What brand and model do you have?

I have a Singer 2638, which looks like this:

How long have you had it?

I have had this machine for well over five years; I've only started really using it recently, though. If I had known how much I was going to love sewing, I would have set it up YEARS ago.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

When I bought it, I believe I paid around $250. It was refurbished, so it cost more than that new.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.

Right now, I primarily quilt with it, but I have done curtains in the past. And I'm going to venture out into clothing in the very near future. 

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I sew a little every night lately. It gets light use mostly; I tend to sew in batches, when the bug bites me.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I don't love it, but I don't hate it. I do understand why it was sent back to the factory to be refurbished. In the time that I've had it, I've had to send the machine in three times to be repaired. If I were using this machine more that number would probably be much, much higher.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

The basics all work well; this is really just a standard, run-of-the-mill sort of machine without any bells and whistles. I've purchased some additional feet for it (a walking foot and a darning foot) that have greatly expanded the usefulness of it.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

I'd say the random breaking down drives me nuts. Always in the middle of a big project, WHAMMO. I think I'm temping fate by talking about it publicly.

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!

My first sewing machine was this cheapo Brother that I bought from WalMart for around $90. I didn't want to get an expensive one, because I wasn't sure how much I was going to sew; I think I made two bags on it before it broke on me. Apparently, trying to send fifteen layers of fabric and batting was a little too much for that machine to handle. Whatever. So, there I was, moping that my new toy was broken and it was going to cost more to fix it than I paid for it, when my husband surprised me with this one. He found it online and bought it because he could see how much I really wanted to sew.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

This one? Not at this point, because they don't make them brand new any more. My experience with a refurbished machine has not been fantastic. I mean, for the most part, it works great and I've knocked out a couple of quilts on it, but there is always the fear that changing the stitch type is going to piss it off and send it into a tantrum. 

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Having done a few more projects, I would look for some of the more advanced features. Ease of threading is a huge one, and I would really recommend finding something that comes with all of the accessory feet if you can find it.  My machine's light over the work space is a little dim, so I would want something brighter in that area.  

Do you have a dream machine?

My dream machine is something that can do light embroidery and sewing/quilting; I want an all in one machine. I haven't found a specifc one that I'm drooling over yet, but hopefully in the next year I'll narrow down my search and buy a new one. The Singer will stick around for backup usage.

ETA: Right after posting this (and I mean, seriously, the next day) the damn thing broke. The tension was seven kinds of screwed, and if you know anything, that's bad.  So I hauled my cookies to the nearest Joann's to stalk machines, and I ended up with a super cool new (to me) machine.  That I love. So I'm going to have to say that I totally DO NOT recommend the machine above.