Sewing Machine Meme

I’ve been enjoying the Sew, Mama, Sew! community recently.  June is Sewing Machine Month and I decided to fill out some of the Sewing Machine Meme questions:

• What brand and model do you have? Baby Lock Ellure Plus
• How long have you had it? My parents gave it to me as an early graduation gift over Thanksgiving break, 2008.
• What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? I’d like to sew everything!  but I don’t have the time right now.  Currently, my main projects are purses and the occasional piece of clothing or softie.  I’ve also been making baby shoes for some of the new mothers at our church!  I have a T-shirt quilt top finished and awaiting quilting, and I would love to make more quilts in the future.
• How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? I don’t have a lot of time to sew right now, but I probably use the machine at least once per week.  It’s my stress relief  I put it through its paces, though, especially when I’m sewing through several layers of upholstery fabric for a purse.
• Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I think my machine is absolutely fabulous.  I am still learning how to use it, but I have absolutely no complaints about anything yet!  Hmmm… a name…  I’ll have to work on that one!  (any suggestions?)
• What features does your machine have that work well for you? The Ellure Plus does embroidery, which I’m planning to use on purses to do monograms and little decorative details.  I also am in love with the buttonhole foot.  I want to put buttonholes on everything!!  And I would have a hard time living without the knee bar for the presser foot (I’m a bit spoiled by it you should see me waving my knee when I’m sitting at other machines!)
• Do you have a great story to share about your machine ? We want to hear it! My machine was bought at the same store where my mother got her first serious sewing machine when she and my dad were dating.  She got her second machine there, as well, and so I guess I’m continuing the family tradition!
• Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yes!  The machine is so powerful and smooth, and has very easy-to-use features.
• What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? For me, it was most important to actually try the different machines out.  I went in thinking that I was going to get a particular brand (my mother’s machines are all that brand), and after trying my machine, fell in love with the way it worked.
• Do you have a dream machine? As far as I’m concerned, this is my dream machine!  (but it would be awfully nice to have a longarm quilting machine, too, haha!)