New machine fun

I have been using a Brother HE1 embroidery machine for a while and I thought I loved it. I never had a real problem with it and if anything did start acting wonky I could get in there and fix it myself. It just had such a small embroidery area, being only a 4x4 machine. I realized quickly that I was going to need a bigger machine.

After a bunch of thought and researching and searching and more searching...I finally decided I loved the Viking Ruby machine. Well, that, as almost everything else in my life, was way too expensive of a machine for my budget! Used ones run close to $1500 on the cheap! Mostly they are around $2k~ yea, a lot..so I started looking around for more affordable options.

Everyone screams PE770! I scream UGH! Only because it only does a 5x7 hoop..that's only 1 size up from my tiny 4x4..I wanted BIG!!

I ended up going with a used, BabyLock Ellegante. It is definitely my budget machine, but it does go up to 7x12 I believe or 7x14? one of those...which is pretty nice and big enough for some great designs from my most favorite designer, String Theory Fabric Art.  You should totally check out her site, even if you don't stitch, you will enjoy just seeing all the amazing things she has on there. She is amazing and she makes gorgeous designs, but sometimes they need to be in the bigger sizes to get them to really stitch well enough to showcase her talents. I think the most popular, or most well known design of hers are her twists on Van Gogh's Starry Night. She has a Hogwarts starry night,  star wars starry night, and Tardis starry night I believe. Now they take hours to stitch out on the machine, and have a bazillion jump stitches to clip by hand but they are so beautiful.  Now I can get the bigger designs and stitch them comfortably and really do her designs justice.

Ok, that's all I have for today, I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy, and checking in on all your loved ones. Live today, and just keep going!!

Would you kindly subscribe to my YouTube channel...pretty please??

Ok, so I have this YouTube channel and I really want to make it awesome with weekly videos and stuff, but I'm finding myself discouraged as it is still new and I only have 3 subbys. None are my spouse or kids though so that's something, haha.

I am working on videos now, and will be posting another Grove unboxing today, plus I'll be posting my first how to knit video this weekend. In my line up will be a review of my amazing vintage Husqvarna Viking 6460 Cam sewing machine, I'll be reviewing a singer em200, a babylock ellegante, and a brother innovis 4000d embroidery machine, showing you how I make bags in the hoop on the different machines, leather crafting, sewing leather bags and accessories, getting ready for a vendor show and so much more craft stuff!

My son will be making some appearances talking about his Tourettes and how he feels like it affects his ability to craft, along with some cool projects he will be doing.

I am always open to suggestions as well, so if you are a subscriber please leave a comment somewhere and let me know what video you'd like to see! Leave a comment here, I'll definitely see it!

I want to thank any and all of you who stop by to read this blog, and even if you don't jump over to YouTube, I still appreciate you so much! It is so encouraging just to see people reading my little quips of life here. I know in years I will be glad to have made this and see what I did and what my family was doing. So thank you for being here and sharing my life...I love you guys for that <3

Remember to give those hugs, say those I love you's, and check in with those people you don't think needing checked in on, as well as the others that do...keep going, keep breathing, I think you rock socks! I'll be back soon. Thank you...every one of you...even if it is just one of you :) <3