New Sewing Machine!

Hi all,
As promised, I have to share this exciting news with you: I got a new sewing machine!!! 

I am ecstatic! 

My old one is about 10 years old and had a service about a year ago after which it was never really the same, so I started looking out for a new one. But where to start right? Well, I had no idea. I tried some online forums and website, but I just couldn't make up my mind. My friend J. had the marvelous idea to try some machine at one of the sewing shows and get a better idea. Look no further, I tried my first machine and I was hooked! This was the one for me :) 

It had everything I needed. I'm not a great seamstress so I don't need tons of special features, but my old one was super basic so some additional stitches would be nice and a longer arm for quilting. So after much umm-ing and ah-ing I finally decided on the model: Husqvarna Viking Opal 650. I didn't choose the newer model 670 on purpose as I really don't like touch screen and the only noteable difference for me were a few additional stitches and the admittedly excellent feature of getting notified when your bobbin runs out. Cool but not worth an additional £100. 

 

I don't think I've ever had a fancy machine like this! Well, given that I have really owned only one machine before, that is pretty much a given but look at it! It's all digital and everything. I am very impressed :)

 

 And 140 stitches if I remember correctly :) 

And it came with a rather large extra pack too! I don't have picks of everything but it had an extension table, a bobbin holder, a pink seam ripper, scissors, a measuring tape, some more bits and bobs...

AND this enormous supply of threads! Needless to say I think I'm OK on the thread front for a while ;)

I've already made some things as this arrived about a month ago LOL. I never had fancy stitches like this before, so I rummaged through my stash and made these lavender sachets for in my closet (you know, against moths). I used plain cotton and netting fabric which I sewed together using various decorative stitches. Check it out, it's so cool! The one on the top left even has little bicycles, too cute :)

One more very cool thing to mention is that in order to get this machine, I went through all the possible ways of getting vouchers. For readers in the US: we don't have your cool rules where you can use a ton of vouchers (or coupons) to get the maximum discount and free things. Shame really. But I had some vouchers from work, managed to get some with points I had saved up from various companies, and managed to have to pay only 1/3 of the price myself! I'm very chuffed with myself of course for this as I would not have been able to afford this one otherwise without saving for way way longer.

Now that I have this shiny new machine, I am finishing a ton of projects so I have lots more to post. But first: the Color Run tomorrow so fingers crossed my knee doesn't play up and I can kind of make a good time. Pics will follow!