Randy Says...

 I was having a small problem with my sewing machine. When I would press the button to cut the thread more often than not the thread would be cut so close to the needle that when I went to sew again the needle would become unthreaded.

My sewing machine is an Elna X680.

Clearly this was a tension issue, so I brought my machine to the sewing machine spa, in my case, Bittersweet Fabric Shop in Boscawen NH.

Randy knew just what to do (duh), and then he went into the innards of my machine to see if anything else was amiss. I asked if I could watch. Glad I did, because I learned a few things.

We all know dust can be an enemy. I use a little tool like this to get the dust out of places (particularly where the bobbin lives), and I had been told never to use compressed air to blow the dust out. Randy corrected me.

He said I could VACUUM dust out of the area above, and then it was fine if I wanted to use a can of compressed air to blow the leftover bits out, because after that there wouldn't be many and they would be tiny.

HOWEVER,

I was ABSOLUTELY NOT to be doing this - using the little tool or a pipe cleaner to jam it into the recesses of the machine to get out dust or debris that might be lurking there. (I was guilty of that.) 

WHY?

Apparently there can be little springs and other very delicate gizmos lurking under there that we cannot see and a pipe cleaner or tool like the one I used to use can dislodge said spring and cause the machine to run, shall we say, less than optimally. Randy found the little spring my overeager cleaning had dislodged and put it back where it belonged. (Consider me chastised.)

One hint he DID have was to use a pin to separate things in the bobbin race (where the bobbin lives) to get the dust that might get between those thin metal strips (I think it's kind of a spring). You can just blow the dust out with a puff of breath. (You know, your own lung power.)

We both agreed that sewing machine manuals do a poor job of explaining what we SHOULD do and what we shouldn't do.

It should also be noted that the thread I was using was partly responsible. A 60w thread, (such as the Precensia 60w thread I use) requires a different tension than a 50w thread. For my machine the AUTO setting was fine for 50w, but I had to reduce it to a 3 for my 60w thread. (On my machine AUTO = 4.)

Here's a big THANK YOU to Randy and Holly from Bittersweet Fabrics for letting me watch him work and allowing me to ask my questions and help us all out. Naturally, my machine now works like a charm and the thread cutter works precisely the way I want. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other much more fun news, I ordered some postage stamps online the last time I had to ship a package via USPS. They arrived yesterday and I am delighted to share them with you. I think it is quite possibly THE COOLEST STAMP EVER.

I do not know if these beauties are available at your local post office, but you can get them at USPS.com.

It Followed Me Home...

If you looked at the picture of the class I taught at MQX last week, you probably noticed these sewing machines. MQX provided new sewing machines for all classes which were provided by vendors. There were twenty of these Elna Excellence 680's in my classroom.

Elna's rep, Russ, called me two hours before the class started, asking me how to set up the machines. Many of the classes were about machine quilting. "My class is all patchwork, we need a quarter inch foot." He asked about the color of thread the students would need. "It doesn't matter," I told him.

"Oh that'll be easy."

He was there when I got to my classroom, and he stuck around for the whole class answering any questions the students had, but I don't remember anybody asking anything.

Later (as part of an agreement between MQX and the vendors), Russ told the class about the Elnas. He felt they were the best of Elna's line, talked about some of the features and said they were for sale for [he gave a number] 48% off. I barely paid attention.

But later that night, after having had dinner and read a bit, I was talking to Julie about the class and the show. I don't really know where it came from, but I said to her. "I think I'm going to buy one of those sewing machines." Which was really weird, because I didn't touch one of them. "Why do you say that," Julie asked.

"It was the way they sounded," I replied. "I had twenty students in a smallish conference room. The students were in four rows of five, and they were practically climbing over each other to get around (a large cutting mat and the ironing boards were just outside.) I didn't hear a sewing machine all afternoon. They were so damn quiet. And not one student had a problem."

