Tuesday, December 17, 2013

My machine made me do it and other Tall Tales

Let's talk sewing machines shall we?  Janome will always be my main squeeze (besides my hubby of course).  Like all sewing machines, though, they need some extra TLC.  In walks Mr. Tuneup guy or sewing machine repair guy to the rescue!  I have put it off and put it off.  Excuse after excuse as to why I do not need to take my machine in quite yet.  Until this random starting and stopping while I was happily sewing along entered in.  This went on for a few months because as I said I was not going to stop my projects to take her in pssshhhhh!  Well now we are in the beginning of December.  What better time than now I say to myself.   The plus side of this,well, one of them is that it only cost me $65.  This is a bargain from what I have seen others were charged whom spoke about it online.  I took it in Wednesday and had it back to me Friday!  How is that for speedy service?!!   The service guy thought there could have been something wrong with the sensor.  Nope.  Just 4lbs of lint sitting on the bottom, on top of the sensor.  Oh so lucky!  Lucky me!

Now you think I would have had the decency to sew something on my newly cleaned dream of a machine.  Nah!  As ya'll know already we are nearing the best holiday of the year and there are just things that need to be taken care of now!

Starting new traditions with the family...

Wrapping handmade presents...

Making cookies...

 Looking at Christmas presents online for moi;)

I ordered the Alicia Paulson ABC crewel work pattern...

The directions are so nice.  Very detailed which makes everything pretty darn clear to follow.  I picked out all my colors to go with the color scheme Alicia picked out.  She used wool yarn though and I am using Precencia perle cotton.  This pattern came out years ago,but that actually works to my advantage.  This way I can browse other blogger's blogs to find out what they did for this pattern as far as color choices,material used and how they liked the pattern overall.  I am looking forward to starting this,but more than likely after the new year.

I also did some fabric shopping on fabric.com and picked up some minky on sale at 15% off for Jade's quilt backing and some nice flannel for another baby quilt in the making.  To round out the total and incur free shipping I added on a spool of Aurifil thread in bubblegum and some Sulky Solvy paper I have been wanting to try out.

Then I had an Amazon gift card from my B-day so I went over to their website and picked up a new 8" embroidery hoop and rotary cutter blades AND I was able to order the much sought after Vintage Quilt Revival book by Lee Heinrich, Katie Blakesley and Faith Jones.  I have to wait until the end of the month or beginning of Jan. before I see the book,but that's fine by me.  As long as it gets here safely!

My final splurge for Christmas entailed Wee Wanders by Sarah Jane.  I ordered 1 yd each of 5 different prints which should be be shipped to me at the end of Jan.  The fireflies and footprints lured me in---I couldn't help myself!!!!

After my overindulgence, I thought hmmm....maybe I should get some fabric for a changing pad.  Well..........laminate fabric is quite expensive and I knew I could get a changing pad elsewhere for much less.  I know, I know....but it won't be unique and handmade by mommy,but I DO have my limits.  I wanted laminate due to one obvious reason of keeping it clean easier.

Today it was the day to get that darn Lucky Stars December block finished and out of the way!




BTW....my Janome is working beautifully and I am oh so eager to do some real sewing on it.....not this 5 minute type stuff;)

Sara







6 comments:

Terri said...

ya gotta clean out your machine once in awhile, you know! Good thing it was a cheap bill. Love the gingerbread houses!

Dresden Lane said...

4 lbs really? That is crazy. I love the Lucky Stars and always enjoy a good fabric shopping confessional.

Anonymous said...

Love your colour choices for your Lucky Star block. Great stuff.

✾Jamie Lee Cooley✾ said...

What a funny post! I have a Janome, too, and lately I've had a lot of problems with it. Mine also had a ton of lint in it, but there is something else wrong that I've had it in twice to be repaired and it still is skipping stitches sometimes. Is your machine finicky about bobbins and needles? I have to use factory original of both or else thread breaks and more stitches are skipped. It is such a sad situation at this point because I love my machine so much, but it might be time to get something else. When the thread breaks during FMQ or when I'm using a decorative stitch, it can be a real pain because I have to rip out a lot to make it look okay when I start again. I was nearly in tears quilting those flowers. The man wasn't too helpful either--he said something like skipped stitches is a fact of life with fmq. Not true!!! There are sometimes needle holes where the needle punched through 6 times in a row but never picked up the bobbin thread. It has been really frustrating.

I ordered the Wee Wonders, too--a fat quarter bundle of each of the colorways. Are you going to make Jade a quilt with the fabrics you got? Bea really like them so I just thought I better get them while I can. I have a feeling it will be really popular and might be hard to get later.

I also ordered the Vintage Quilt Revival book (great minds think alike!). Katie Blakesley is in the DC Modern Quilt Guild so I've met her a few times. This book is right up my alley! I love traditional quilts with modern fabric.

Your lucky stars are going to make a beautiful quilt! I'm impressed how you have been so diligent making them and now will have an awesome quilt top!

Scrapatches said...

I wandered in via Really Random Thursday and really enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing.

My Janome needs a good cleaning by a good repair guy. Now if only I could find one that sounds as good as yours. The last time I took it be serviced (at the place where I purchased it) they lost my power cord and messed up the needle position somehow. Not going back there ... I clean my baby as best I can myself ... :) Pat

Afton Warrick said...

Your Lucky Stars block came out beautifully!