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A Celebration

Nope, the chickens are still in my basement.  Nope, the garden spot hasn’t been touched.  Nope, I haven’t lost weight.  Yep, there’s still rain in the forecast.  So, why the celebration?

Look who’s home!

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Sorry, I didn’t think to take the picture before most of the Blood Orange Mimosa had been consumed.  But, getting my sewing machine home from the shop was reason to celebrate, don’t you think?

The Bernina repairman called me Thursday or Wednesday, can’t remember . . and said all she needed was a new light switch.  The on/off switch had never worked so the machine had been on for 18 or 20 years and the problem was that the case was on too tight and the switch couldn’t move.  He fixed that, cleaned it, oiled it and said I should get another 18 or 20 years out of her.  That was music to my ears!  While at the shop to get the machine, I did play around with the 430 and that is one fine machine.  It’s a perfect fit and if I needed a machine, I would have come home with that one today.  But, I don’t need a machine.

Joe did suggest that I not wait 18 or 20 years before bringing the machine back for a good cleaning and oiling.  I figure if it costs me about $70 for cleaning and oiling once every 18 years, that’s not a bad return for the amount of sewing I do, right?

I do love this machine and am do happy to have it home!

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Comments

  1. Congratulations on having your baby back home…and a simple fix too. New toys (I mean tools) are fun, but I’d rather have a comfortable old friend. That’s probably why I still sew on my grandmother’s Nelco (circa 1965) and the new Singer that does everything only gets used for embroidery.

  2. I wonder if someone at the store reads your blog. I’m sure all the talk about how long your machine had been at the repair shop wasn’t good for their reputation even if their name was not mentioned. I understand how the cover could have been put on wrong and the switch didn’t work, but I don’t understand how it left a store that way. We were taught to always check everything on the machine before it left the store. Maybe if you bought it at a show I can see how it slipped out, but that is not good to have the machine on all the time when it is a computer machine.

    • When I bought the machine back in the late 80’s or early 90’s, we were living in a very small town in TX. The Bernina shop was actually like a little barn in the lady’s field. She had one 1230 in the box and when we tested it and she showed me how to work it, the switched worked every now and then but not always. Within a week, it had stopped working completely but it was ON, so that was better than being OFF. At that same time, the lady’s husband, who was her repairman (and he was a good repairman) was diagnosed with cancer. She told me he would fix it when he was better but he never got better and passed away within a month or so after being diagnosed. I just never worried about the getting the switch fixed and it hasn’t been a problem. I have it plugged in to a surge protector and I always just turn that off when I’m done so the machine isn’t technically “ON” but heck, it’s worked just fine for 18 years. I’m guessing that I’m in such a habit of turning the surge protector off and leaving the switch alone, I’ll probably never get back in the habit of using the switch on the machine.

      • Sad story about the repairman. It is very understandable how and why you didn’t worry about the switch.

  3. I so glad you’ve got your machine home. Mines only been in the shop for just shy of 2 weeks and it’s driving me crazy. Finally had retrieve my second machine from a friend’s house to have something to sew on. Miss Genie and I have come to an agreement on stich length and seam width, but I sure which I had my main machine home.

  4. Party time!!! It’s so hard to think about having to replace a reliable machine. Just think, in 18 or 20 years you should have enough money saved up for any machine you want! Including an outrageously priced 1230 from eBay. 😉

    • I could’ve come home with that 430 today and been in love, I believe. Vince said . . when you are ready to buy a machine, with they still be making the 430? Doubtful but they’ll be making something. I still have my 930 too. There’ll always be something I like but I don’t know that I’ll ever like anything better than I like the 1230.

  5. How exciting to have Bernie home – believe me, I really understand how much you’re celebrating.
    *hugs*
    Tazzie
    🙂

  6. So glad Bernie didn’t need the computer replaced after all. I try to oil and clean my own machine when I think of it. I posted a picture of the lint I found the last time I checked my travel machine. I had to bring it in from the car to oil it tonight. No more rattle.

  7. Honestly by turning off the surge protector you’ve been very lucky. Turning that off isn’t allowing the surge protector to protect your machine. You’d be better off to unplug the surge protector instead. Especially since it’s your favorite machine. My Bernina does also get plugged into a surge protector but it never gets turned off.

  8. Congrats on the return of your sweet baby. I know exactly how you feel about that machine! I have looked at the new ones and while I have a desire…I don’t have a need. I also think the newer machines are very noisy. I have really made note of that in my classes. Our machines are heavier and quiet.

    Pat

  9. That’s fantastic news Judy! Does that mean the Singer’s will be abandoned for the time being? 🙂 My old 201-2 sews a beautiful straight stitch, but no better than my Berninas… and it’s a lot more work to oil. Although I do love it!

    • A lot of my piecing will still be done on a 301. There are always 3 machines set up in my sewing room. I keep the 1/4″ foot on the Bernina and a 301. I’d just as soon switch machines as change thread color. I keep the walking foot on the Babylock. If I’m just piecing . . plain old piecing, I just sit down at the 301. If I’m in a hurry (when am I not?), I’ll go to the Bernina because of the needle up. There’s something about sewing on the 301 and knowing that I probably can’t ever wear the thing out, or burn out a circuit board or if the motor should burn up, Vince can easily replace it.

  10. What good news!!! BUT…I have a question…how well were you able to sew after drinking that celebratory bottle? LOL

    • I didn’t drink the whole bottle by myself. I’m not much of a drinker. I had one glass, Vince had two and the rest is still in the fridge. At least that would give me a good excuse for having crooked seams though!

  12. Wait, let me get the kahlua and I’ll help you celebrate!

    ….. now where did I put that thing last year?….

  13. Congrats Judy. I have to agree with Peggy and wonder if the repair shop reads your blog. Anyway, glad you have it back and here’s to another 18 years of sewing bliss. (Envision me raising my cup of coffee – only pretend it’s a glass of wine!)

  14. Glad your machine made it home. It’s sad time to see them go and so happy see them come back.

  15. Isn’t it great to have your machine back? My poor Pfaff still hasn’t been taken in. It’s 2-hour round trip & I just haven’t gotten around to it. Then I know it’s another 2-hr round trip to pick it up. I just use my cheap little Brother machine. It sews nice, just isn’t as fast.

  17. Yay! I’m glad your fave machine is home! Here’s to many more years of happy sewing!

  19. Jduy, I’m so happy for you! Getting used to a new machine when the old one fits like a glove is not easy. I’m glad that you got her back. You can rest easy now.

  20. I have that exact same machine and I understand your celebration. A few years ago I bought a new Bernina 200 embroidery machine thinking I would sell my 1230 and transfer over to that. After piecing on it a few times I decided there NO WAY I was giving up my 1230. I now leave the 200 set up for embroidery and do all my sewing on my old faithful. I’m so happy that they were able to fix it for you and it was such a simple thing.

    • Yep, it’s an adult beverage. Everything is in the bottle . . no mixing. My kind of drink.

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