At 10:40 PM I texted Russ, told him my name and which class I taught, and that I was interested in buying one of the machines in the room. When I woke up the next morning I had a reply from Russ (that he sent at 5:50 AM) telling me which booth to visit.

Well, long story short the damn thing followed me home. (They actually had it packed and ready for me when I got there.) It has every bell and whistle I could ask for, sews like a dream and is incredibly quiet. I haven't had a new sewing machine since 1977 when I got a Kenmore for college graduation. (It ran for 33 years until it died around 2010.)

"You'll be doing your own free motion quilting with this pretty soon," Russ teased as he loaded the box into my car.

Oh no I won't.

"Oh, yes you will."

Oh HELL no I won't.

We both laughed.

I'm old enough to know to never set yourself up for something you can't or won't do, so, I guess we'll find out next year!

       

A New Friend

I had all kinds of problems with my sewing machine last week. It was working fine, and then it wasn't. It was taking too many stitches per inch, and it didn't seem to be feeding the material properly through the feed dogs.

I tried everything. I blew the dust out, I checked all the settings, I readjusted the settings, but nothing worked. The tension was a bit off too, and seams that usually sewed straight ended up with a curve that wouldn't lie flat. I knew I'd have to bring the machine to the repairman, but I wanted to finish the Colorado barn.

I finished the barn block, but since I had to teach a class on Saturday, I wouldn't be able to bring the machine in for repair until next Saturday, since the shop isn't open evenings, and doesn't stay open late enough for me to be able to get there after work before they close.

I really didn't want to buy a cheap machine at Sears or JoAnne's, but I couldn't see any other way out. I HAVE to have a sewing machine ready at all times.

When I was talking to Julie about the wonderful birthday present I received from her and her husband, she suggested I talk to Becky, the owner at Quilted Threads. QT is a Bernina dealership, and Julie thought Becky might know someone who had a used machine to sell. I did just that. Turns out QT does resell some used machines. After discussing my needs, she suggested I drop by the Bernina sales area at the lunch break.

Long story short, I came home with a Bernina 1260. It doesn't thread itself, and it hasn't got a thread cutter, but it does have a knee lift, and a whole complement of attachments. It even has the original owner's manual.

After I set it up, wound some bobbins, put in the 1/4" foot, I made a bird (above). This machine sews like a dream, and I can't believe how quiet it is. The tension is perfect.

I think I'm in love. Happy Birthday to me.

She's Back!

The sewing machine repair guy called me this morning and said he could not get the thread cutter to fail. Apparently it cut threads every single time no matter what stitch or stitch length. Wow. So he said I could come and get it.

Problem is, I am sick, sick sick. I have been sleeping on the couch all day long. I even slept through the Tournament of Roses parade, which I like to watch every year. I started feeling it New Year's Eve Day, when I woke up with my throat was so dry it hurt. Last night I had to make a trip to the drugstore to get some cold medicine, throat lozenges and a vaporizer. Then I went next door to the grocery store to get orange juice, popsicles, and tea. I slept better last night, but when I slept through the parade I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

The sewing machine repair shop closes at 5:30, just far enough away that I can't get there before they close if I leave work at 5:00. If I couldn't get my machine today, I'd have to wait until Saturday.

Bleh.

The dawn broke over Marble head. (There really is a town called Marblehead about an hour's drive away, it really does face east on the coastline, and dawn really does break over it. In addition to being a terribly wonderful bad pun on several levels, it is the equivalent of "D'oh.")

The sewing machine repair shop is in Hooksett. My dad lives in Hooksett. My dad is 84, retired, and loves to help me out. I called him, and an hour later my sewing machine was back where it belonged.

Thanks Dad.

So when I'm feeling better, I can get back to work.

Blue Triangle Slabs

I made more of the blue slab triangles last night, and decided to throw them up on the design wall to see how they'd look. Then I threw up some of the white side triangles. I really do like this layout, but I will have purple and maybe dark green in the mix too.

