Sewing Machine Meme Answers

This is a new thread for people without blogs to post answers to the Sewing Machine Meme for the Sew,Mama,Sew! Sewing Machine Month.  If you have a blog, please post your answers there and shoot us an email with the URL (beth@sewmamasew.com). 

Thank you!

Reviews below (I'll keep a running list at the top here):
Janome 760
Viking Emerald 183
Viking Emerald 183
Baby Lock Denim Pro II
Kenmore Model 385
Pfaff 1035 tipmatic
Brother CE-5000 PRW
Pfaff
Elna Quilters Dream
Husqvarna/Viking Sapphire 850
Bernina Artista 220
Kenmore 385
Janome Memory Craft 6600
Jukie TL98Q
Janome Hello Kitty Green
Bernina  830 sewing/embroidery
Juki 1098Q
Brother HE-120
Bernina 1230
Singer 201-2
Elna 2130
Bernina 1150MDA
Janome 8077
Pfaff 2056
Variety of treadles
Singer Featherweight (1947)
Singer Featherweight (1953)
Queen (badged White VSIII) treadle (1890)
White VSIII treadle
New Home long shuttle treadle (1947)
Minnesota A long shuttle (1906)
White Family Rotary (1917)
White Family Rotary (1917)
National long shuttle machine (1939)

What brand and model do you have?
 
Janome 760
 
How long have you had it?
 
18 months
 
How much does that machine cost (approximately)? $
 
$375
 
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
 
I quilt, sew clothing, and some craft  items.  I mainly use cotton fabric.
 
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
 
 5-6 hours a week on average  Usually I get 1/2 a day on the week-end to sew
 
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
 
I love my machine
 
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
 
Decorative stitches, automatic tension, lightweight and very portable.
 
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

The thread holder falls off easily.
 
the 1/4 inch presser foot isn't 1/4 inch so I have to adjust the stitch width. [/i]   
 
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
 
It was my 10 year anniversary gift
 
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
 
Yes.  18 months and still sews like a dream, No problems whatsoever
 
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
 
durability, good stitches
 
Do you have a dream machine? 
 
After sewing for 25 years on a 50 year old spiegel.  THIS is my dream machine

What brand and model do you have?     Viking Emerald 183

How long have you had it?     About 1-1/2 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?     $899

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?     Mostly clothing.  Will do some limited home dec.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?     It goes in spurts depending on my schedule.  I try to sew 2 - 3 times per week or more.  Sometimes even every day!

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?     I love machine but, no, it has no name.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?     I love the stitch selections.  It is also an easy machine to sew with.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?     Depends on what I'm sewing of course!

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?     Yes.  It makes sewing easy.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?     Ease of use, stitches that will get used,  ease of getting accessories (feet, bobbins, etc), does it sew on thicker fabric (I sew denim).

Do you have a dream machine?     An embroidery machine - any one of them!

hat brand and model do you have?     Viking Emerald 183

How long have you had it?     2 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?    $750

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?     quilts, bags, purses, clothes, crafts...

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?     I haven't had much time lately, but when I'm on, I sew for many hours at a time.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?    I really love my machine.  To be honest, it is my first sewing machine (besides one project on my friends machine from Walmart that I got frustrated with, since I was such a beginner).  I don't always know what I'm doing and it does it's job anyway

What features does your machine have that work well for you?     Um, normal stuff, but I did figure out the buttonhole and that is cool....   ( i used it for making a ipod cover and the earphones come out of the bottom of the buttonhole.)

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?     I couldn't figure out how to thread it properly when I first got it, it was really giving me a headache, but now I don't have any problems. 
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!  Bought it to sew with my mom and her friends and found a new love.  I was pregnant with my daughter at the time and have learned to be more patient with myself.....i used to work full time and had a stressful job....sewing is such a great outlet.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?     Absolutely!  Great machine and isn't so difficult to figure out.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?     Stay away from plastic parts on the inside... ( i was told this)...automatic needle threader, nice to have a few stitches, .....oh gosh there are alot.

Do you have a dream machine?     My mom just got a Juki for quilting and I LOVE IT.  They aren't that expensive, I just don't have any extra money laying around for it......SUPER FAST  and I love the automatic thread cutter.....say cool

What brand and model do you have? Baby Lock Denim Pro II

How long have you had it? 5 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? it was a gift

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? everything: mostly clothing and craft projects, occasionally slipcovers and home decor

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? a couple times a week, so lots of wear and tear

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I love it. It has never let me down.

