Today's the day!!

I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. I am going to take my Brother Innovis 1000 machine in to the sewing center and see if I can trade up with help of Brother's financing offer 0% for 60 months. The changes in technology since I traded up to my first embroidery machine are enormous.

No more loading software on to a special card requiring a special card reader and special software. The newer machines have USB ports built right in that you can upload software onto USB sticks and attach them right to the machine.

Then there is the hoop. Right now, I've got a 5x7 inch hoop. It's been enough, but the idea of a 7x12 or 8x12 inch hoop is mind boggling in the types of embroidery I could add.

If that weren't enough ... there's the pen tablet that lets you create your own embroidery right on the machine and edit it right in the machine. OK, yes, my mind went whirling away in a 100 directions at once. And, how about being able to lower the feed dogs for free motion stitching with a command on the machine? Or being able to sew without having to remove the embroidery unit? Or even just the built-in bobbin winder that is separate from the machine's thread unit, meaning never having to un-thread your machine to wind a bobbin because you've run out. Brief note on unthreading, cut your thread just before it enters the machine and pull it out where you'd thread it for the needle. You will spare yourself untold amounts of grief if you start this one habit.

Anyone can see I'm too excited for words. I don't think I was this excited about purchasing my HHR. I'm consider two machines. The first is the Brother Dreamweaver XE with 1050 stitches per minute. The second is Brother Quattro 2 with 1000 stitches per minute. The Quattro comes with the pen tablet while the Dreamweaver will need to have it purchased separately.

This is one of the reasons to buy your machine from a reputable dealer and not just what's cheap at MallMart. Your dealer will be able to properly service your machine, answer any questions you may have and provide lessons using your new machine's features. And, if you are a novice, lessons in basic sewing. You don't get that without a dealer.

The dealer will also know how to use all those feet that come with your machine and be able to explain to you what you should use this or that foot for. They can also advise you on additional feet if you wish to work with something special, like pleather, for which you really need a Teflon foot.

I promise, tomorrow, pictures of which machine came home, even if I just bring my sweet 1000 back home.

Laura