Since I'm a big believer of having something unexpected in my quilts, I decided to try a few of the leftover reds from Fruit Loops.  These reds tend to be warm reds, and I would prefer they be cool reds, but you get the idea.

I called the sewing machine guy and we talked a bit. I told him the thread cutter wasn't working every single time. "What's really weird though, is that when it doesn't cut, it's the BOBBIN thread that doesn't cut. The top thread cuts consistently."

The guy said, "Now that's good information. I had a machine that did the same thing, and I had to call the manufacturer, and they said to replace the bobbin race**. When I replaced it, it worked fine. So I will order a couple more and call you when they come in. I'd like to work with your machine for a couple of days, so don't bring it in until I call you. That way you won't be without it for too long."

Now the needle threader won't work, and I think that's just an adjustment. I did some sewing on some heavy stuff last weekend and it may have knocked it out of alignment. I will replace the needle and recheck my settings before I bring the machine back.

I haven't finished sewing the binding on the pink quilt, and that has to get to California by Christmas. If I have to surrender my sewing machine for a few days, it will force me to finish that, so it's fine.





** (I think that's the name for the little thing the  bobbin sits in)

She's Ba--ACK!

My sewing machine is back from the "Sewing Machine Spa."  As he was carrying it out to my car, the repairman said, "You know, the manufacturer of this machine recommends it come in for service once a year. I think you'll find she sews a lot better."

I got this machine about five years ago, in November of 2011. It's never had anything done to it since then. I deserved that remark. "In that case, I shall make a note on my calendar to bring her back to visit you next year," I told the guy.

As I got in the car, I thought, "I thought my machine sewed pretty good when I brought it in. Hmmm."

I stopped by my LQS and replaced the 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" ruler I broke last week, bought a few yards of various WOWs and came home.

I sewed the back of the Peppermint Candy quilt.

Oh. Yes.

She sews MUCH better than she did before. How lovely!

Now it time for me to put this girl to work!

A

Sewing Speed Bump

My sewing machine has a thread cutter. It hasn't been cutting all that well, and yesterday it just decided to stop cutting completely. When it gets stuck like that, I can't continue to stitch.  Obviously the machine has to go in for repairs, but I have too much sewing to do to give up the machine right now.

What to do, what to do?

Answer: Don't use the thread cutter.

How can I sew without doing that?

 I can use a small scrap of fabric to sew onto,

then I can pivot, cut the piece loose, insert a new strip and keep going.

Which is nice, because I was able to complete the next step on these blocks. Each stack is actually four blocks, so there are 116 of these.  The next step is to sew a large white HST to the other side of that red strip.

I'll have to call the "sewing machine hospital" to find out if they can order the part without having the machine in house, or how long it will have to stay to be repaired, because there's no way I'm going to drop it off and wait indefinitely until the red flimsy is complete.

Little Miss thinks the sun is too bright on this, her first walk in the stroller.  Little girl needs a hat!  Pretty sure I can do something about that!

The Change

It's a 24" x 48" (61 x 122 cm) table for my sewing machine. I was hoping my taborets would fit underneath, but they won't.  Oh well. Adapt, improvise, overcome. This is going to make sewing things so much easier.

I went back to the urgent care clinic last night for a follow up visit. There is no indication of infection, so my bandage was cut down considerably. I can remove it five days after it happened (or Sunday evening) and soak the finger to dissolve the surgical foam. It's nice to be able to flex my fingers.

The Alto

Young British designer Sarah Dickins has designed a sewing machine to encourage "making." This machine is just a prototype, it isn't in production, but it's quite the most elegant sewing machine I have ever seen. This machine has been shortlisted for this year's Dyson Award.   You can read more about this machine here, on Fast Company.

My Sewing Machine Had a Hairball

I was sewing merrily along yesterday, and changed the bobbin.  I made a mental note to clean the sewing machine when I ran the bobbin out, but after about 10 minutes, the machine started dropping stitches and breaking thread.

So I took it all apart and cleaned out the accumulated dust and lint, then put it back together.

Same problem.

