So it's been a million years since I blogged...well nearly two years, but that might as well be a million. I've always appreciated those who blogged, but when you see their consistency and dedication "appreciated" just doesn't cut it. To have that level of discipline is something I don't seem to have - clearly. I am tempted to make a goal of once a month, and see if I can do it...Alright - you're on. Once a month at least!
So I will be photo dumping for a bit...there are so many projects that I've done and not posted. I will try not to count multiple postings as more than once a month. So two (or more) postings on a day won't count as multiple months. Funny the rules I'm making for myself! Whatever it takes to get me posting, I suppose.
So most recently I bought a new machine! My Brother VX-2400 In-novis was recently serviced, at the same time as the Sew Expo. My husband knew that I hadn't loved my Brother for a while, and encouraged me to look at new machines. I branched out to look at other brands...My grandmother who has just recently passed away in February had a Pfaff. She'd sewn on it for a million years. I don't know if she loved it (she would have never said if she did or didn't), but I gave it a whirl. At Sew Expo, there are tons of sales...making the price of the Pfaff Performance 5.2 a doable option.
My wonderful husband did expo with me, and it was different. Fun, but a different way of shopping with him there...lots of explaining from me. He is, was, and always has been super supportive of my quilting. He used to be a Master Dry Cleaner, so he has a real appreciation of fabrics, and can sew on a French Cuff button - and iron - like nobody's business!
He also likes new technology - whatever it may be. And he saw a Bernina Q20, with hydraulic lift table. That of course I loved. But I didn't have a spare $13,000. Mind you - it's totally worth it, but I didn't have it, nor did I want to embark on the 5 year 0% financing. Why? Because the last time I financed a sewing machine at 0% interest (it was my Brother), because finances were really pretty stable, and we had paid off some bills, within a week - the washer, dryer, furnace, and water heater went belly up and had to be replaced. So, it was a bit of a jinx. So, even though I wouldn't call myself superstitious, I just thought "Why tempt fate?" Anyway, my husband and I stood and had an argument about the thing. And his take was I "needed" it. Oh yeah, I wanted it, but need is about 10 steps too far. It was and is beautiful. Just not a need. I finally dissuaded him with "Let's do it next year." So I have a year to save and wish for. By the way - that cute guy to the right of the machine? That's my husband!
Anyway - I'm learning to love my Pfaff. It had to go to the shop the first week I had it, the balance was way out of whack. It was a classroom model, so it could have come for that. Or, I am magically skilled at breaking machines. I'm tempted to believe it's the latter...so a re-tensioning and re-balancing, and tune up, and a new 90/14 topstitch needle, and it seems to be good. I'm starting to love it. I think with time, it will be wonderful and I will adore it, but for now I'm just getting there.
I'm selling my Brother to a long-time friend - I hope she will love it!
Hope you are having a fabulous day - and there will be pics of projects coming...eventually...
So I made a jelly-roll rug. It was a challenge to get it to lay flat. And no matter how much I tried to get it level, and pressed within an inch of its life...it had a curve on the outer edge. I ended up unstitching to where it was flat, and re-zigzagged it. This time I stacked up books around the machine, and loosened up a bit, just gently guiding the fabric next to each round. I didn't do any pushing or pulling, and it worked soooo!!! much better. Enough that I'm trying rug #2...this time I'm doing all the prep steps, and rolling it into a ball, etc. and trying to do it exactly according to the pattern. I'm hoping it comes out a bit more flat the first time.
