Well, Color Me Embarrased!!!

This morning I headed off in a huff to the local sewing machine repair shop to ask what the heck they did to my baby... (see previous post to review symptoms of the so called Baby). The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hi! {start unpacking the Baby from it's carrier - plopping it on the counter} I brought my machine in back in January for it's annual cleaning {pull out receipt to demonstrate proper documentation} and when I took it out last night for it's first run, nothing happened.
At this point the guy has plugged in my machine and started threading it...
more Me: Oh, the machine ran. It ran and ran and ran. But not one stitch would stick to the fabric. The bobbin thread won't pull up... {and then I kicked it in high gear by pulling out the little strip of fabric with the demo stitches that was brought home with the machine after the cleaning...} I would love to know how you were able to get those stitches on there because it does not want to play with me...

At this point the guy bends down and asks...
Repair Guy: Did you change the needle.

Me (still puffed up): Yes. I broke the other needle after putting the machine in high gear when the stitches would not grab. {Yes. that was a bit embarrassing, like if I sewed faster there was a chance of the bobbin thread rising from the depths of that hole}

He takes the needle off and looks at it... Here my stomach sank, because I had removed that bobbin case gazillion times, re-threaded the machine bazillion times, but..... He turns the needle a 1/4 turn to the left and re-attaches... I knew what was coming... He pulls the little piece of fabric I had brought with me and puts it under the foot... {sigh} the machine just purred and sewed like a charm.

Repair Guy: Ma'am, {don't you hate when they ma'am you with that "you're an idiot" tone - or maybe it was just my imagination} Most sewing machines use the needles with the flat part facing away, but the Featherweights need the flat portion of the needle facing left. If the needle is not just right, it won't pick up the bobbin thread.

God Bless him. He said that in a way that allowed me to save face. Like, "yeah, you're an idiot for not knowing this but most people are idiots and we get this all the time"

Packed my bags, thanked him profusely for having wasted 5 minutes while he heard my rant and headed home.

Well, it seems that when I setup my sewing area so diligently I took the needle off to make sure it was the right size for my project and when I put it back on I turned it around. Can you believe that this was what caused all my frustrations yesterday?

Look how smooth that puppy sews...

All because the flat of the needle needs to face left.

A bit embarrassed here...

Good intentions and all...

My Friday Night Sew-In was a bit of a flop. I had the best of intentions... Here is how it went:

Since my 'big' machine is setup for machine quilting a baby quilt I'm working on I pulled out my Featherweight which had been in it's box since I brought it home from it's yearly cleaning expedition. I wound a bobbin with my thread and I layed out my fabric. I still have some blocks to finish for my Short Story quilt so I was looking forward to something nice, easy and with some quick results.

When I was setting my 1/4 inch seam I noticed there was a problem. The machine ran but the stitches were not connecting. The bobbin thread was not being pulled to the top so.. no stitches.

After about half an hour of fidgeting with the thing I had gotten myself so upset I had to walk away. Do you think some universal force is out to stop me from piecing anything?

 Anyway, this morning I'm off to take my baby to the doctors... I'm just happy that this happened at home and not at a class or worse.. a Retreat! I would have been REALLY upset if that happened.

It was not all lost. Although no sewing was done, I did stay away from work and watched the last few episodes of a series I had started to watch over a year ago.

I had been turned off when I heard about the ending but the show was so good and so out there I always knew I would want to finish watching it. I am happy I did. It was really a great series. I'm curious what the BBC version (the original) would look like.

So that was me. How did your Sew-In day go? Hopefully better than mine.

Friday Night Sew-In

I need some help. I have not found my groove this summer and need some motivation, so I'm joining the Friday Night Sew-In



I was over at the Quilt Hollow and saw that Mary was participating. I thought this just might be what I need to get at least SOMETHING done! It will also get me to post about my work tomorrow.

So... if you are feeling unmotivated drop by Handmade by Heidi  and join the Friday Night Sew-In, and keep an eye out for my post tomorrow.

A Short Story emerges...

I have been on a forced creative hiatus. Ugh.

Last year the economy had really slowed work down quite a bit but this year it has been non-stop, go go go since mid May and there is no end in sight. I work in a position where I have to do the work, it's not something that I an just walk away or check out over the weekend and come back to it on Monday. I have a deadline and the project needs to be done by that date. It's a bit nerve wrecking if you are running behind and with more projects that you have time to complete, you are always behind. So, weekends have been pulled into the work week and whenever I take a breather, I don't feel I can actually sit down to get anything done.

I wanted to work on so many projects but, until recently I have not been able to pull myself into actually cutting anything or sewing anything.

I was going through a bit of withdrawal and finally broke down and cut up the Fat Eighth bundle I won over at Kelly's during a Charming Club giveaway. I had been scoping out the fabric and when I actually won I was VERY excited.

 I decided to use the fabric to make a quilt from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. new book Schnibbles Times Two. I decided to make the larger version of Short Story. The fabric was just enough so I was very happy. I cut out all the fabric and separated the strips into the 49 blocks.

This fabric collection is just gorgeous!

The more I cut, the more I fell in love with each piece.

I have made 8 blocks. Not alot but I'm happy to see SOMETHING coming out of the sewing room that doesn't come from the creative juices of my daughter.

The blocks come together very easy, which is nice since I can easily sit down and sew a few seams here and there when I can.

I won't be able to finish this one to make it for the Schnibbles contest but I'm VERY happy that I'm actually getting something done.