May 16, 2013 Out with the "old", in with the sparkling new!

About a year ago, I came across a killer deal for a practically new Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond.  It had 6 hours on it.  I was familiar with HV's in that I learned to sew and machine embroider on a HV Rose model.  The Rose was very good to me - very tolerant of my mistakes (wrong stabilizer, wrong needle, wrong threads, etc...)  

What I liked about the Designer Diamond was the large throat space - a whopping 10" to the right of the needle.  I quilted a queen-sized quilt (my first quilt EVER) on the Rose which has about 5" to the right of the needle.  

So when I saw the Designer Diamond at a local retailer, I knew I needed it...wait, I did not NEED it, but I CRAVED it so badly.   Surely the extra throat space would make free-motion quilting effortless, right?

I was soooo wrong - in so many ways.   The Designer Diamond (I'm just going to call her DD to save typing) sewed a straight stitch beautifully.   That's the only stitch I ever did, pretty much, as I pieced my quilt tops.  Imagine my surprise when I went to free-motion quilt and discovered it was still an impossible feat - a feat that would require many hours of practice.  Okay, I thought..at least I have the machine for it and I will learn.  I was woefully optimistic.

I decided to experiment with machine embroidery.  Kill me now - S L O W L Y.   The DD hated me; she hated all threads, all needles, and any stabilizers.  She went to the sewing machine hospital and came back allegedly repaired.   She tricked me into thinking she liked Polyester threads so I discarded all my Rayon threads & began embroidering small projects.  She and I had a love hate relationship with metallic threads - I love them; she hates me, therefore she will do anything to make me miserable.   Just for sport, I returned to embroidering on my 15-year old Rose and was shocked to find Rose embroidered so much better that the DD.  A 15-year-old $400 machine beat out a 2011 $5,000 machine.  SHOCKING.

I spent so many hours trying to cajole her into cooperation that I actually began to suffer my TMJ again from clenching my jaw from frustration.  My co-workers who just bought brand new Pfaff's were having none of the issues I was.  I started researching the DD on the Internet and learned the horrible truth - there is a design flaw so much that, shortly after the DD came out, the manufacturers created the Designer Diamond Deluxe.  Seriously.  There are literally thousands of other DD owners like myself who struggle with their machines.  

The "Designer Demon"

Finally, one Sunday, after she chewed up my favorite Hard Rock Cafe apron, I had enough.  The war was over; I conceded defeat.  She now had only 56 hours on her but our relationship was over and she had to go.  I knew what I wanted.  I had attended the Sewing Expo in Lakeland, FL and discovered the Babylock Ellisimo Gold.  It was love at first sight - after I recovered from sticker shock.

Five days later, I am the proud owner of the Babylock Ellisimo Gold and my faith in machine embroidery is restored.  "Elly" has the same large throat space as the DD but is more user friendly and accepting of different threads and stabilizers.  

So far, so good!  I've had her since mid-April this year and have experimented on several different types of fabric and have experienced none of the problems the DD gave me.  I am even back to using metallic thread!

Life is good again!