I might just pack all the un-blogged items and take the photos at Jekyll Island, but that might be considered blogger cruelty. HAHAHA. Seriously, make this vacation get here or I might be on the news for all the wrong reasons. *ahem* Anyway. So what's on my sewing table? Well, for starters, this:
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| These do not belong to my machine. |
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| On the left side of the ring, Brother! On the right, Singer overlocker! Wadded fabric in the middle is one of four current projects. I'm a multi-tasker. |
Small problem... they don't fit on the Brother bobbin winder. Well crap. I know, I'll buy a Sidewinder!! New problem... you have to get the DELUXE version for them to fit Viking bobbins. Which costs $66 instead of $26 dollars. I think its a conspiracy against vikings. I mean the sewing machine, not my ancestral history. Nobody pisses off those kind of Vikings, but I digress. The whole reason I was going to use Mom's machine in the first place is because I just had it serviced and mine needs to go in the shop for some TLC. Plan C, hook my machine back up and take over the kitchen table with the Bernina cover stitch machine.
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| Its a craigs list table. One day when I don't have two dirt vortex catastrophe machines living in my house I'll invest in nicer furniture. And new flooring. |
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| Cutting knits is fun! |
The reason for the cover stitch machine was to finish the hems on another dress from Vogue 8679. The hem turned out lovely, but the photo is really dark.
I then went to do a finishing stitch on the Simplicity dress front wrap piece and sewed it wrong, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. Coverstich seam ripping will make you want to rip your own hair out. The fourth time was passable and I said "to hell with that" and left it. No photo, at this point my son was awake, playing video games (his natural state) and asked "Are you yelling at me?"
"No, I'm yelling at inanimate objects".
"Oh good, glad to see you are feeling better", (its been a bad couple of weeks) he says. So yelling at inanimate objects is considered an improvement over the last few weeks. This is why I need a real vacation, ya'll. I'll also accept care packages of chocolate and vodka cocktails. But not molotov cocktails, those are illegal and make the postal workers crankier than me.
So, anyone else have seam ripping nightmares to share?? What's your favorite cocktail?
First up, cocktail recipe: 2 shots vodka (360 has some great flavored ones if you want to go the flavored route), juice of 1 large or 1 1/2 smaller limes, splash of cranberry juice. Shake w/ ice, pour into a martini glass. Sip, repeat. Yes, that's the recipe for a Cosmopolitan. Yes, I realize it was "the" drink on Sex and the City, and the show is no longer the "in" thing to watch. Doesn't mean the drink has to go away.
ReplyDeleteFor the bobbin thing. I have a Viking machine, and yes, they wind awfully lopsided if you just load them and press the foot pedal. Mine has the winding apparatus on the front, and the thread goes along the front of the machine to the winding spool, and there's a part of the machine that sticks out just enough that the thread hits it on its path to be wound. While winding I have to put my finger lightly on the thread just after that part of the machine, guiding it to wind the back side of the bobbin, then letting up so it will go to the front, and repeat until it gets more or less evenly wound, and watch carefully so it doesn't overfill and not fit into the drop-down part of the machine because that would defeat the whole purpose of winding a bobbin. At least this process only takes one hand, so you have the other free to take a sip of whatever you end up mixing.
I love Cosmos! And I have only seen one "Sex in the City" episode, ever. So for me it has nothing to do with a show. I have tried to guide the thread, but my major problem is getting the winding started. I guess it will just take practice. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteOhhh, now I really feel your pain. I only recently started having the problem with getting the winding started. The bobbins that came with the machine work great for me. Just pop them on and there you go. The ones I bought shortly after getting the machine work ok; I can tell they aren't the same, but whatever. But the (cheap) ones I bought last month are an entirely different story. They fit the machine, but they are extremely difficult to get started, and they fall off the machine if I don't put my finger up to stabilize while they wind, and they seem to need a lot of attention when getting them set up. I have to wind the thread first about 5 or 6 times and hold onto the end as it gets going (I sent one flying across the room at one point). An exercise in frustration for sure. I'm thinking of getting brand name bobbins again, but since Viking accessories are oddly expensive, it might be cheaper to hold out for the upgraded bobbin winder. I'm quite jealous of your vacation, the last time I had more than a few days off work in a row, it was 3 years ago and was called "maternity leave."
DeleteDo you try guiding the thread with a finger when you wind the bobbins? I find that helps sometimes. Although, I tend to use my bobbins regardless of how ugly they look. Usually it's fine. Usually.
ReplyDeleteEvery once in a while I get the urge to use ALL THE MACHINES (or try to, anyway), but given my space setup more than three is pretty tricky. I use three with disturbing regularity, though...
It sounds like your vacation is desperately needed. I hope it comes quick and lasts long...
PS love the new blog look. I know you did it a while bacck, but it's finally registering. :)
Yup. Need more practice I guess. I think you might be one of the few people that has less space than I do, so I feel you there.
DeleteI haven't had a proper vacation in TWO YEARS! I'll be gone two whole weeks from work and I have a feeling they'll be missing me pretty badly by the time I get back. I can't take my sewing machine to the beach though. I'm being forced to do relaxing things like read, nap, hunt for shells... yeah, I'm _totally_ going waaaahhhh. (heh)