When Debra recently posted about her new sewing machine it coincided with my own thoughts about taking the leap into the 21st century with my equipment. For ten years I’ve been sewing on my trusty 1970s Viking, which I bought used, and which has served me well ever since. The only other machines I’ve added to my collection since I became a quilter is my Featherweight and my Singer 301, both wonderful machines, but which don’t have any modern features. My Viking recently stopped zig-zagging, and the needle down function has been unreliable for some time. I sew almost every day, so I began to think very seriously about a new machine, and when I took the old Viking to be serviced, and when I added up the repair costs, I decided to take the leap and buy a Janome 6500.

Now, the new machine and I are in our honeymoon phase. I’m learning to thread it and wind the bobbin, and I’m making a sampler with all of the wonderful embroidery stitches. This machine has and automatic needle threader—how did I every live without this? And I’ll tell you that the hands-down best feature so far is the thread cutter—you push a button, and it cuts the thread the perfect length, no more cutting too short and having to re-thread the needle.

I feel like buying this machine is both a great luxury and one step in taking my artwork seriously. I brought my Viking home—the shop wouldn’t take it in trade. We spent many many hours together on this creative journey, and it has earned its retirement.