The New Machine & Some Projects

The new machine has arrived and a drum roll is completely necessary for my Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200! Can I add 'Special Addition' to that? This machine has everything I wanted and more. I ended up going to a local quilt and fabric shop, Pins and Needles, where I got to sit down and try out a couple of machines. I'm not going to lie in this post. The Baby Lock had me as soon as I started stitching, but the throat space and lack of 'extras' had me asking... what am I really getting a new machine for? With the Janome, I can finally free motion all those giant quilt tops that have been sitting so neatly in the basket without the fear of skipped stitches. Isn't she beautiful?

With my purchase, I luckily got a couple of free classes on how to use this beast. (I say beast because it's super heavy and HUGE compared to my other machines.) So far, I've gone to one and I can't believe all that this machine is capable of. I hope the instructor was right when she said, "You'll never own another machine ever again. You're gonna love this work horse."

The double star table runner was supposed to be finished before St. Patrick's Day... Obviously that's not going to happen... Happy St. Patrick's Day!

But isn't that runner stunning so far? I used art gallery fabrics - Meadow by Leah Duncan - which have a softer drape. They're beautiful!

And..... all this new machine stuff had me going through projects that need to be quilted. Check out the little flying geese number below! I still can't believe this didn't get posted earlier. It was an impromptu project started last summer. It was finished around the end of Fall and well.... you see it in March!

Most people just take pics of the front of their quilts, but isn't the back just as beautiful? It reminds me so much of stained glass:)

And on a final note.... Happy yard news!

The garden is already in the works.... The garlic is coming along beautifully and lettuce and leeks have been planted as well! Even though the weather looks promising, my plastic cover onto the right should keep those seeds the right temp to germinate.

Till next time!

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