The hunt!

Oh where have I been, and what have I done being away so long? I'm awful sorry. I've been sucked into the world of new sewing machine lust.

It all started on a hot summer day, when I was making a "tail feather" for Jessica. Which is to say the the way I accidently messed up the skirt on my Pj's that Jessica loves, because it makes a little "tail feather" out the backside. So there I am sewing a nice hem stitch on the bottom of dd's skirt when BANG! BANG BANG BANG, my sewing machine starts knocking. Apperently it doesn't like making the few decorative stitches anymore.

I'll admit it scared me. The sewing machine banging under my hands was a bit much for me. You would think it was because if my sewing machine breaks, it will leave me without a sewing machine, for all my happy quilting projects. No that wasn't the scary part for me. It was the noise and the vibrations in my hands. So I started sewing machine shopping. All the time, if I was online I shopped, if I was at the quilting store I shopped.

I researched and now know about so many machines, my head feels about full with the knowledge. Then I had a conversation with my husband. He seemed to think that if I got an embroidery machine, I would want it to have the Disney features. So that changed everything, all my research went up in a puff of nothing. Poof! And I started looking at the Brother Machines because Brother has an exclusive deal with Disney, they are the only emboridery machine company liscensed to make Disney stitches... But not all their machines will/can. Only the ones labeled "D" for instance nearly everyone knows about the $250 Walmart special the Brother 270D, that does Disney, but it doesn't have many designs, it has a cassette system that can break and leave you stranded, ect. So that was the least of what I wanted. I would have completely forgone an embroidery unit, rather than have that machine.

So the hunt was on. I found TWO top of the line Brothers, okay, so they were top of the line in 2001 and in 2003. One is the 2001 ULT, and the other was the 2003D ULT, note the first one doesn't have that telltale "D" for Disney. And I watched them on ebay. They were set to end about the same about of time. So I watched with baited breath. (that would be stinky!) Researching and hoping.... and hoping. All the while keeping DH up to date on the current auction prices... Days pass and I watch... Then finally the fateful day arrives. Both auctions are up to $810, and while it's not the top limit DH gave me I feel as though it's passed the point of no return and I'll have to keep looking.

But what I didn't know is that my husband had been researching machines behind my back. Yep. He knows at least as much about those two machines as I do, and I wonder if he knows a little bit more... The auction on the 2001 ULT ended first, it's right up on the wire and I have told him flatly to stop it's all over. But being the man I love to hate, he doesn't listen. We won the auction by $10, I'd hate to have been the other bidder, as we took it in the last 6 seconds. With my DH counting down in his head. So while this one doesn't have the trademark Disney package it's still an amazing machine, I have spent the past three days reading the 300+ page manual. (note the other auction went much higher and went up $1,000 in the last two hours, which I was happily enjoying raving about instead of worried that we wouldn't win). Never have I been more grateful not to have to watch an auction than the one I saw the next day for the 2003D, scary stuff!

So now the 2001 ULT is on it's way to me safely packed via ground transportation, all set to arrive here on Thursday. Funny that's the day the local embroidery club that I'd like to join meets, oh well there's always next month, and what a joy to wait! :D

Where oh where can you get a sneak peak at this wonderful machine that will be turning out beautiful things like butterflies and delicate lace snowflake ornaments? Right here

Til next time I wish you all every happiness!