Juki Report

As some of you know from this post my Juki got back home Christmas eve in a new box. It had been on vacation to Miami to get the thread cutter fixed. It had also been to Arkansas and Illinois over the past year. I didn't get around to taking it out of the box until this afternoon. I was scared. The past year has not been pleasant. My Juki has been malfunctioning since right after Thanksgiving 2007. I was not very confident, (based on the past 'return home's), that this would be a happy occasion, but I proceeded with taking it out of the box. I put it on the table.I sewed around the sample fabric a few times, and CUT the threads three different times. It cut PERFECTLY! Thank you Elbert, David, and Juki America!
It does have a secret though. It knows something I do not know. I'm pretty sure it took a tumble somewhere...either on the way to Miami, or on the way back, (or maybe in Miami). There were deep indentation marks in the molded styrofoam it was nested in for shipping, from the rubber feet on the left side (needle side) of the machine, the area on the base front, under the stitch length knob, has some light 'dirty' scrape marks, and the stitch length knob is cracked in two places. The knob is functional. It turns freely. It sews beautifully, and the thread cutter works flawlessly. So does the needle up/down button. I'm not upset, and I'm not going to complain to Juki America about the knob, but David and Elbert both want to know how it works, now that it is home. I am going to send my gratitude and praise to them once again, but I AM going to ask if I can purchase a new knob. See, I am just that way. I like my 'things' to be kept in the best possible shape they can be. I am proud of the things I work hard for, and I like to keep them in, as close to 'new' condition as I can. Yes, it will work without me buying a new knob, but I just want it to be 'right'. *UPDATE* Elbert is going to replace the knob for me when I send him the cracked one. Thank you, Elbert.

And.....I have made a very difficult (for me) decision that I know will make some of my friends sad, and maybe, some unhappy. Maybe some will even have trouble understanding. I hope that is not the case. This good 'machine' friend of mine has stitched many, many miles of stitches for friends and aquaintences, AND, for me. However, like I have stated before, the past year has been full of undescribable stress for me, full of tears, and lots of disappointments, wondering if my Juki would EVER be fixed, back to normal, and back 'home'. My sweet husband has spent many hours on the phone trying to find someone to fix it, trying to get the ones who were working on it to give us answers and return phone calls, and he even tried to fix it himself. The poor man has also had to put up with my feelings of frustrations and witnessed my tears. Maybe I am just too sensitive. I wish I didn't feel this way. This whole experience has just been such a traumatic experience for me. Maybe my 'age' has something to do with my emotions. I don't know. I also feel like I have also lost my excitement for quilting. Some days, I don't even care anymore. I pray though, that I 'find' that excitement once again. I'm not ready to give up and quit, but I am praying for that excitement to find it's way back to me.

My decision is that I am not going to share, rent, or sell 'her' quilting services anymore. I would like this machine to last me until I no longer need it. I know we, as Christians, are not supposed to let material possessions be THAT 'important', but it was a long, very difficult decision for me, to purchase my Juki, my Hinterberg frame, and my Quilter's Cruise Control. That was a lot of money for Louie and I. I went through a lot of guilt, trying to decide to even go through with it. I was excited, and it was my decision to share it with all my quilting friends, but I am ready now, to have it be just 'for me'. For changing my mind, I would like to apologize to my quilting friends who I have shared it with. I know I am pullng the plug on you, and I'm sorry for that, but I'm just trying to be honest about my feelings here. I hope you don't feel like I am being too selfish, and I hope you understand.

My Juki is 'home', safe, and sound. I hope it's here to stay this time.

And in the meantime, I'll work on my feelings, and reflect on this scripture.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21