As in Rowena. She's my sewing machine. This is her story. (Sew Mama Sew is asking. And when they ask, I answer. That's how that works.)
What brand and model do you have?
I have a Pfaff Hobby 1132. And while I felt initially ever-so-slightly demeaned by the label "Hobby" I'm now over it. As it turns out, I do sew as a hobby. Who knew. How long have you had it? 4 months. (I had two Singers before that. One from the 70's that clunked out. Another newer one that was uber-crappy that I got off craigslist for $45 from a disgruntled Naturopath. True story.) How much does that machine cost (approximately)? I got it for about $300. It runs around $400, but I hit my local shop's Super Bowl sale and scored 25% off. (And I know that $300 sounds like a lot of money, but you should know that even though I am a complete and total cheapie--I shop primarily at thrift stores, just so you know--I don't wish I had a penny of that $300 back. I've just loved everything about the machine. When I sew with it, I'm just sewing. I'm not repairing, re-threading, re-trying, re-yelling, re-swearing. Just sewing. And yes, all of those things happened to me on my other two machines. I can barely talk about it without flaring my nostrils and experiencing unnecessary emotions. What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? I sew all kinds of things (lately aprons, totes, and lots of refashioned clothes)--all from thrift store fabrics (of all weights). I recently sewed right through a nylon army bag. No biggee. Overall, I find that I prefer knits over cottons. I'm a big fan of polyester in all its forms and of tricky t-shirt jersey material. They're both stretchy and fun to wear, just sometimes a little finicky to sew. How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? I sew every day (or pretty close). I'm not kidding. I have three kids and a job and a husband and a handful of volunteer work and still, somehow I sew almost every day. I really like to sew. I'm not manufacturing anything to sell, but I'm embracing a life full of Making and pumping out a nice truckload of gifts while I'm at it. The machine stays busy. It hasn't had time to gather dust. Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? Love love love her. She's my buddy. Name's Rowena. I call her Ro. What features does your machine have that work well for you? THE very best thing ever (that I didn't even know about when I bought her) is the STRETCH STITCH. This stitch has made my love of polyester and stretch cotton a non-issue for me. And I am a relative beginner. Really, I am. I haven't been really avidly sewing for more than a year. And I dive into slippery polyester projects with confidence. Because of my stretch stitch. It's the answer to all my stretchy, slippery problems. Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? Nope. And I'm not just saying this. I'll admit that I'm still in honeymoon phase with this machine--and I had a rough relationship with my last two machines. (They were bobbin eaters.) But I don't think I'm on the rebound. I really enjoy using this low-end Pfaff because when I do, I'm sewing not fixing my machine (which is what I was doing all of the time before.) Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! Actually, I did sew through my finger . . .but that was on the very last day that I used my last machine. Rowena was sitting at my feet, still in the box, and--like the Disgruntled Naturopath's Used Singer knew it was on its way out or something--I sewed my finger. And yes, it hurt. Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yes. Because I know it's easy to spend much much more money for a machine that does right by you--but I know also that spending less is a bad idea. There's nothing more frustrating than a machine that doesn't sew. What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? I think you've got to have a real face on the person helping you keep the machine in good working order. I bought a Pfaff in large part because my local shop carries and maintains and repairs them, so I knew I wasn't on my own in keeping Rowena happy for many, many years. Rob is going to help me. Do you have a dream machine? I'm using it.