What features does your machine have that work well for you? It handles thick fabrics really well.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? not really

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! My mom got it for me for Christmas and I had to fly with it across the country. It was a big pain.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yup, it's nothing to fancy but it works great.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? How often are you really going to use it.

Do you have a dream machine? I don't have a brand in mind, but something that can do everything from embroidery to slipcovers and automatic buttonholes.

What brand and model do you have?
     I have a Kenmore Model 385, a mini ultra

How long have you had it? 
 5.5 years
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
  $100

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
    A small amount of quilting, handbags, home dec., some clothing, lots of small gifts, heming jeans...
How much do you sew?How much wear and tear does the machine get? 
  I have sewn several hours a week for about a year and a half, before that I used it off and on for 4 years.

 Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? 
I call it Baby Blue, because that is what color it is.  I have really enjoyed this machine and have done TONS of projects with it, however I would love to upgrade someday to something fancier, although I am a little scared to do that because my machine is so simple.  
What features does your machine have that work well for you?   
 Just the basics.  But I have never had to have it serviced for any reason-maybe I shouldn't say that, I have some sewing to do later... [
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? 
  Nothing is automatic, even the button hole maker has been giving me fits lately.  It doesn't have the possibility for very many different feet.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
We were doing registry at Sears for our wedding and picked it on a whim, and lo and behold someone got it for us, I was so excited!
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? 
  Yes, especially for a beginner, if you are not sure you will enjoy or LOVE sewing, this is an inexpensive machine that can do a lot.  And give you a chance to start loving to sew! 
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? 
Ease of operation combined with awesome features with lots of possibilities.  Ease of ability to get parts and repairs.
Do you have a dream machine?   
 I do not, I am hoping this month to learn about the perfect next machine for ME!!!

What brand and model do you have?

Pfaff 1035 tipmatic

How long have you had it?

6 months

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

The machine was $25.00. A cleaning and attachments were extra but totally worth it.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

I just started quilting, before that I mostly made bags and toys.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I try to sew a few times a week. The machine gets minimal wear and tear. I would like to use it more.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I like my unnamed machine.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

The machine is simply easy to use.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

The early 80s brown accent pieces.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

I found the machine at a thrift store and did not buy it. Once I arrived home, I told my husband, a former sewing machine mechanic, about it and he made me go back to the store to buy the machine.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

I would recommend it because it is surprisingly easy to use.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Quality, serviceability, features.

Do you have a dream machine?

I don't have a dream machine yet. I keep buying the machines I want. I am afraid to really research the newer machines because then I would have an expensive dream machine.

What brand and model do you have? The Brother CE-5000 PRW Project Runway Edition.  

How long have you had it?  11 months.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?This was my first sewing machine.  I bought it at Walmart for $99 in July of 2008

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?  I primarily make clothing but have made a few bags and quilts as well.  And like many novices, I have bags of UFOs and flat out disasters waiting to be recycled!

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?  ]Most weeks I sew at least both weekend days and one week night.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I will always have a soft spot for “my first” but I think I am outgrowing this machine very quickly.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?  The one step bottonhole and drop in bobbin are great, and for the most part the machine has served me well, but I have ridden it hard and put the poor thing away wet, so to speak, and it is starting to get a little wonky on me.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? Yes, it is like a broken grocery cart with that one bad wheel pulling everything to the left and making steering straight impossible!

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! I don’t have a great story, just that my machine and I have spent a lot of time together late at night after my husband and daughter are in bed, and I have created a lot of memories already with my machine with the outfits I have made my little girl and myself.  I have done a lot of sewing in the last 11 months since I taught myself from books and wonderful online tutorials and blogs….

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? For someone who wants to try his or her hand at sewing and is not sure if it is something that will have lasting appeal, my machine is a great starter machine.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?  I definitely am looking at something that will hold up to heavy use, has lots of features and will last a long time!

Do you have a dream machine? Not yet, but I am starting to get some ideas from reading all the reviews!  Thanks SMS!

What brand and model do you have?
Pfaff, I don't know the model but it should be the first where you don't have a whole table connected to the machine. she is cast-iron and white.

How long have you had it?
I got it from my mother, who got it from her father in the 60s. I think i started using it when I was 10 years old

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
if you find one like that on ebay, it would cost something around 400-600 Euro (app. 800 $), depending on condition.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
clothing, mostly. and lots of handbags.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
About 3-5 hours per week. I moved quite a bit all around Germany, and I lost the Instructions (wait, maybe my Mom already lost the instructions...) so I do everything by try and error and the machine hardly complains. well, not more than when i first started using it.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I absolutely love my machine, she has character. and she feels good and solid, no cheap plastic. But... well, I'd love to take her to the "doctor", her feed doesn't work properly. She hasn't a name, but she is female (you might have noticed).

