Well, after MUCH laboring, researching, driving to the store and working with Karen (who owns the sewing machine store), I settled on a machine. I ended up with the Baby Lock Ellegante (with computer upgrades). It was a barely used machine that had most of its components still in plaster. The stitch count read "zero". Got it at about half price of new ones. While it's a deal, the darn thing still cost more than my first car!
I've spent a lot of time watching videos on dos and don'ts, but it is clear that sitting down and practicing is important. How to thread the needle? Or more accurately, how to set up the thread so the machine threads the needle? How to deal with the bobbin? Select a pattern? Hoop? It is not your grandma's machine! Heck it's not anything like my old machine! The equivalent is deciding you need a new car and heading to the car store and discovering they have space ships for sale only.
I sat down and did some practice. First disaster was the needle falling out mid-design. That is an unrecoverable error. Note to self: check needle frequently during embroidery. All the vibration can loosen the needle. Second drama: running out of bobbin thread mid-design. This is recoverable - and recoverable such that non one will ever know that happened.
In pretty much no time, my list of things I needed from the store grew. More stabilizer. More thread colors! More needles (had my needle broken, I'd be out of luck).
Got those supplies and pretty much nothing in the house has been safe since.
My yoga pants with holes in the behind? Repaired! One with a pretty flower. And the other with a couple of bunnies. Some green dragons showed up on a black t-shirt I had as well as some of Dave's old climbing pants.
A pretty Robin adorns an old patagonia shirt. Our friend Mark ended up with his name on a gift shirt (he's helping...leading the effort ...in installing cabinets. See next blog on renovation of Den which is ongoing).
The living room is a wreck and the cat is loving it. She's been terribly "helpful" as cats can be. *shakes head*
Once the den is renovated, things get moved around and I'll get a table set up to get the machine on. Until then, I am working on the floor. It's not been as bad this time. Maybe I'm getting used to sewing like a monkey.
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Lots going on at the house recently. First, Dave got some large prints made of several of his photos for the house. They are in the dining room, new room and living room. It is nice to have some new cheerful photos in the house!
Second, he's been busy in the man-cave working on some wood working projects. He is currently making some dovetail boxes. I won't share what for yet. You'll see when he's done. Suffice it to say they are important.
These are his first dovetails. He made a practice box and learned a lot. The two side fit very well.
Pretty cool stuff. He used maple and ash so there is some pretty contrast between the two woods which make the joints stand out.
The will 'pop' more when he finishes them. Hopefully the boxes will be done in the next week or so.
While we've been busy, the cat has been in the house pilfering beer. She is good for nothing. :)
Spent all day last weekend doing lots of sewing projects. It was nice to get these tasks done and it's always fun to get the machine out. We managed to get most every project done before my 35 year old Sears Kenmore 1776 croaked. She's a goner for sure this time. She's been a really good machine, but her time has come. *taps play*
The Kenmore isn't the only thing getting old - see how I am sitting here working on this stuff? I was darned near crippled when I got up. Seems I'd started hardening in this position. Ow. Soon there will be a blog with my new sewing machine (OMG have you seen new machines - yowza!!). And this new machine will be at a table with a proper chair. This will surely add 7 years to my life.
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Boulder has been having some typical schitzo weather. Warm one day, snowing the next, only to be warm the next. It's not so bad really and any moisture is welcome.
A cool part of the cold (is there any? haha) is the rare ice. The humidity here is so low that ice is pretty rare. The other morning though, Dave went out to knock the snow off my car and he found some beautiful ice on my wind shield.
This one is my favorite. Really intricate and gorgeous.
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Fun times at the house again.
Dave has been busy working in the garage on a rush project. The other afternoon, while we watched, several Chickadees checked out our nests up front. They nest out front every year. Two years ago they fledged four chicks in the tiniest nest that was decorative and technically not suitable for nesting! Clearly more real estate was needed for them.
So Dave got some lumber and got busy. Our Chickadee boxes were designed with an additional feature we hope they like - a peek-a-boo window.
Dave got these done quickly and we hung them last night - just in time for the latest snow storm. It has vacillated between 65 degree summer days and 30 degree winter days. Today is winter.
From the new room, we can see into each window. Hopefully we get some birds moving in quickly.
If we are really lucky, we'll get some House Wrens in another nest. And if we are super duper lucky, some White-Breasted Nuthatches in another. There is plenty of room for them all!
We'll let you know when we get some tenants!
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Well, after MUCH laboring, researching, driving to the store and working with Karen (who owns the sewing machine store), I settled on a machine. I ended up with the Baby Lock Ellegante (with computer upgrades). It was a barely used machine that had most of its components still in plaster. The stitch count read "zero". Got it at about half price of new ones. While it's a deal, the darn thing still cost more than my first car!
I've spent a lot of time watching videos on dos and don'ts, but it is clear that sitting down and practicing is important. How to thread the needle? Or more accurately, how to set up the thread so the machine threads the needle? How to deal with the bobbin? Select a pattern? Hoop? It is not your grandma's machine! Heck it's not anything like my old machine! The equivalent is deciding you need a new car and heading to the car store and discovering they have space ships for sale only.
I sat down and did some practice. First disaster was the needle falling out mid-design. That is an unrecoverable error. Note to self: check needle frequently during embroidery. All the vibration can loosen the needle. Second drama: running out of bobbin thread mid-design. This is recoverable - and recoverable such that non one will ever know that happened.
In pretty much no time, my list of things I needed from the store grew. More stabilizer. More thread colors! More needles (had my needle broken, I'd be out of luck).
Got those supplies and pretty much nothing in the house has been safe since.
My yoga pants with holes in the behind? Repaired! One with a pretty flower. And the other with a couple of bunnies. Some green dragons showed up on a black t-shirt I had as well as some of Dave's old climbing pants.
A pretty Robin adorns an old patagonia shirt. Our friend Mark ended up with his name on a gift shirt (he's helping...leading the effort ...in installing cabinets. See next blog on renovation of Den which is ongoing).
The living room is a wreck and the cat is loving it. She's been terribly "helpful" as cats can be. *shakes head*
Once the den is renovated, things get moved around and I'll get a table set up to get the machine on. Until then, I am working on the floor. It's not been as bad this time. Maybe I'm getting used to sewing like a monkey.
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