I got me a sewing machine!! Now I just hope it isn’t crap!! So we made our once-every-three-months trip to the evil palace of Wally yesterday, ostensibly to get MrDanesi some cheap jeans. Well, of course, it snowballed from there. I always peruse the crafty stuffs and the sewing machines, hoping to find a deal on something I actually like. Doesn’t happen often but yesterday I saw this Brother CE-5000PRW Project Runway Limited Edition on the shelf and took a look. Oooh, pretty stitches! It has a threader that doesn’t seem too complicated, some nifty feet, top top bobbin winder thingy, bright working light, and lots and lots of pretty stitches which I love as I intend to use those LOTS. Other things, too, but those’re what I loved most.

The sign said “Intermediate” which of course means nothing as it’s what the Wally people said about it but it isn’t just a basic machine which is what I didn’t want. Even though it’s been years since I’ve tried to sew anything I didn’t want something I’d outgrow really soon. I’m pretty confident in my ability to play around with it and figure out how it works and I know of several sites I can ask for help in (including a group on my add…er, favorite site – Ravelry!).

Unlike my usual modus operandi I didn’t see it then go home and research it. There was only one left and the price was ok by MrDanesi (not to mention a deep aversion to going back to The Evil Palace anytime real soon) so I took the chance and got it. I did some looking around online after we got home, with some trepidation, but I think it’ll be ok. One scathing review at PatternReview.com but several decent to good reviews on the Wally site. So, we’ll see.

I haven’t actually played with it yet. I’ve been spending time getting the craft room organized and the machine set up on my table. Now I need to get one of the folding chairs in there and a pillow for it (hate hate hate sitting on metal chairs) so I’ll be doing that today. I really should have had this all done before since I’ve been wanting a machine for ages but I also didn’t think I’d actually get one anytime soon.

Of course, I already have projects in mind The first two are

a bag from this sweatshirt and

a skirt from these two pairs of pants. I think I’ll tackle the bag first (after I know how to use the machine!) but I’m dying to have my skirt. There are all sorts of instructions online on how to turn a pair of jeans into a skirt so those jeans will be the base, the green velour will be inset into the front and back. It’s gonna be cool but I can wait until I’m more comfortable in my skills. I’d hate to screw up something I’ve been so looking forward to having!