I'm finally getting excited... a new sewing machine!
By Loverbear
@Loverbear (4918)
United States
April 4, 2013 12:03pm CST
A few weeks ago an ad showed up on Craig's List for a Janome Memory Craft 9000 embroidery sewing machine. I called the man and drove the 125 miles to see the machine. It is in perfect condition and has only had about two hours of use on it. The woman bought it and the cabinet for it and then she got ill and wasn't able to use it any further. I was in awe at my luck in finding one close to where I live, I had bought a similar machine and had it shipped....needless to say that was a disaster! Fortunately I had the smarts to insure the package...the sewing machine was totaled! Any way when I finished falling in love with the 9000 I asked if the seller would take payments and lucked out because he stated that he would. I bought the machine on the spot.
The Memory Craft embroidery machines do a wonderful job of decorative embroidery, and the one I am picking up today does larger embroidery sections. It also gives the person working on the machine the opportunity to choose what part of the design they want to use and block out what they don't want to use... I have the first of the Janome embroidery machines, the Memory Craft 8000. It's a wonderful machine and I have used the daylights out of it. I am anxiously looking forward to setting up the machine in the workroom and doing some embroidery on it. Plus I have another cabinet for storing the machine and the accessories.
What machine do you use for your sewing projects? Do you have more than one??? (I have four sewing machines right now.. Two Memory crafts, an old old Singer and a New Home I use the Singer and the New Home for sewing teddy bears)
6 people like this
12 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
7 Apr 13
I have an old Singer Featherweight that I got from my mom, but my new(er) Singer is what I use normally. Out in the sheds I think I have a couple of other sewing machines, but at least one I know is pretty broken, and I don't really know how it got that way - I suspect someone messed with it.
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
11 Apr 13
Its missing the pressure foot, that's why I suspect someone of tampering with it. I have a Singer place here in town that could probably fix it, I'm not sure its a Singer, but they fix other ones too. But since I have a machine that works, I'm way more interested in just sewing when I want to than fixing one that wouldn't probably get used.
I'm not that into sewing, but I did make curtains for the guest room and my bedroom and adjust the ones in D's room. Of course, the kind of curtains I make are the ones you just shove a rod though the top...
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
11 Apr 13
Take care of the Featherweight! They are worth some money! Even the ones that don't work sell for between $175 and $300! I would love to have one but it would only be for decoration, I don't think it would handle the heavy duty usage that the big singer takes when I'm sewing bears.
My collection is now up to 4. I have someone interested in one of the older machines so I may rehome it. As for your broken machine, too bad that I don't live closer I could probably fix it. The neighbors come to me to fix their sewing machines and instruct them on how to use them.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
4 Apr 13
Yay!!!
I am excited right along with you, I know how much this machine is going to mean to your crafting projects. I remember when a neighbor showed me her machine that did embroidery, it was the first time I seen one and I wanted one so bad. She ended up moving and she used her machine to embroider shirts and jackets for her children's school.
I am excited right along with you, I know how much this machine is going to mean to your crafting projects. I remember when a neighbor showed me her machine that did embroidery, it was the first time I seen one and I wanted one so bad. She ended up moving and she used her machine to embroider shirts and jackets for her children's school. 
@peavey (16936)
• United States
4 Apr 13
Wow, that's some machine! I have an older something or other that does what I need. It's not fancy but it's a pretty good machine. I've got a lot of use out of it so far.
I also have a Singer treadle machine downstairs that actually belongs to my daughter but I'm thinking about bringing it upstairs and using it since she hasn't come to get it.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
11 Apr 13
The old treadles are great machines that are also great workhorses. I had a treadle that was converted to electric, I would have preferred that they left it as a treadle. It would be nice to have a machine that would work during power failures and when I want to save on electricity.
I hope if you move it upstairs you have someone to help. My treadle conversion was heavy without the rest of the stuff...I can't imagine hauling up the machine, cabinet and everything else up a flight of stairs! OOF!!!
@peavey (16936)
• United States
11 Apr 13
I learned to sew on a treadle machine, long ago and they are workhorses, for sure. I remember how disappointed Mom was when she got her first electric sewing machine and it wouldn't sew heavy denim and things like that.
I will definitely have help moving it upstairs. I wouldn't want to run the risk of dropping and damaging it. And I wouldn't want to damage me, either! 
@GardenGerty (157545)
• United States
4 Apr 13
I am not getting much sewing done. I have a really old Singer that I love, and a new Wal Mart Singer cheap and acts like it. I have a serger I have not used in ages. Possibly by September I can get a State Fair special on a really good machine, like my friend did.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
5 Apr 13
It's too bad we don't live closer to each other! We could have a wonderful time sewing together!!! You would love using the Memory Craft 8000 and would seldom leave the sewing table!
