O Brother XL 6562, Where Art Thou?

It's been less than a month since I opened the virtual doors to my new shop, and what a month it's been. I've been swamped with sewing, filling orders, obsessing over my Etsy shop, designing Beasties, more sewing, creating patterns, buying fabric and notions, searching for the perfect buttons, and yet more sewing. I have to admit that my housewifely duties have been suffering somewhat - Vince obligingly ate leftovers three times this week, I'm only doing one load of laundry a day instead of four, and I'm groggily trying to push through each day on about five hours of sleep. Come to think of it, it's kind of like being a new parent again. No, scratch that - if that were the case, then I'd be getting only 45 minutes of sleep a night. In any case, my Beasties seem to be gaining momentum, and sales are brisk. Ish. And to think it all started with my friend Lisa's sewing machine. Ah, the Brother XL-6562. We had some great times together. I say "had" because our relationship lasted only two weeks before I got bored and moved on to a sleeker model with more to offer.

Meet the Husqvarna Viking Platinum 730. I'm sad to say that she doesn't belong to me; she's on loan from my friend Julie. It's a good thing that Julie's not in a rush to get her back, because a new Husqvarna comes with a hefty price tag. I'd have to sell about twenty custom-made Beasties to get one of my own. The humble Brother would set me back only about three Beasties.

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If you've never used a sewing machine, then you probably don't think that there is much that can set one apart from the next. Certainly not seventeen Beasties' worth of a difference, anyway. I'm not going to bore you with the details, but let me just mention a few bells and whistles the Husqvarna has to offer - A needle that automatically stops in the up position! Computerized stitch functions! Automatic lower needle threading! The ability to wind you bobbin without unthreading the upper needle! It's enough to make a girl swoon! Ok, I should stop now before I pass out from sheer giddiness.

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I spent only a few days with the Husqvarna before deciding to return the Brother to Lisa. He just looked so darned sad sitting there all neglected and forlorn, picking up whatever scraps he could get.

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Kinda makes you think of someone else in the Chan household, huh?
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