My sewing machine is broken. Apparently the "timing" is off. It's going to cost more $ to repair it than I paid for it to begin with...and we have no money...

We're unemployed and scraping for rent, and quilting was the only thing not making me lose my ever loving mind. And now that's been taken away from me too...

I literally feel like crying and thought I'd vent to a group of people who could understand! :-)

Thanks for listening

I'm sorry. Do you have a friend or family member that has a sewing machine you can borrow until you can get another?
If the repair costs more than the machine originally cost, do not fix it. Get yourself another machine when you have the money. Tell all your family that you want a new sewing machine for your birthday, christmas etc and hopefully They will give you the cash to get a machine later. Maybe you can promise a lap quilt or something if they want to get you one?
For now, find one you can borrow.
There are tons of people out there that have sewing machines that don't use them. Make them some pot holders in exchange or something
I would be lost without my machine. I currently have another in the garage I can use if my good machine needs to go into the hospital.

I totally understand. I'm unemployed, too.

A couple of suggestions for you:

1. http://nashville.craigslist.org/ See the Barter section in the For Sale section. Also Services. You can ask if someone can repair your machine (or give you an old on of theirs) in return for something you can provide. maybe you can make a quilt (or potholders or something) in return, dive them a quilt you've already made, give a quilting lesson, or swap with some other thing you know how to do. Poke around the ads, because there's a free section and a wanted section there, too.

2. Post a paper asking for help on thsi at your local church, same idea as above.

3. Now might be the time to explore hand piecing and quilting.

4. If you're able to sell any of your quilts, consider turning that into a microbusiness and getting a microloan. You can get free help with this at a Small Business Development Center. They're usually on college campuses. Find one near you here: http://sbdcnet.org/ You may qualify for free (subsidized) entrepreneurship classes, if you're interested. Your state or local government website may have info on this in ther Business section, if the SBDC can't refer you.

Maybe now is a good time to practice your hand sewing technique? (trying to find a spot of sunshine in this).

So sorry about your machine. Hope you can get it fixed soon.

Sorry to hear about your machine. I know the feeling. Whatever you do dont buy one of those cheap ones from Walmart. My friend did and had nothing but trouble. Everything on it is plastic.
Watch your local newspaper. Sometimes people sell them real cheap or how about going to garage/yard sales. good luck.

That's what my machine was unfortunately. It was a cheap one from Walmart. From now on I'm going to get something with some substance...I've had nothing but trouble with this thing from day one. Everything is plastic!!!

$110 to fix it when I paid $80 to begin with? That just doesn't make any sense to me...

Thanks for the ideas though, that does give me something to look forward to!

Maybe you could find a used one from a thrift store for now?? They have some very reasonable that are in good working order....

MrsJ82 I can understand your distress. My DH is umemployed and I'm only working one day per week. If I wasn't able to sew I'd probably go nuts (nuttier than I already am!!) Please try hand sewing in the mean time and know things will get better--or so they tell me. Will be thinking about you and saying a few for you. Hang in there and vent to us anytime.

Check the giveaways in the newspapers. Also the Freecycle chapter in your area might have one posted that someone is giving away. Have every family member, friend and neighbor be on the lookout for a free sewing machine. I will tell you one thing, be prepared to have more than you asked for. A man that works at our hospital is 'addicted' to garage sales and surprised me with SEVEN sewing machines last year. Yikes. Don't cry, this will work out :) :) :)