I got this for Christmas.

I'm excited. I can't decide if I'm happier because I have a great, working sewing machine or because I don't have to anguish over a decision anymore. I swear, I considered every machine on the market over the last two months before finally deciding to get the first one I looked at. I'm not sure I got the "best" one for me, there was a Viking that was up for consideration that met my needs quite well, but I got a machine that will do everything I need it to and is a brand I have confidence in and experience with, and that to me is really important.

It took me three days after buying it to get the confidence up to open the box and plug it in. I was really intimidated by the whole needing to take classes to make it work thing. But once it was plugged in and I read the book I could do the basics with no real problems. I will take a class though ... the book doesn't provide enough information for me to use the sewing machine to its full potential ... which I certainly want to do.

Sadly, the new Pfaff became a necessity about a week ago. My Brother bit the dust. Won't sew at all. I am going to take it in to get serviced and hopefully get it working right. It has so many neat features - automatic thread cutting, no need for a presser foot, and it does some embroidery - so I'd like to keep it around and use it for the kids. My old Pfaff got me through my last Christmas gift project but will only sew a straight stitch (but really well!) and, because of an "oops" I needed a zig-zag or some other repairing stitch to fix it. So the time had come.

So far, it's good. It's pretty. I haven't actually sewn anything except a scrap yet, but that will change tonight. There were so many limitations to the Brother because the feed dogs worked so poorly and the tension was so screwy, I feel like I've opened myself up to a world of possibilities with this machine. I can't wait to see where it takes me.