The last few weeks have been both troubling and insightful for me. As you all know I have a real love for quilting since taking a gazzillion classes here in LHC. One of the techniques is called "stippling" and is done on the machine to quilt a specific area or the entire quilt. The machine needs to have features (free-motion) that allow it to do so. Apparently, mine doesn't have that feature. I only found this out after talking to people in the know at classes, stores, online and over the phone. Each had their own ideas and said I should be able to do this but...nope. This took me a few weeks and much frustration but just couldn't or wouldn't work.
OK, so the next step is to find a machine that did have this feature. Again, I spoke to everyone I could to see what they had or recommended. Jon Ali ( a local quilt store) had some machines to look at and try. I found a very nice Viking. My taste being what it is......the machine sells for over $1600.00 ! Yikes ! (I know...... a good machine isn't cheap but when you're on a fixed income it is alot!) There are two other ladies that ordered and paid for this machine but none were in stock at this time and they had no clue when to expect any. They'll call when they are in.
Maybe I don't really need to do any free-motion. Norm says, wait til we get to Bozeman and look at the quilt stores there. They have several that are nice stores.
A week later I got a call from a gentleman named "Charlie" and he owns Odegaard's Sewing Center in Flagstaff, AZ. He says a friend of mine called and explained my situation and he would like to help. The machine I liked was not in stock at his store either but he would call Viking and find out why they were back-ordered, then let me know. Two days later he called back and had a brand new Viking Sapphire 875 computerized machine ready for me to pick up. Flagstaff is a 4 hour drive from here, one way ! No, can't do that. We bantered back and forth and after much joking, dickering and such, Charlie said he'd sell it to me for $899.00 , pay the tax and ship it at his expense, it would arrive on Tues. (This was Thurs.). You Betcha, OK !
I was very excited and knew I wouldn't sleep much for a few days. The next morning Norm took me for coffee, his phone rings and it's Linda telling him FedEx just dropped a BIG box at their door. Good ole Charlie sent my new machine overnight express !! Now THAT is superior customer service ! I couldn't believe my eyes ! Just so you know Charlie is my Hero !
I had to send Norm out for ? (whatever) so I could play with my new toy ! It came already threaded so of course I had to try it out. Put the fabric under the needle and hit GO. Whoa !....did it ever ! Now, how do I get that fabric out from under the presser foot ? Took me 2 days ..... had to read that manual 4 times ! I've called one of the stores in Bozeman and we've set up some time to teach me how to use this puppy. I'm sure glad I took all those computer classes in Feb......this is all computerized and could be very intimidating ! Norm says, now I have to find someone to buy my old machine. Kinda tough when we're on the road.
Just as an up-date.....the Jon Ali store still has not contacted me. Don't think I'll do much shopping there. Now I can only hope the small spool of thread that came with the machine will hold out til I get to Bozeman. Not sure how to thread it ! Back to the manual !!!
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