I boutht one of those too, doesn't work, save your $$ buy new blades.

You know I bought one of those rotary blade sharpeners a few years ago. I couldn't get it to do
a thing. BUT...my husband can use it and they come out like new. Please don't ask me what he
does that I didn't do...I just don't know. I do know they will not take out nicks...like where you
run over the corner of a ruler, etc...but it does sharpen the blade. I finally threw out 2 or 3 that
had been sharpened so many times I just felt like I had more than my money's worth. I really
don't know how many times they can be re-sharpened, but for sure some of mine were done at
least 3 or 4 times. I wish I could help you. I got so frustrated when I was unsuccessful in doing
them that I could scream.

Great thread! Thanks to everyone who catalogued their woes here. It's been a real education.

People just do not understand that the sewing machines sold by Walmart are machines made in Korea, etc., using the Brother, Singer, etc., name that they buy from the respective machine companies. They all are made with very cheap plastic gears and are not made to last. It sounds more expensive when you say machines should only be bought from a reputable dealer, however, when you have the service, etc., available from a dealer versus either trashing or going to the expense and trouble of sending one of those cheap machines back to the manufacturer, you really do come out ahead and have a machine that will last for many years. A good machine dealer does not even want to or have to honor the warranty on the machines bought at Hancock Fabrics or Joann's. They can tell you you have to either take them back to Hancok's or Joann's or send them back to the company.

I can use the bobbin winder with most of my bobbins, however not with my Viking bobbins, the thingy that the bobbin goes on is too big for the Viking bobbins. So that was a waste of money for me. It doesn't really wind bobbins evenly for any of my various bobbins, my machines aren't happy with poorly wound bobbins.

The fabric calculator...I don't like it. I can figure it out myself.

[QUOTE=MaryLane;4843420]Double ditto. Light gives me a eye-head-brain ache so never bought one.
But what I did buy was a double pack of LED stick-on-your-machine tiny-but-mighty lights and hate that cool blue light more than Ott. Waste of $20.

I may be able to help you with the LED lights; we use them in our RV for nightlights if we need a bit of light after one of us is asleep. I have the LED puck lights that you press to turn on; I took them apart and used plastic paint to coat the inside of the lens 3x, let it dry thoroughly then reassembled them. The light is dim but good enough for brushing teeth, getting pills, stuff like that.

Plastic paint (I used stuff labeled for faux stained glass) is cheap, and a single coat shouldn't dim the lights much; if your LED lights have covers why not try coating them with a color that won't make you crazy? Worst case you'll have lights you hate, which is where you are now.

Thank you everyone, I have learned so much here.

I bought this roll of gold colored paper - slightly heavier than tissue paper. Can't remember the name but it is supposed to be used to transfer designs. Draw the design, pin to quilt, stitch through the paper and quilt, remove the paper. It is a little awkward to sew through but then impossible to remove. It takes far longer to remove the paper (tweezers are necessary) than to do the quilting. I have found that coffee filters, ironed, work well both as a tear away stabilizer and to transfer quilting designs. Tears away much more easily.

I would have to agree about a sewing machine. My Bernina, on which the motor died after 3 years, was a terrible waste of money. I would say the same, to a much lesser extent, of the mini iron, the small "handy" iron and the device to assist with HSTs. Generally, I don't buy gadgets, being rather suspicious of them and having limited space. Before my ^&$^%%#@@ Bernina died, its bobbin winder stopped working. The separate bobbin winder I got was great, but no longer needed, so I went to a friend.

Ditto on the thimbles. Good thing they are cheap!!!

My DD is getting me one from someplace that makes custom leather thimbles. Whatever won't fall off my fat little paws. My DD weighs in at 90 LB and neither of us can fit my mother's engagement ring on our fingers.

I don't buy many gadgets. The clover mini-iron waster of money, bias tape maker, some blue cutting mat with a cloudy 3 inch ruler. Ah, but I did find a use for the WM sewing machine DD passed on to me. It winds bobbins for my lovely, loved, greatest gift in the world, 1941 Singer 15. Thanks for this thread. I won't feel guilty about passing up the gadgets.

What is a fabu-motion - w/o stitch regulator?

Thanks for the comment regarding the rotating mat. I always wondered why it was hard to move around. After reading your reply, I went to the mat, took the black part off, tried it and had to smile realizing that had been the problem. I learn a lot from this board.

oops
 

bought a singer quilt pro machine at the local jo anns. worked one week. then they had to send it off. picked it up a month later still didn't work! bought a singer at walmart and my sister is still using it nearly 15 years later! I have a treadle and a kenmore from sears. love both! a least sears has a good waranty. never could get the rotary blade sharpener to work. get blades at overstock now. Nothing like trial and error. mostly error in my case.
was about to get a mini iron. thanks for saving me!

Rotating cutting mat
 

I had a similar experience. I find it only helps with specific projects, but have not given up on it. What frustrated me the most is that it tends to come apart.

Protector! Hmmm, never noticed that.

These were around a few years ago. Basically a frame - attached to something that slides under your machine. It gives about an 8 by 8 window to stitch in and it moves on ball bearings. It actually allows nice smooth free motion motion. I think it would probably be best for a lot of stitching in a small area and was moderately helpful to me as a rank beginner.

The trouble is, it takes a bit to get out and set up and then there is only a fairly small window so you need to run out of space and have to adjust frequently. Very limiting if doing large meandering or other larger patterns. I have found it more trouble than it is worth.

You could also get one "with stitch regulator" which is an electronic thing attached to your sewing machine that helped keep your stitching even. I know at least one person who swears by this and does lovely quilting. But even she agrees that its use is limited. She turns it off when stitching slowing (or fast, can't remember). Quite expensive, I think these were selling for around $500 originally. Mine was originally about $200 but I got it for half of that because at the time they really weren't selling well. I don't know if they are even available anymore. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend it. :o

Less than 3 years and a warranty didn't cover it? Same with the bobbin winder. I'm shocked.

Yeah, I don't know why I thought buying one of those would make me be able to do so much more. It would have been ok if I'd had the person come with it to show me how to use it. I'm the type of person who has to be shown how to do something to learn things most of the time.

My DH always sharpens my blades with the "cheapy sharpener" and it works well. Perhaps it works better with more muscle. I even ordered a refill for it. I've been debating about the electric sharpener. Does someone know if it works?

This, too, was my only dud. I ended up giving it to my niece for ironing her doll clothes - it was the perfect size for her hands.

I don't like the rotary blade sharpener eiher. It does a crappy job.

try putting baby powder between the mats, so it will turn easy.

My worst one was buying a suction cup handle for my rulers. I hated it, I payed a lot for it and hate to throw it out.lol So it is taking up space.

The rotary sharpener does not work for me, but works fine for DH, if he is in the mood. I am sure his more muscular grasp makes the difference.

I am not much of a gadget person, partly because I simply do not have the space. I bought the bobbin winder, which was a great asset when mine broke, but after repairs, I passed it on. (70 miles to the dealer)

My Bernina was my bigest mistake. It gave out in 3 years.

I've had a rotary sharpener for years and have never had a problem. I buy blades in a pack of five but don't need to buy very often. I love it.
I did buy a calculator but haven't worked it out although I do have a tutorial on how to use it, saved on my computer somewhere.
I have my machines serviced regularly. My last machine outlasted the company that made it. I had it over 30 years. Hope my Janome machines last as long.

Wow....I love my rotating cutting mat. I've had it for years and use it often. It's one accessory I wouldn't want to be without. When I try a new accessory I always buy with the understanding that it can be returned. Sometimes not always, what won't work for one person works for another person and has nothing to do with the quality of an item.

Here are a couple of thing that I have learned about some of the stuff we are unhappy with. use lots of OIL [I use my sewing machine oil] on the blade sharpener and you don't have so much man power, and I got a small cuttting mat that would sat in am old lazy susan that I had. at was lot chaper than a rotating cutting mat.

Me too! Thanks.

Aren't we forgetting that many people would love to buy a better machine but their financial budgets will not allow them to do so ? Also how many women will not say one word when their DH buy a riding lawnmower that lasts about 10 years and costs $2500 ?

I just read that if you use a small mat on top of a big mat that it turns very nicely and dosn't cost a thing...assuming you have a little mat. I haven't tried this yet, but it makes sense to me.

Grannie annie and Val. I'm from Griffin, In. But living in Dallas now. Small world huh?

I have the Olfa 12 in rotary mat and love it.
It is simple with two pieces one green one black. Its got a small hole in the black mat that the green mat fits inside.
You turn the green mat and it turns smoothly. It cannot be like turntables that you dont have enough control over.
It dosnt spin when you move it since you control the turning speed
I dont understand the problems people are having. Is the hole cut crooked and not smooth enough to turn?

I made the wrong choice of a quilting frame as it has never been correct and my machine scrapes on it. I am now saving to buy a decent unit.

Pinmors....a big waste of $$$

I have four in-cabinet machines and have yearned for a light weight portable. Not able to spring for a 221 or quality new machine, I deludedly purchased two of the tiny (as-seen-on-TV) like new, in the box, machines at two different flea markets. I should have known better. I did know better. I just wanted a portable so much. :(