilting.
7. The automatic needle down position. Such a wonderful idea, whenever I stop sewing, the needle sinks into the fabric, no more forgetting and messing up the alignment.
I'm sure there are many more things I could wax poetic about with this machine, but these are the most important to me, so far.
And lest you think it's
allgood, I do have to say that I am annoyed by at least one thing. The machine resets the settings every time it is turned off, then on. I've already broken one needle because I forgot to move the needle back to the middle position, and I'll still sometimes forget to lengthen my stitch length, but it's becoming imprinted, and should soon be second nature.
In case anyone is interested, I purchased mine from Overstock.com. I was able to use a $30 off coupon and they had free shipping. I know, I know, you're supposed to buy from a dealer and do all kinds of test drives, but I'm way too shy to go that route, and luckily, it's worked out.
