Sewing machine Q&A

This is a sewing machine Q&A to link to Sewmamasew in order to answer others questions about different machines.

What brand and model do you have?
Bernina 1260

How long have you had it?
I got it as a high school graduation gift. Must I divulge how long ago that was? Okay, okay, 14 years.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
Well, since it was given to me as a gift I actually had to do some research. It looks like it cost about $2500 new (in 1995). If you were to buy a used one today you would pay about $500.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
I sew things for the home such as curtains and quilts. I also sew handbags and clothing and lots of baby stuff. I've never really done any heavy duty sewing.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Recently I've only gotten to sewing about once every 2 months. For the first few years of it's life I sewed on it about once a week.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I love love love my machine. It does everything I need/want it to and is not tempermental at all.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
In addition to its regular stitches, there are about 25 decorative stitches that I use quite often. It also has an automatic buttonhole setting that I absolutely couldn't do without! There is an overlock foot and setting that I use often for finishing raw edges. I also have a button that will make the needle stop in the down position.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Honestly, no. If I had to choose something it might be that I would want the embroidery letters and numbers to look nicer. I would really only ever use them to label things, never to decorate with.
This doesn't necessarily drive me nuts, but because it's computerized I sometimes worry about what would happen if the computer crashed. Would I have to buy a whole new machine? How much would it cost to fix?

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
I received my machine as a gift for HS graduation (as I already mentioned).
I've only once sewn over my finger and that wasn't too bad.
My boys often like to press the buttons because there are blinking lights. I always have to make sure that my settings are correct if I leave and come back.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely. It's so worth paying the extra money to get a good machine that's going to last. I've never had any major trouble with her even though I don't get tune ups as often as I should.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
You should definitely look for a dependable name. It's nice to have several feet to switch out for all the different jobs. Like I mentioned before, I couldn't live without the automatic buttonhole setting. Especially since I sew a lot of clothes, it's priceless.

Do you have a dream machine?
As far as a regular sewing machine, no. Mine does everything I need it to so I couldn't ask for anything more.
I would, however, like to have an embroidery machine some day.