Apples, Oranges, and Sewing Machines.

My beloved Babylock Decorator's Choice has been in the hands of the dealership since the 11th of October - So two weeks tomorrow. When I talked to the owner on Tuesday she cheerfully told me that "Oh it hasn't even been looked at yet! It will be a few more weeks, we will call you when it is done!"

NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

She stayed on the phone with me for a few more minutes and I explained that I had customer quilts that needed to be finished (not the least of which is Carol's gorgeous TWIO) and I was losing business. She backtracked a little and explained that their mechanic was tied up at the Creativ Festival for the weekend, but she said "either this coming Saturday or the next. I'll give you a call as soon as I know." Grrrr ... alright. I still didn't believe her.

 My MIL's Kenmore and Patti's Husqvarna 400

I have had a borrowed machine - a Husqvarna 400 to be exact from my friend Patti - for a week or so and I tried very hard to build a "working relationship" so that I could at least finish some simple things. At first I couldn't thread it properly. Then I couldn't thread the bobbin properly - then I was cranky because I didn't have 20 spare bobbins to use like I normally do. THEN I couldn't get a 1/4" seam to save my life, even with tape marking the proper place to align fabrics. I fumbled (every time) I went to lift the presser foot --- duh, the lever is on the back left and not on the right side of the throat at all. And I couldn't get this beloved trusty machine to go fast enough for FMQ. I sat in a stalemate for a few days until my Mother in Law brought over her machine .."a right piece of junk" she told me. It turned out to be a fairly unused Kenmore (that's the Sears brand, ladies) that actually worked fine and even ran fast enough for FMQ. But the darned thing kept coming un-threaded and it definitely had none of the modern conveniences I've gotten used to -- drop in bobbins for example, and horizontal spool pins. Or more than 5 stitches. It also sounded like a runaway train.

I was definitely beginning to dislike sewing and getting to the end of my rope when Bev mentioned a mutual friend had a portable Babylock that she was looking to sell. Oh happy day! It was love at first sight. I sewed one seam and {paid that nice lady!} brought it home and played for hours.

 

It is a Babylock Xscape - a lightweight (12lbs) machine that really isn't much different from my very first Brother sewing machine. That was what I was sewing with this time last year, making my Farmer's Wife Quilt. The presser foot lift is in the right place, the bobbins are the same and drop in, there is a needle up/down button, it goes fast enough for FMQ, and it has a horizontal spool pin. It SOUNDS right, it FEELS right, it works for me! 

I have learned a valuable lesson: Do NOT underestimate the attachment you form with a brand of sewing machine you have put thousands of hours into. Oh, you can change brands. But you might pull your hair out for a very long time before you are comfortable. I could have worked with a Husqvarna -- eventually -- but given the opportunity to get back into my comfort zone and get back to quilting?

I'll be bringing your machine back to you tonight Patti. Thanks for the loan!