Ahh, back to the normal day of hell I am so used to! Cannot even begin to tell you how much money today cost me, and I didn't DO anything. First of all I finally got Molly to the groomer, long overdue because I have been trying not to stress her over anything, but she had dreadlocks all over her body and we were overdo. Because she is so old they won't give her shots any more so I have to have her done on the 'express' plan which naturally costs more but she is in and out in 2 hours and not in a cage all day waiting her turn:
She now looks more like a Smiling' Jack Russell- who knew her ears are so tiny? I've always kept her in a puppy clip but even that is pretty hairy with a big square head- don't recognize this animal! And truth is that now she can see again unfiltered by 6" eyelashes, she doesn't recognize me either.
Hum along here to "getting to know you...getting to know all about youuuu"
One more wildlife post and I'll hang it up for the day, promise. Ready?
Spent the morning while Molly was 'busy', in my studio with the old fall-back machine that I don't like. Had my giant magnifier headpiece on because I was ripping seams and threading needles- things I can't do anymore without aids. But since my Real Machine has been in the shop for TWO MONTHS now I have been not making quilts but instead altering clothes that don't fit any longer. I'm not doing the Home Ec job of re-cutting and tailoring carefully, but instead mostly roaring up side seams and taking things in 2" on each side. Works pretty well to use this as a standard and I am doing it to clothes I haven't worn in a long time. I have also found great satisfaction in cutting up some old silk and voile shawls and making simple T shirt shapes from them. These things have been toted around for years, and finally I have made them useful. Today I also worked on a dress I don't even remember owning but there it was- had two giant kangaroo pockets on each side and some sort of gathering done in the front and back seams. A bit too pouffy, so I took out the poufs and took off the big gathered pockets and now perhaps I might wear it. Someday. While I was toiling away I called the Bernina shop and asked about my machine and lo and behold the repair guy was there and working on it as we spoke. I picked it up on my way home and it's in the back of my car as I type so I haven't given it the test ride yet. I SO want it back! They had to wait for 'some part' to arrive from Switzerland.
Good thing I am a devoted Bernina fan AND we have George here to keep the industrial side of the shop humming. SO, lets talk about my history with all my machines!
First, I learned to sew on my mom's electrified treadle machine. I used to love the gold filigrees of the design and how it would fold up into the cabinet, something like this one~
I went off to college with a Singer my parents bought me for graduation and it served me well since I made most of my clothes back then. It lasted over 20 years until I started quilting and I saw friends with wonderful fancy machines.
When I was 40 my husband told me to buy a new machine for my quilting so I did- a fabulous mechanical Bernina. It could do anything and I delighted in sewing with it for years. It now resides in my daughter's barn and I am sure it's rusted out- will have to see when I go back to Boston. I loved it so much. It sure made a lot of curtains and duvet covers as well as a couple of hundred quilts.
Then I was asked to teach at the Vermont Quilt Festival one year and sort of hung out at the Bernina booth where they gave me an excellent show price which exactly matched the check in my pocket from teaching all weekend! Kismet? Nah, probably somebody there cut the checks! Went home with very little gas, but a new machine belted into the back seat. That machine lives on in our condo in Boston, well used but quite neglected since I became a Florida resident. Around this time I also bought an industrial machine that really pushed the speed envelope. When we moved to a condo I traded it in on a serger which I haven't used much because it involves threading six needles, and you know how good I am at that.
Neither my daughter or daughter-in-law are sewers (sewists?). I bought a fancy machine to leave in FL and that's the one that has been absent lately. It seems to be a bit more delicate than others as it needs a little 2 month spa treatment every summer it seems. Somewhere along the line I also bought an emergency machine trade in- works fine because it seems I am always under deadline when it comes time for the 440's spa days. I think the fall-back machine is a 350. It sews, best I can say for it.
So, now I have this back and in business in its cabinet AND I got the fancy Q-20 longarm quilter last spring:
I'm missing pictures of the serger and another machine I had along the way, as well as the emergency Bernina. Guess I should keep better records. But what I am saying is that I love my Berninas, just about any models except the fancy-stitch or embroidery models- I don't need it and for me it's a waste.
Oh yeah, here is the voile dragon shirt I finished up today, and the Capri silk top I did last week, both unused scarves with just enough design to be very careful how it's placed. You cn see how transparent it is on the right- that's his head. The one on the left is his body and the yellow border was the scarf border.
(sorry, badly in need of pressing!) The left one is the back, the right one the front. This ws a gorgeous but Way Too Big scarf from a major designer. A friend had bought it but was quite petite and it overwhelmed her so I then bought it from her and stuffed it in the scarf drawer where it stayed for years. Now I will wear it- this will be perfect on my imagined trip to Corsica, eh?
Enough for now. Maybe tomorrow I will add back in the really cool art I find out there on the inter webs. Thanks for hanging in there. It WILL get better, I promise.
Sandy
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