It’s Been Slow Sewing
My machine has been in the shop for a week. Since I was having all sorts of tension troubles while free motion quilting my scrappy trip along quilt, and then, my machine must have got a bad attitude, because the troubles continued on to regular projects! So, I decided four years without service was long enough, and I took it in. In the meantime, my sewing has been on this:
While the cute little Hello Kitty Janome sews great for what it is, I am missing my machine features, particularly the fact that when I press the pedal the presser foot lowers. Yes, I’ve had quite a bit of bunched up thread, for forgetting to manually lower the presser foot, oops! As a result, the sewing has been small and slow.
I’ve made the outside of a little patchwork zipper pouch, I stumbled upon this fun line done by Valentina Ramos for Robert Kaufman, and I love it. It seems to match my solid perfectly!
I’ve also been making a little, overdue gift for my mom {I had picked out and sewn the squares in twos some time ago, and then lost them, but they resurfaced when I moved my sewing machine!}. It’s a Julia Wallet with some favorite prints. I’m thinking of using some of the leftover Simple Life Pink Gingham for the lining, and this bias tape I bought on Etsy too long ago. I think she’ll love it {right, mom?}.
Do you take your machine in for service regularly? If so, what do you do when it’s away?
Oh, so excited! Thank you! Your little machine is cute, but not quite the same!!
What a cute little green machine! I have a few machines acquired in a number of ways, so when I have to take one in, I know I have a back up even if I can’t do everything that the other machines can do. Hopefully you’ll get your machine back soon in good health.
Cute little machine…cute upcoming wallet…and I hope your “BIG Girl” machine comes back home soon. Stefanie
I have a hand crank sewing machine I use for backup, I actually do all of my piecing on it and use my electric for sewing other things and the actual quilting part of the quilt.
I think that little charmer wallet is really, really cute 🙂 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of CAlifornia, Heather 🙂
p.s. I hope your sewing machine will work properly again soon 🙂 🙂 🙂
I do try to schedule a machine tune up- usually when I’m going away on holidays. That way I get some hand stitching done instead and don’t miss my machine at all!
I really enjoy doing stitcheries and hand applique (normally needle-turn), so it doesn’t bother me when my sewing machine is getting a service too much. If I desperately need to finish something off, I can always borrow a relatives’ one. We tend to take ours in for one at least every couple of years … or when it really sounds like it needs extra attendance than I can give it.
I am loving your latest projects – expecially the little turquoise piece – that fabric certainly does match!! … And is that some ruby I spy in the bottom piece? It’s gorgeous!!! x
Hi Jennie! I am sorry your machine had to go in for servicing – my beloved Pfaff is in for servicing right now as well. I try to take mine in about every eighteen months to two years. I also take it in if I have been working with something like fleece (I embroideried 24 fleece blankets for church a few weeks ago); the fuzz is really damaging to the inner workings of the machine and I am so thankful to have this machine that I do make an extra effort to take care of it. I have a wonderful guy who has been cleaning/servicing machines for over forty years (he learned from his uncle when he was just a boy). Fortunately I didn’t give up my old Husqvarna (it’s eightteen years old and has lived on three continents) so I am using it right now…and I can not count the number of times I have put my foot on the pedal without dropping the presser foot – my machine “unthreads” the needle, stop rethread the needle….GRRRR! I love your little projects and I think “Hello Kitty” is precious even if she doesn’t have all the nice features!
I love that little machine — I nearly bought the non hello Kitty version last night as a travel machine but the ladies in the store were not helpful so I ended up leaving. I have read lots of reviews and most people say for light work it’s a good machine (but slow and loud). I may be looking for this one instead because it would go great in my craft room. It makes me feel better knowing a real crafter has been using it even if it is for a short while. Your projects look great and I know you will be happy when the big machine comes home. I need to take mine in more regularly but never do — for the last few years instead of taking it in for service I end up upgrading my machine instead.
I have 3 machines, my blue Kenmore (which is very similar to the hello kitty Janome), a PFAFF and a serger. I pretty much only use my blue machine. I do wish I had a machine that was a bit more fancy than mine….but I am so used to the blue machine that I don’t know what I would do with myself? It may be simple, but it gets the job done 🙂
Your little machine is very pretty! I do a lot of hand sewing so can get by when my machine is away, though when you are without it is usually the time when you ReAlLy need it!
Have a lovely weekend!
Helen x
I have been sewing on a Brother CE4000 for a few years and just got the Brother SE400. So now my “daily machine” has become the “back-up machine.” I really should take in the older one for repair…but it would cost less than $100 to replace these days with the same model so I’ll do my best maintenance and leave it at that!