Do I sew more than most people? Probably. I do sew every day, usually 5-6 hours of studio time. My machine that keeps track of that kind of thing says we’re at 22,275,775 stitches. It’s not the only machine I work with. It’s the only machine that counts stitches.

Years ago, when I started to sew, most people only had one sewing machine. The sewing machine stores used to insist on trading in machines so people would bond with your new one. It was fairly mean. Most of us bond with a machine almost for life. There’s a learning curve on almost all machines. So it’s a while before that machine and you are bonded.

Most Berninas last at least 15 years with care and feeding. It’s also true that not all machines do every task well. I’m a Bernina fan because of the stitch and the feet. But even within brands, there are differences between machines.

But for those of us who sew maniacally every day, that care and feeding is hard to keep up with. Most of my machines need servicing at least twice a year.

When I lived in Chicago, I sewed a lot at 3 AM. At 3 AM I’m delusional. I actually believe I can time a machine and fix the flywheel. This is the kind of behavior that ends up with you at the mechanics with your machine in pieces in a box.

So I would call my friend Elaine and borrow her machine. She wisely had two. She would politely thank me for waiting until 7 AM until I called.

At a certain point it became clear, one machine was not enough. Particularly when it takes a month to get your machine back from the shop.

At this point, I have some lovely older machines. They tend to be specialty machines that do one task or another particularly well. This 99 Singer is my favorite piecing machine. The stitch is unbeatable.

My three current machines are racing to see which can break down first. All three of my current machines are acting up. One of them is in pieces on my mechanic’s work table, waiting for the parts. My mechanic keeps pointing out I sew more than most people do.

I’ve decided three working machines is the proper number. One that is inevitably at the vet, one for working and one when the second machine joins the first machine in breaking down. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

We bought a second hand 220 Bernina on Ebay. It arrived about a month ago and has run like a top ever since. If you don’t know Berninas, it’s a three/quarter head war-horse machine with moderate computerization. Everything else is waiting until my mechanic’s counter clears.

If you are wondering if you should have a second machine, if you need to sew once a week at least, you probably do. You may also want a machine that does other things than your full-time machine. Like a larger arm space, or a travel machine. But don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t need two. or three. Ask them if they want to be in a room with you when your one machine breaks down. Then, ask them how many screwdrivers they have. It’s simple math.