Although I just purchased the machine a year and a half ago to replace my mid 1980's version, it is a 30 year old sewing machine. I think they're like cars. When they start to go, it's an endless cycle. Unfortunately, the Pfaff dealer in town who had an excellent service man was sold and the technician retired. So if it goes again, I'm searching for someone new.
As most of you who are sewists know, new machine prices have skyrocketed over the last 30 years. The Pfaff 1475CD was a top of the line machine, and I used it for 20 plus years, and loved it every stitch of the way. As close as I can tell, the machine I had, compares to the Pfaff Performance Icon, which retails at $9,999 now. Since we're retired, that price range is out of our budget. And Pfaff has been sold a few times and I don't believe the quality of the new machines is equivalent to the older ones made in Germany.
Enter the local Bernina dealer. It's a Mom-and-Pop store that has been in town for years and years. Pop does the repairs and all the "local reviews" are excellent. I spent some time looking at the Bernina website, which is excellent BTW. I even downloaded a video on how to work the machine and the manual, and went through both. Long story short, I didn't want a "quilting machine." I didn't want an "embroidery machine." I wanted an excellent sewing machine to make clothing and whatever else struck my fancy. After a lot of back and forth, and waiting for a week and a half for delivery on my special order, ta da!
It's sitting on a small computer desk right now, because it's large, and Dale has to modify my sewing table before it can fit. I'm extremely excited. At half the price of the Pfaff, I think it will do everything I ever dreamed of and more! However, I do need to go through the 19 pages of the manual of Sewing Preparation, and then the 12 pages of Setup Program, and fhen the page of system settings; and finally I'll get to the chapters on creative sewing; practical stitches; decorative stitches; alphabets; buttonholes; etc. The manual is actually 140 pages long, and it's so different from any machine I've ever used, I'll be reading most of it as I go along!
At this stage of our lives, this is a very expensive purchase, and I expect this one to last me as long as I can still sew. Or at least until I get ga-ga and start sewing crotch seams to waistlines and all that. LOL
I'll be sitting with the manual today, and getting this one all set up. Well, to be fair, probably now through at least Christmas! Dale is leaving on the 26th to visit the kids in California so I'll have from then until the 3rd to sew almost unceasingly. I'm very excited at the prospect.
And to cap off this post. This last week I got to witness one of the most exciting and thrilling events of my life. Which is why I'm not going to California with Dale. I was in Baltimore to see my oldest granddaughter get "hooded" for her PHD. Her doctorate is in Cognitive Science with an emphasis on early childhood education. Her is a picture of her and her husband, who got his PHD in September of 2018. I THINK his is in genetic engineering, but not sure. He does interesting stuff with genes.
She's a post-doc at University of California at Irvine, and he's at Cal-Tech, so they're in the LA-Orange County area. Now my oldest daughter's entire family is back in the state of California, at least for a bit. Her next younger sister is in Grad School at Berkeley, and the youngest has just applied to grad school, so we're waiting to hear where she'll be heading. She's been in San Diego for her the last five years.
Incredibly proud of all of them!
Hopefully, more soon! And lots of sewing projects completed. Hope you're all having a wonderful Holiday season and getting lots of goodies completed.
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