Oh So Fickle

Those who have been reading my blog know my main sewing machine is a Viking Husqvarna 1100 that was my second Viking and this one has really stuck with me. I've tried Bernina Records (530, 730, 830), Pfaff 1222, Singer (201, 301, 401's), Necchi's, and oh so many others yet I still go back to my Viking 1100. Until this weekend. Yes, I've been won over by another machine.

Back story: some months ago I got my sister, Jane, to agree to pick up a sewing machine from her Goodwill auction site because it was local pick-up only. If I won would she be willing to pick it up? Of course! And wouldn't you know it, I did win and it was for a pittance. Well, at least it was a bargain. With a sewing machine in hand, they planned to come visit for my husbands upcoming commencement ceremony this past weekend. At long last I was going to see this lovely win: a Viking Husqvarna #1, model 1200. Jane walks in with it soon after arriving in town and reports she kept thinking she was going to get too far away from home only to remember she left it behind. But no, here it was! It was wrapped in quite a bit of wide clear tape and Jane said she didn't open it or even thought to try it out. What? I could hardly keep my hands from it! Here she is, and she's fully loaded:

Viking #1

There's only a little bit of wear and clean-up but I discover a very full set of feet, bobbins, and accessories:

Bobbins and snap-on feet in front storage compartment

Back storage contains walking, S, free motion, and buttonhole sensor feet along with a needle threader that really works!

After I get it all set up and sewing, Jane asks what was so special about this machine and what can it do? Pretty much everything my Viking 1100 can do except omni-motion to produce the following motifs:

Now she is envious. Now she is sold. But this machine is not for sale and not at the price I paid either. I feel a pang of guilt because she was instrumental in getting this machine to me but, but, but... I feel myself weakening. We both agree that she needs to see if another one might come along since her local Goodwill auction seems to have all of their sewing machine local pick-up. It could happen! She will need to be diligent and I will keep an eye out for her, too. She agrees it would be fun to make a tiny airplane or tulip with her granddaughters but that's the big appeal and it might just grow old, too.

In the meantime, I set up the #1 and put my trust 1100 back on the shelf. I feel a little sorrowful that it is put aside but the #1 has more capabilities with additional cassettes. Would another Viking replace this one? If I could find a #1+ that worked great, that would be my next one. And I do have one but parts of it don't work right (no needle up/down, or stop) so I hesitate to sell or keep until I can figure out how to fix it or get it to someone who can. In the meantime I'm pretty happy with my new baby. Yes, I'm fickle, but it's only a machine and there are so many many out there, as you have probably discovered, too.

My husband graduates, I get a sewing machine, we have a great weekend with sightseeing and enjoying family and friends. Sometimes it's not the little things but the big ones as we love on our precious family and tell them how important they are (even if they go home with one less sewing machine).