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
everything is mechanic, so if something breaks, i could get it fixed. the pedal is really good, i can sew as slow as i want to, not as with some newer machines that go either not at all or really fast.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
As I said, the feed doesn't work as it should, and getting her repaired is really expensive, so i almost only sew non-elastic fabric and not diagonal to the straight grain (I hope that's the right word - Fadenlauf would be the german word). If I do anything else, I need to be in a really good mood.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
Well, not my great-grandma, but, as I said, from my mother. My grandpa gave it to her because she wouldn't stop complaining about not finding anything nice to wear. so he came home from work one day with this machine, placed it in front of her and said "i don't want to hear one more word about not finding the right clothes". She started sewing (without any classes) right away and didn't wear anything but her own clothes until she started working again when my brother and i were old enough for Kindergarten.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Well, that's hard to say, since you can't buy it anymore. I love my machine, and i love the fact that she has a history, and when she breaks, it won't be because of some chip deep inside that can't get fixed. I like it because she doesn't feel flimsy or cheap, but, living on the 5th floor without elevator, i don't want to take her anywhere with me (sewing-Clubs etc.) Still, If you want quality and can't afford a new Bernina or Husqvarna, i would very much recommend it.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
Having a machine like mine, I couldn't settle with a machine that has a "life expectancy" under 15-20 years. Also, I'd rather have programms that really work and are simple to use than a lot of mediocre but fancy-looking embroidery-programms, but that might be because I love handmade embroidery. and the speed of sewing should be easily adjustable.

Do you have a dream machine?
Mmmh, I keep looking for machines and like Husquvarna and Bernina, but, as a student with about 4-6 years at university left, I don't look too much, otherwise i would just get frustrated.

What brand and model do you have?
Elna Quilters Dream

How long have you had it?
5 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
$900

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Quilting, handbags, clothing, Home Dec

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew about 3 mornings a week before work and then on the weekends.  It depends on the project that I am working on.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I LIKE my machine but there ares some things that bug me about her. I am still getting to know her and long for some of the features of my old machine. 

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
She is very quiet, her stitches are very even and I can put thick fabrics through with ease.  The walking foot works really well and it seems to do free hand quilting well.  Now that I think about it, what do I have to complain about?

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Yes! There are no markings on my machine for seam widths. The presser foot lifter is on the inside of my machine so I have to come from behind and flip it up.  I have to change my needle setting for 1/4 inch mark which is bizarre. There isn't enough room for a large quilt to fit through the arm with out a struggle.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
My boss bought my machine for me for Christmas which was a complete surprize due to the cost factor.  He asked around about what I wanted and then asked a friend to purchase it for me. He is no longer my boss and I think about him when I sew.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Yes! For the cost it is a great machine and I know that the more I use it the better I will like it.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
It is important to know what you are going to be using the machine for, not just now but in the years to come.  Buy the best machine you can afford because it is a large purchase and will last for a long time.

Do you have a dream machine? Like most a Bernina!

What brand and model do you have?
Husqvarna/Viking Sapphire 850

How long have you had it?
Since December 25, 2008

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
When looking for a machine, I set a budget of $1,000 and we were pretty close to that.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Mostly clothes, though I would love to quilting & some home dec projects... just haven't gotten there yet.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Not as often as I'd like.  But I try to get in there a few days a week.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I love my nameless machine!  

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
- The sewing advisor is such a help -- I tell it what stitch I want to use and what fabric I am sewing on and it will suggest a foot, needle, and thread tension to make it go smoothly.
- The Needle Threader (yahoo!)
- A bunch of great decorative stitches
- The needle down button
- The "Stop" and "Fix" buttons -- Stop completes whatever stitch you're on and then stops; fix ties your stitch off wherever you are.
- Several different button holes, and the automatic buttonhole foot that will help you make all buttons exactly the same length.
- Many different feet available to help with various tasks

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Not yet.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
I asked for the machine for Christmas, figuring my husband & parents could go in together on it, but my wonderful parents took care of the whole thing!  I think my mom loves the idea of me learning to do sew great things and stop asking her to do it.    

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely.  I will never need another sewing machine!  I wanted a machine that would grow with me, and allow me to do everything I could possibly want to do.  This machine does it all!  (except hoop embroidery, but that was way out of my budget)

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
After determining that the machine will do what you want it to do, the most important thing to me is:  Does it come with classes and other support?  I've had the machine since Christmas, but finally got around to taking classes in June, and just in the first class I learned way more than I taught myself in five months!  I learned that because of this machine's abilities, I don't need a serger!  Hooray!

