[Creative Commons photo by Jude]

The contest launched today, and they’re looking for nature-inspired pieces created on a sewing machine that integrate “organic elements.” Folks can submit entries for the next four weeks. They’ll select one winner and three runners up. The prizes look pretty awesome:

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Being green and being thrifty often coincide. This is definitely true for large purchases like sewing machines. Just like with cars, people don’t always wait until a sewing machine has completely worn out before trading up to a new one.

But unlike with cars, you don’t have to worry about the gas mileage on an older sewing machine! So whether you’re looking for your first machine or trading up, buying used can be the way to go.

Although some dedicated partisans would have you believe otherwise, there is no “best” brand of machine. Your goal is to find one that you’re comfortable with and that does what you want it to do. With that in mind, here are a few tips to keep in mind when shopping for a used machine.

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