Welcome Fannie

 

I  LOVE my Bernina!  It is now termed 'vintage' by the dealer, which means they can charge me extra for maintenance cleaning.  I love it so much I worry about it incurring a fatal flaw and leaving me which has me periodically checking ebay for a replacement. 

 

 

Last year I cringed every time we went on a band competition because I would have to deliver her to the logistics crew along with a bag of scraps, table and chair to be loaded on one of the trailers.  I would beg for them to put her in the back seat of a truck w/seatbelt on rather than stash in the back of a trailer.  And last year at every competition I would have to take her out and have them fire up the generator for power to fix stuff.   

 

 

This year was not as bad, better flag design, less rips, and I used my really old Kenmore that I brought home from the closet at the family cabin where I had stashed her for emergency vacation sewing.  Great, but I call her 'The Anchor' because she is heavy.  It would be a sad day if I ever had to lug this one across a parking lot to set up and use. And, I still used the Bernina for mid week flag action, which resulted in the last calamity... pretty sure I hit a small rock or turf pellet when fixing a hem resulting in a 4 week trip to Mr. Sewing Machine for the Bernina and the threat that if the gear was broke it was all over. Lucky it was just the timing that was thrown off and she is back in the rotation, but it was a scare.

 

 

Enter Black Friday sale at Hancock Fabrics.  Last year I spotted this little gem in the add but when I got there at 8am they were all gone.  This year I saw it in the add again, but at 5am Friday morning it did not seem like a priority, but at 10am when heading to Sam's Club for the college kid to stock up before returning to school I decided to stop and if they had any still in stock, well, it would be mine. 

 

They had a stack of 10 sitting there.  These were listed for @ $220 reg, Black Friday Sale $79.  

There was one set out and I took it for a spin...  she did ok, but how would she be on lame and china poly silk?    Uhm, SWEET!   In two years sewing flags on the Bernina and assorted other machines I have struggled with tension on these fabrics and that is the consistent complaint from the rest of the team, but this sews flat and beautiful with both the zig zag and the utility zig zag.  And it is super light, about 10 lbs max.  If I have any complaint it is that when I sew fast it jumps around because it is so light.

 I wanted to name her, make her a part of the family, and I got several recommendations, but I kept coming back to this one....  you know, as in Fannie Flagg? 

 

Welcome Fannie!