As everyone is into re-purposing I thought I would share one of my very easy projects. All I had to do was haul it home and load it with thread.

I work for a company that has been in existence for decades and has a lot of computers for the offices staff, engineers, etc. Almost everyone has access to at least one computer. As such, there have been a multitude of storage requirements for floppy disc storage through the years. Now that everything is on servers, the cabinets previously used for housing the discs are no longer needed. As old equipment is retired, employees are given the opportunity to purchase or are given this old equipment.

I was able to bring home a cabinet that used to house 3.5" discs. Since the company kept "history" discs we had to have large cabinets to store them. This cabinet has two pull out drawers. The upper drawer still had the boxes that the discs were stored in. These are perfect for for the Hemmingworth threads that we own and they would hold taller cones. I have labeled them by color and group them in the boxes. This is helpful for David since his partial color-blindness can be an issue for him when choosing thread colors.

The lower drawer holds a selection of our larger cones and spools. This cabinet was originally designed to be stack-able and is sturdy. I am able to put more thread cases or other items on top. This maximizes my storage area. You might be able to prowl the thrift stores or used office supply resale stores to find your own.

I would love to hear what you have re-purposed for your studio.

A new (to us) machine is now on the market, the Sunshine 16. David has been looking for a few years for a machine that would make quilting our larger pieces easier. The issue: On a domestic machine with a standard size throat (7 to 9 inches) anything over 30 inches wide becomes a little cumbersome. Rolling and folding the quilt is the only way to get larger pieces quilted. Some drag is caused making smooth transitions in direction more difficult.

David tested out this machine at the Long Beach show. This is the vendors (Pennywinkle Valley Ranch) first west coast exhibit. They are from the mid-west and concentrate on shows closer to home.

David was very impressed with this machine. Not only does it sew very well, but the price point is very attractive for the basic model. David stitched out with metallic thread on a fast speed. The thread did not shred and the tension top and bottom was great. He likes the fact that your hands are on the table and not on handles. He feels he has more control and is comfortable with this hand position as it is the same as when working on a domestic machine. The acrylic table that comes with the machine works like a slip sheet so the quilt glides over the surface. The machine we tested was sitting on a card table. Yes, a card table with its little spindly card table legs. It was smooth, vibration free, and the table did not feel like it was in danger of collapse. There were several machines set up in the booth and each one had a different type thread on it from all different thread manufacturers. This tells me this is not a prima donna machine.

The machine is basic. It has no fancy features like automatic needle up/down. It has a governor for setting your maximum speed while you work. That enables you to set your preferred speed and always go pedal to the metal. There is a needle advance wheel that you can use to move the needle position. It is an industrial looking machine. No flowers, no fancy paint job. I personally like it. It looks like a great little work horse and I am sure that is what it is. Simple mechanics means it will be simple to maintain. A little oil and lint cleaning and it should last for years and years. It also means that getting any work done on it can probably be taken care of by a local shop or even the owner if of a techy ability. David inspected this machine quite a bit and was impressed with the quality.

The machine is built to order. At the time we looked at it there is about a two month wait. I see a possibility of this machine in our future.
The best thing about the machine we tested? The price. $1,750.00
This machine also comes in a 24 inch model. There are options to purchase handles, a table or frame.

Did you see this machine? Did you test it out? What did you think?

Update Aug, 2014: For those of you looking at this machine and hearing some positive or negative things about it, you must rely on your own personal makeup. I am a person who loves to figure things out. I am not afraid to adjust tension or other items. I loved the look of this machine as it appears to be something not too finicky that I could tinker with and tweak exactly the way I want it. If you have the sort of personality where you don't want or like to mess with things you might want to purchase a machine where you have local support. Neither personal style is better or worse, but it should be a part of your decision on the actual machine you purchase.

I still have not purchased this machine, but it is high on my list. It appears I am in need of replacing my 30+ year old machine first.