Do you have a dream machine?
Yep - a Husqvarna/Viking Designer Diamond!

What brand and model do you have?
Bernina Artista 220
 
How long have you had it?
1 month!
 
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
$799
 
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
clothing, handbags, i've done a very small amount of quilt piecing.
 
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
5 or 6 hours a week i would guess. sometimes more, sometimes less!
 
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
i love it! i had a bad experience with a bernina bernette.... this has been a huge upgrade.
 
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
i love the automatic up/down (so helpful when there's a lot of corners), and even though it doesn't have a fancy automatic buttonhole feature, the manual is really NOT HARD to use.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
sometimes i don't snap in the bobbin case well.... and then it gums up. but i know that is USER ERROR and not the machine.

 
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
No really great stories, here.  But after fighting with tension issues on that bernette for MONTHS, using this machine has been a totally great experience!
 
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Yes, I know I haven't had it long, but it has not once let me down, and the only problems I have had have been user error, no fault of the machine. It has a great selection of stitches, is easy to use and fun
 
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
Having a good rep/dealer has made a huge difference to me, someone who knows the machines, and can get a feel for the kind of sewing you do. I think they really do make an effort to find the right match for each individual. From there, it just depends on what you need!
 
Do you have a dream machine?
Well, I'm pretty happy with the one I've got! I can't imagine needing anything more!

What brand and model do you have? Kenmore 385

How long have you had it? 3 or 4 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? don't remember less than $200.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? bought it for quilting and hemming but I've starting sewing clothing and tote bags too.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? About 2-4 hours per week.  

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? It's a good machine.  The speed is easy to control and it doesn't jam with thread very often.  I can quilt without the not included walking foot if I use the zig zag stitch set to 0.5.  I haven't run into anything that I could not do.  

What features does your machine have that work well for you? The stitch setting are easy to figure out.  The stretch stitch was absent from my last machine and that has come in handy since I used to make my daughter extra swim suits.  It's pretty easy to clean the fluffy out.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? I don't like to clean it but that would happen with any machine.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
My husband took me shopping for it because I was cursing at my Mom's 1976/77 machine everytime it jammed up with thread, it was so heavy to take to quilt class, the instruction book stunk, it didn't have a stretch stitch, and I couldn't control the speed on the old one.  Wasn't that sweet of him!?

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?  Yes,  haven't had any problems with it, it was not too expensive, and it came with all the parts that I needed.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? easy to use and cost

Do you have a dream machine? I can't really say that I know.  This is my first one.  I haven't had a reason to get a different one.

Hello..I'm new here, loving all the post, info and blogs. I have a Janome Memory Craft 6600 and a Jukie TL98Q. I love them both. Jukie is straight stitchin only, a true workhorse in the sewing room (1500 stitches per min). The Janome is a dream to operate, still have a lot to learn about what it can do. I didn't realise how much noise my old Kenmore made until the new machines..ha ha
Would love to win the new sewing machine for my glassed in back porch. I now have a great sewing room with a large table, quilting frame and storage galore...but it's in my windowless basement. It can be dreary at times. Good luck to us all.

I just discovered my love of sewing.  I thought this might be fun.

What brand and model do you have?
 
Janome Hello Kitty Green Sewing Machine
 
How long have you had it?
 
a little over three years, have been really using it only for the last month
 
How much does that machine cost (approximately)? $
 
$100
 
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
 
a lot of my friends are pregnant so i've been sewing a lot of baby things - chenille backed blankets, changing pads, bibs, any free baby tutorial i can find on the internet
 
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
 
 maybe about 10-15 hours/week, lots to handle for my little girly machine.  there are things i need to learn to tackle on the sewing machine, but since i'm self taught, don't know how, but with what i do know, i'm slowly growing beyond the functions of my current machine.
 
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
 
I think my machine is cute, but I'm ready to move on to a better one.
 
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
 
lightweight, portable, simple to learn
 
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

i don't think i know it well enough yet to have anything drive me nuts from it. 
 
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
 
I bought it from target because it was cute looking.  I attempted to dive into sewing 3 years ago by attempting to make a huge queen size quilt on it.  Needless to say, I lost interest quick.  Now, with the small projects I'm learning with, I'm falling in love.
 
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
 
Yes - it's a great beginner machine.  Probably suited more towards little girls (I'm 26), but I'm glad I learned the basics on this machine.
 
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
 
durability, ease of use, a great instructors manual (for me mostly, haha)
 
Do you have a dream machine? 
 
Hopefully, I'll be able to find mine reading everyone else's meme