Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: Mini Ultra

My New Travel Machine

miniultra-machine

A travel machine has been on my list of “wants” for a while, but simply hasn’t made it to the top. I’m not taking as many classes or going to as many retreats as I used to. Technically I have a travel machine — Miss Genie (not that I travel with her):missgenieand I’d rather spend my money on fabric/batting/quilting time.

But a few weeks ago I  gave/loaned Miss Genie to my nephew to use since he’s started to quilt so I really had no travel machine and have to travel with my big machine, which is not easy to get into the case and it is heavy. It’s an older (since when is 13 years old?!) computerized machine and I had a hard time finding parts for it the last time it needed to be repaired.

My husband & I went to an estate sale over the weekend — music and sewing — and I spotted the Kenmore Mini Ultra.  I know people who use this as their travel machine and like it. Since it was day 2 of the sale, everything was 50% off. I turned it on, there were no funny noises and the bobbin case was in the machine. But do I really need a machine as I don’t travel much anymore?  “Well, maybe if it still there tomorrow when it will be 75% off.” Dithered a bit then headed to the basement and grabbed it.

There was a little bit of cosmetic dirt on the machine, but otherwise it was clean and it makes a pretty stitch. I wish I could move the needle to the right, but for $22.50 I can live without that feature. I’ve already figured out where the 1/4″ is — tested by making one of the Disappearing 9-patches. I’ve even printed off the owner’s manual and the maintenance manual and have it bound to go into the sewing machine case.

miniultracase

Speaking of the sewing machine case. It just swallows it, but I think if I cross the straps and fill up the empty space with projects it will be OK.  Now that I officially have a travel machine, the next step is to put together a box of notions that stays with the machine and that I don’t swipe stuff from.  To that end I need to get a pair of scissors and some more straight pins.

At this rate I’ll be ready for the quilt retreat a week early!