New Sewing Machine

It seems like whenever I sew something it's always something really thick and heavy duty, like fur, suits, bags, belts, hats, etc.  I was constantly breaking needles and just wrestling with the machine to get it to go.

So, I google around to find out what kind of machine would go through heavy fabric, and I kept reading about the Pfaff 130, which is a 50+ year old machine.  Perfect!  I don't care about fancy stitches or anything. I just want to go straight, zig-zag, but most importantly go through THICK fabric.  The Pfaff 130 uses a large needle and has a 1.3 amp motor.

I got this one off of Ebay, and had it cleaned at AAA Sewing and Vacuum.  After a few glitches, like trying to figure out how to thread it, and adjust the tension it took off like a champ.  Almost too fast.  This machine flies.  And it purrs like a kitten at the same time.  Then it stopped!  It just stopped in the middle of a jacket I was sewing.  (I'm making a double breasted jacket look like an Austrian jacket for Sound of Music.)  I took the machine back to AAA, and apparently the way to fix a machine like this is you put it in the car, drive 10-15 miles, take it out of the car to show the sewing machine guy--and then it magically works again.)

Here's the machine

And the jacket

Also, David and I fixed up these two chairs for the store.  They both are covered with mid-century fabric that I happened to have, and I think they look great.

Finally, here is Barbara and Russell's golf cart that we borrowed and decorated for the Patriot's Day parade.  Kinda cute.

Here's the machine: