Introducing Helga!

This little cup is from my favorite thrift store, The Shepherd's Nook. I'm always finding little gems like this. This cup is special to me because my mother had one with "PAW, come git yer coffee" on it. I use it for storing random little bits when I am sewing. I decided last Thursday to set out to the Nook to find a sewing machine. When I asked the ladies about one, they told me there was an old one out back but they had never tested it. I offered to buy it AS IS. A few minutes later, I get THIS loaded on to the sales counter before me:



The ladies told me it was a good brand. My jaw dropped when I saw the word Pfaff.



It was a Pfaff Creative 1471. It's described as an embroidering sewing machine. It cost over $1000 in the late 80's when it was made. It has 2 alphabets, numbers, and a heap of decorative stitches. So many embroidering options it came with a LOT of books and manuals:



And a lot of special feet:




But wait...the hits don't stop.

Tucked into the hard carrying cover was a brand new Olfa Rotary cutting mat (a small one...perfect for when I do Half Square Triangle trimming on my couch). Inside there was a leather thimble along with a couple of mettler and gutterman threads along with various other bits and bobs.



So what have I been doing with Helga?



A mini quilt with one of my dresdens. This goes to our awesome babysitter who said it made her happy. I think I will pebble quilt the middle and stipple the outside. I have hand stitched the plate down but Helga did a beautiful job of zig-zagging the center applique down. . My next dresden plate quilt (is currently being hand appliqued. There are NINE plates on that quilt...not one. I have a feeling you guys won't be a seeing a finish on that one any time soon.

I have more happy machine news, but I am going to save that for next time!