Happy Birthday to Meeeeeee!

First: Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

My birthday was Thursday; had a fantastic day! Woke up Friday to a car that wouldn't start. Luckily, I know a little something and got it started but figured it was the battery. Drove it straight to a shop to get a new one.

Weekend starts! I was ready to whip up a new dress for my ice-cream social on Sunday. Went out Saturday morning to empty the trash and got tripped up by a naughty cat-boy who does NOT belong outside but managed to sneak out the door behind me. So this happened:

 

Sprained hand and fingers (not wrist). I was so thankful I did not break anything!!!

how it looked immediately after :-O

The swelling has gone down and I can now move my first 3 fingers - yay! It still hurts though if I move the "wrong" way. So I'll be taking it easy!

My New Machines

I was gifting myself a Brother 2340CV coverstitch for my birthday...and then this Singer Quantum 9985 jumped into my cart. Crazy how that happens!  Both machines were purchased on Amazon and arrived before The Big Day. Yippee!!!!

My "maybe, one day" TOL machine is a Pfaff. But (and this is not a value judgment), I cannot justify paying that kind of money for a machine right now.  I've seen marked improvement in sewing quality from my $120 Talent 3321 to my $160 Stylist 7258 and I expect to be happy with my $400 Quantum Stylist 9985. I am SURE the Pfaff sews better; but I'm not sure that it's 5x better to justify the outlay right now.  I've been in circumstances where I've been complemented on my sewing in one breath and then the conversations turn to 'junky big box store machines' in the next. I fully admit to always smiling smugly and sharing that I sewed whatever I'm wearing on one of those 'junky big box store machines'! :-D  Hahaha! I'm a jerk on the inside!

I have been wanting a second machine. The obvious, is working on something with topstitching; but also, I am very rarely working on just one thing at a time.  For awhile I had both the 3321 and 7258 and even though the new one is WAY better, it was handy having two. I was going to grab the infamous Brother CS6000i as a second machine but started researching higher level Singers and was sold on the 9985. As with my other upgrade, I am adding some features that I didn't have before and am happy about! The new-to-me features have an asterisk.

(I wrote this post back when I ordered the machines, but now I've sewn a couple of things on the sewing machine!)

·        * Extra-Large Color Touch LCD Screen

LCD screen but it is not touch screen
(update: it is annoying to have to touch the screen, wait for it to "go" (which admittedly is like 2 seconds) and then navigate to straight stitch. It should default to straight stitch).
·         *Built-In Sewing Assistance with Audible and Visual Messaging 
This seems like it could be handy at first; but eventually you get to know your machine
·         Easy Threading System with Automatic Needle Threader
I've never used this. I can thread the needle faster than their 6-second system! :) I am still 20/20 though so  maybe one day I'll appreciate it? Lol!
·        *6 Styles of Alphabets & Numerals with Memory Function
I could see playing around with this, maybe?
·         13 Presser Feet
I am on Singer #3 and have a very nice assortment of feet. With this machine I've gained a new Walking Foot though! I swear mine has worn out. Do they wear out?? I think mine has. My machine feeds better than the walking foot! Glad I didn't buy another one.
·         *Presser Foot Sensor
This just prevents the machine from sewing if you haven't dropped the presser foot.
·         *960+ Built-In Stitches with Stitch Reference Chart
10 Essential, 21 Stretch, 919 Decorative, 13 Buttonholes, 6 Styles of Alphabets & Numerals.
960 stitches means nothing to me. However, I am always thrilled for extra buttonholes AND I LOVE the design of this buttonhole foot much better than that of the 7258!!! It's an integrated piece so the entire thing moves (like with embroidery) vs feeding the fabric. This should eliminate the issues I have with buttonholes in denim as my 7258 has a hard time feeding it even when I do a nice job grading those seams.
·         *Mirror Imaging and Elongation Function with Stitch Editing Capabilities
I don't imagine I'll do much embroidery-type work but you never know.
·         Drop Feed 
·         *13 Fully Automatic Perfectly Sized Built-In Buttonhole Styles with Exclusive Buttonhole Underplate
Oh. See how excited I got before about this?! :)
·         Easy-to-Load Top Drop-In Bobbin System with Clear Cover
(update: I've had drop-in the entire time. I do like that you just hit the needle up/down button twice and it pulls up the bobbin thread)
·         Free Arm 
·         *Automatic Electronic Thread Trimmer
We'll see how well this works! (update: IT IS FREAKING AWESOME!)
·         Drop Feed with Box Feed Motion
·         *Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
The 7258 has "automatic" adjustable foot pressure. This can be controlled manually on this machine. I am excited.
·       *Stitch Memory with Editing
·        Automatic Stitch Length & Width 
On the non-straight stitches; which you can override.
·         Electronic Auto Pilot 
I never really sew without my foot pedal.
·         Needle Up / Down Button
I LOVE this feature on my 7258.
·         Automatic Bobbin Winding
·         *Slow Sewing Speed Button Option
I can see this being handy. This is used in conjunction with auto pilot
·         *7mm Stitch Width
1mm additional width from my current machine.
·         *High Sewing Speed
Goes up to 850 stitches per minute
·         Automatic Locking Stitch Function
This is on the decorative stitches.
·         Automatic Reverse
·         Horizontal Threading
And the thread path is covered which is nice.
·         25 Needle Positions
From 13 to 25!
·         Automatic Tension
Ehh I rarely use it on auto and end up dialing it to like 0.5 either way. We'll see how well it works on this one.
·         Extra-High Presser Foot Lifter
Always nice...my current machine does have this.
·         Optimum Power Control
·         DC Motor
·         Heavy Duty Metal Frame
Idk what "heavy duty metal" is used :-p The 7258 has an aluminum frame. This machine is 3lbs heavier.
·         Warranty
·         On-Board Storage
·         Snap-On Presser Feet

The Brother coverstitch is quite popular and needs no introduction. It took a lot of mind-wrangling to buy a machine that serves, pretty much, one purpose. But with all of the knits I sew...I'm SO excited.

I'll review them both after I've had a chance to put 'em through the paces a bit!

So for now, I have moved some stuff around.  I have the serger and coverstitch on a pine desk that I've had for forever. However, the leg got splintered in last year's house move so I will still need a new table. I scored the Linnmon/Adlis that the new machine is on for just $15 though so I'll be on the lookout for the longer table --for some reason, the 57" Linnmon is 29"+ in depth vs the 23 5/8" of ALL of the other lengths. UGH!!! I don't have 6" to give. Blergh. I really wanted the 7258 to be on a table. I'd have to go with the 78" table, losing the bookcase. I could *possibly* put the bookcase under the window. May clutter that corner...but functionality is more important than aesthetics. We'll see!

 

SM, thread, some notions above...the messy but necessary sewing box.

There's a lot of random stuff in that cart. It needs to be cleaned out!

 

artwork by my daughter! I just need to grab some picture hangers

Serger and Coverstitch

Serger thread cones and random stuff in the cart

Notions, machine manuals and other books on the shelf. That's my 7258 on top.

 

Cutting table which gets moved around the (tight) space as needed

White shelf has cutting/tracing tools and pressing tools

And of course, iron and ironing board

Before I said I had a few posts in draft mode; there were 4. So it seems I will get caught up on blogging because I sure won't be sewing. Booooo! 

And unfortunately, I won't be responding to comments right now unless there are questions. A little typing is fine, but I can't do too much. Your comments are all very much appreciated though!!!