My new sewing machine!

I was a super lucky girl this birthday! For my other gift Jamie gave me a brand new sewing machine! Good bye 13 year old machine from the 90's, with your 10 different stitches and very difficult button hole stitch. Hello brand new Pfaff Ambition 1.5.

I am in complete love with it. It has a ridiculous amount of stitches, which I have been testing out on lots of scraps of fabric. It has a touch screen that is used (amongest other things) to select stitches, adjust width and length, and even stitch in words and phrases.

There are lots of other neat gadgets on this machine. Like the button foot which actually sews a button onto fabric. And the button hole foot which automatically sews a button hole, simply by placing the button you are using at the end of the foot, it senses the button diameter and sews a button hole to the perfect matching size! Or the needle down button which makes the needle always finish every stitch in the down position, making it easy to pivot fabric around corners (such as in quilting). Or the automatic beep when it senses your bobbin is running low! Or the securing stitch button, which stitches a couple of securing stitches at the beginning and end of your stitching. No more reverse sewing here.

The machine can also quilt, which is really exciting. I had tried machine quilting on my old machine, but as it only had bottom feeders it would always end in a mess. This machine has top feed dogs too which makes quilting much neater. There are even a few "antique" quilting stitches to choose from which gives the illusion of hand quilting. Love it.

And because I couldn't snap a photo of myself using the machine, here is a photo of a random chick using a Pfaff Ambition 1.5...

Watch those fingers under that needle!

So I am officially in total love with this machine, and have been very tempted to take a day off work just to play with it. But I haven't. I've been good. Can't promise the housework will get done tomorrow though...

This makes turning 27 just a little bit easier ;-)

Sam xox

My new vintage sewing machine.

Two weeks ago I won this vintage Pinnock sewing machine on eBay, for a whole $1.04!!!

The seller said she wasn't a sewer, so could not guarantee that the machine sewed, although she did say that when plugged in the needle moved up and down - which is a start! I haven't yet plugged it in to give it a go, but fingers crossed it stitches. I have found a website that offers the manual for sale, so that will be next on my list to buy, as I have no idea how to thread this thing!

The machine is in great condition, and comes complete with its original cabinet. The cabinet lid folds down and the machine rises up from inside. Once up, the sewer is able to open the cabinet door (which has cute shelves and a bobbin holder), and sit in it to sew.

From online reading this machine dates to the 50's or 60's. If anyone knows anything about these machines feel free to give me advise. My best $1.04 buy on eBay ever!

Sam xox

There is a zipper foot for every zipper.

I never realised until last weekend that there was such a thing as an invisible zipper foot. Yes, I had heard of the regular zipper foot, and had even put a zipper or two in with one over the years, but the invisible zipper foot was an entirely new concept to me. I did not really understand what the difference was, until I purchased my own today.

You will notice that this zipper foot has two grooves underneath - these are to feed through the zipper teeth right next to the needle.

If you would like to learn how to sew an invisible zipper into a garment you make, click here to check out an awesome tutorial!

Sam xox