I hope you're able to find a great machine at the State Fair. If not let me know and I will start searching for you. What kind of serger???? I'm hoping to get one in the next couple of months. I have only bought one sewing machine at Wal Mart, and that was one that was marked way down to get it out of inventory. It was a $250 Brother that was marked down to $89. Otherwise I don't even bother to look at their machines.
Stay tuned, I have another discussion that I am going to start in a few minutes... I checked this discussion first before starting a new one.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
11 Apr 13
That's great! I had a Singer 2010 for 28 years and then decided to buy a new one last year and got a Singer Quaatum Stylist 9960. Bad choice. Well, not that bad..really, but I hate the way it winds the bobbin. The 2010, all you had to do was open the cage, leave, press the button and it wound..then you just close the cage and start sewing again. This one..you have to unthread the machine, wind the bobbin then re thread the machine.So when I quilt, I have to wind several bobbins at once and then replace them without having to always be unthreading.
It's okay tho. 116 stitches,... and I have used 6 I think! I quilt mostly now, but am starting to get back into other things. I have been sewing since I was 10 and made my first skirt! Now I quilt,
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
11 Apr 13
I've always spent about 30 minutes winding bobbins before starting a sewing siege. I always make sure I buy a ton and a half of extra bobbins when I get a new machine. I have around 50 for the Memory Crafts, and about 15 for the Singer.
I own a older Singer that I use for heavier sewing. It goes forward, backward, and zig zags. (I think it's a 403? I got it for free at a yard sale because the person couldn't get it to work...if they had thought to look in the bobbin space and clean the lint out the machine would have worked! I cleaned out enough lint to knit a sweater!!!
)
I used to kid my Mom about her quilting. I would tease her that she would buy big pieces of fabric to cut into smaller pieces and sew them back together. She would tease me by retorting: "What do you think you're doing with the teddy bears?"
Mom turned me on to sewing when I was 3. I would get bags of fabric scraps and laces from her favorite sewing supply store and I would use a needle and thread and make doll clothes. I started making most of my clothes when I was ten. I flunked Home Economics because the teacher didn't like the way I sewed.
)
I used to kid my Mom about her quilting. I would tease her that she would buy big pieces of fabric to cut into smaller pieces and sew them back together. She would tease me by retorting: "What do you think you're doing with the teddy bears?"
Mom turned me on to sewing when I was 3. I would get bags of fabric scraps and laces from her favorite sewing supply store and I would use a needle and thread and make doll clothes. I started making most of my clothes when I was ten. I flunked Home Economics because the teacher didn't like the way I sewed.
@warmweatherwoman (2233)
• Atlantic City, New Jersey
5 Apr 13
I ALWAYS wanted to learn how to use a sewing machine. About a year ago a good friend of mine moved her mother into an assisted living facility and had to downsize. She gave me her mothers old sewing machine. Its one of the heavy all metals one. I am in the process of learning how to use it. I have seen machines that do embroidery but am no where near that far along with using a machine to delve that deep yet! :) Im glad you found a good deal. Sometimes craigslist has GREAT offers and sometimes not so much- glad you lucked out!! Good luck on your future projects.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
5 Apr 13
I want a sewing machine, but I have yet to get one. What little bit of repairs I do, I sew by hand. However, I would like to expand my sewing projects--actually, have sewing projects that I can take on that go beyond simple repairs.
I also want to take some sewing lessons. I need to improve my sewing skills, and it has been years since I last touched a sewing machine.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
5 Apr 13
Hi Loverbear, I have not seen a sewing machine for ages.
i think most of us here forget there is such an invention known as the sewing machines.
Over here, we do not make our dresses and garments.
The factories had moved out long ago to another country.
i think it is a skill wasted.
@TLilly12 (1229)
• United States
4 Apr 13
This is great that you are doing sewing, I have sewing maching but I am not, able to use it right now, I don't have any projects, I am sewing right now, I am glad you are enjoying you new Janome Memory Craft 9000, sewing machine I hope you have a lot of sewing projects, ahead of you.
@Laurenlynn (715)
• Canada
5 Apr 13
Hi Loverbear I am so excited for you it must feel like Christmas for you. I love crafts of any kind but that is one thing I hope one day is to take sewing lessons. My Grandmother was a seamstress she sewed during WW2 and that is how she brought money in. I have a picture of my father when he was 12 years old and she made him a sailor outfit my Grandmother would of loved this kind of sewing machine. Just hearing how excited you are I should really take up sewing. Have fun with your new toy.
@Hanser1016 (80)
• China
5 Apr 13
My sis,she is very fond of sewing too.But u say u have already got four sewing machines?
