Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My pride and joy

I thought you'd like to see a picture of my sewing machine. It's a Juki TL98E that my husband bought for our anniversary seven years ago.

Juki makes great sturdy sewing machines. It doesn't have any fancy stitches; it doesn't have a computer; it doesn't do embroidery. It goes forward, it goes backward, it does it very, very well. And very, very quickly - 1500 stitches per minute.

Juki and I have gone through the wars together. We've made countless quilts and drapes, sewed pillows, sewed clothes, done it all. Without a problem without a skipped stitch, without one trip to the repair shop. Just a little oil, and off you go. It's built like a tank.

It has an extension table attachment so machine quilting is easier. And it has one invaluable option: it cuts your thread! Just a tap on the red button beside the foot pedal or a push of the gray button below the stitch length dial, and no more thread snipping. You don't know how wonderful it is when you're chain piecing. This one little function is worth the cost of admission.

The new model TL98Q also has a needle threader. When my Juki goes to that big sewing machine shop in the sky, I know what I want for Christmas!

Oh, yes. That's a little view of my kitchen where I sew. I had the cabinet installer make a table height eating area with the same countertop as the cabinets. It has turned legs I ordered to match the cabinets. The layout is great because it's accessible from both sides, wide enough to do rotary cutting and pinning, and the top is more durable than a wood table.

You can also see my little splurge LCD tv on the corner of the cabinet. When we redid the kitchen in 2003 my husband bought me the television so I could have entertainment while I sewed and cooked. A lot of the time it's just background noise but I enjoy the option. I think McCain is blathering on there right now. The sound is muted. (Probably the best way to get through this election season.)

6 comments:

jacquie said...

I'm so glad you shared this. I'm bookmarking it for the future. Someday I'll have a new machine. Mine is an old singer that I bought for 79 dollars (new). It sews backward and forward and not much else. Someday it will move from a want to a need!

Shar said...

I love my Juki also, its a real work horse! Have a nice day

shar

Rose said...

I got my Juki a little over a year ago...I am totally in love with it for machine quilting and piecing. I still use my Pfaff for some things, but man oh man, the Juki is the cat's meow for quilting. I have the 98Q, and I love the knee lift as well as the thread cutter.

Joan J said...

I love having a peek into your life! I sewed for 25 years on a no-frills Kenmore and it did everything I needed it to do. Last year I bit the bullet and bought a Janome 6600P and I tell you, I don't know how I lived/sewed without it and all it's features! Funny how quickly they turned into "must have's"!

RoeH said...

I happened onto your blog last week. I gotta say...I love the title. It's so true. I gotta get another kitten! I'm catless at the moment. Thanks.

BusybeeDebQuilts said...

Thanks for commenting on the Juki! I was looking at the a while ago and dreaming about getting a bigger, workhorse kind of machine ... it's nice to hear that they are reliable!

Debbie