My Decadent New Sewing Machine

Okay, I just got back from QuiltCon, and that was a VERY interesting experience. But that topic will have to wait. Something more pressing must be discussed!

I did it! I got the Juki Sit Down Long Arm machine! I went to Quilt Con with the idea of looking at it again (remember, I tried it at Houston and loved it.) But in the intervening months, I wasn’t quite as sure that I “needed” it. In addition, I have had quite a few expenses this year, and that made me even more unsure about it. So I spent three days at QuiltCon waffling about whether or not I needed to get it right now. In the end, after many phone discussions with my BF, a discussion with my brother (he’s the one who named it my decadent sewing machine, and he gave me an “out” for spending that kind of money by pointing out that he has collected 30 pairs of exotic cowboy boots!,) checking and re-checking my finances, spending a long time trying out the machine, and an unexpected and delightful call from a blog buddy, Jeannie, I decided to get it. Well, I decided to get it if they would accept my offer.

They did accept my offer (I didn’t want to pay the expensive So. Ca. taxes) and they threw in the open toed foot. They had the machine (in five boxes!) at the show, and so I didn’t have to pay shipping either, which I didn’t want to do.

After spending the better part of a day and a half putting it together, with an assist from MLG (master landscaping guy,) it was ready to go! Yahoo. Oh, part of the putting it together was moving furniture out of the studio to make space for it. In the end, I moved the bookcase, and I banished the big cozy chair (which it turns out I never sat in–it was just a quilt-holder) and one other piece of furniture, there was plenty of room to put its table under the second window in the studio. I actually have a little more room than before in there.

Here it is. I am going to get a second table to put next to it, just to support larger quilts. They had attachment tables available, but they were ridiculously priced IMO, and so I will get a small commercial table at Costco or Amazon.

Another view! Look how big it is!!

The computer screen. Its fairly simple for the sit down model. More choices if you are using the stand-up machine. Oh, and this machine can easily be converted to the conventional stand-up long arm machine, if I should ever choose to do that. That will only happen if I get both knees and hips replaced, and there is a miraculous back recovery 🙂

 

My practice quilting. I made this sandwich, and asked them if I could come when it wasn’t too busy and spend a longer amount of time on the machine at the show.

My practice at home. I’m planning to fill this sandwich up with practice quilting, and then get busy finishing some tops!!

As time goes on, I’ll talk a little more about my experience with the machine. And I’ll come back later in the week (if I can stop quilting long enough!) to tell you all about my QuiltCon experience.