So I changed to a new bobbin.

Same problem.

So I changed the needle.

Same problem.

So I dug out the manual to make sure I was doing it all right. I was.

I unthreaded the sewing machine and re-threaded it.

Same problem.

So I repeated the process.

Same problem.

Finally I called the machine's previous owner, my friend Yvonne. I thought she might have some insight.  We went through the whole process together, then she suggested I take the cover off the upper part of the machine and make sure it was threaded properly.

With the help of a flashlight, I could see some loose threads inside.  Fortunately I have a hemostat (long needle-nosed pliers), so I could reach in and pull the threads out.

Here is the small greasy mass that was giving me so much trouble.  I am very happy I could fix this on my own and didn't have to bring it to the sewing machine hospital.

Needless to say, my sewing machine sews like a dream once again.

I love my friends.

Let Me Count the Ways

I can hear you all asking... "So? How's the new machine? Do you like it?"

All I can say is, "Let me count the ways!"

I brought the manual to work yesterday, and read it while I ate my lunch. I kept reading it over dinner.  After I had done the dishes and cleaned up in the kitchen, I ventured into the sewing room at sat down at The Machine.

I  was already in love with the automatic needle threader, and the scissors that cut the threads at the end.

I sewed a couple of seams and then set up the knee lifter.

Can you say "swoon?"

Yvonne so totally rocks!

Quilting Friends

People who don't read blogs just don't get it. When I tell people about the friends I've made all over the world through the internet, they look at me like I have three heads. 

My story may not be all that unique, but still...

I adopted a cat the internet had rescued, (Millie, the famous cat!) We've made friends all over the world, and she brought me a new family (Monty! Violette, Devon! Tracey!!) My quilting life is directly a result from my blogging (I found Tonya!).  I've met even more great pals all over the world.  Heck, I traded quilts with a friend over 14,000 miles away (Helen!) I sold a couple of kitty quilts to a quilter in Tennessee (Julie) who hooked me up with a longarm quilter (Chris) who now quilts all my quilts.

It's really pretty amazing.  I knew when I asked for help yesterday that you, my quilting pals, would help me find a new sewing machine. I just didn't expect a phone call with an offer!

About a year ago, when I was working on No Rules for Julie, I drove about 30 miles to meet Yvonne. She had made a spectacular wonky log cabin quilt and had used free pieced letters on the borders. We spent a lovely afternoon together looking at quilts and talking about this, that and the other.

I certainly didn't expect to hear from her yesterday morning offering me her third machine to borrow as long as I needed, and that I could buy it for my budget if I liked it. Well knock me over with a feather! Then I thought about it. We quilters are friends even though we may not have met in person.  We ask for help, and we offer each other insights, and we share the things we find.

I did make the drive over to Yvonne's house, and she had the sewing machine all set up for me.  She gave me a few pointers, and after we visited a while, I brought it home and set it up.

It is -everything- I could ever have wanted. It's a Brother Innov-is NX 450Q. It has a needle threader, it cuts off the thread, it's quiet, it has great tension, and a nice deep "throat."

I think I'm in love.

And I -know- I'm lucky - as we all are, to be a part of this wonderful online community!

The Worst Possible Thing - Update below!

CRAP!

My sewing machine has just pitched a fit and died.  The feed dogs aren't advancing the fabric, and yes, I did everything the manual told me to do. When I lower them, they won't come back up the way they should. It's 11 years old, and yes, I did blow the dust bunnies out and I oiled itl

CRAP!

Naturally this happened at the worst time of the day (repair shop is closed for the weekend), and the month (other financial expenses take precedence!)

CRAP!

I was so excited about working on the Four Seasons quilt.  

Can you help me?

OK Quilters, now's your chance. With a budget of only $300 which machine do you recommend?  Here's what I need:

1. I make quilts. I sew cotton fabric. From time to time I'll sew through something heavier. Yes, I might hem some jeans.  I need a machine that can handle that.

2. I want a machine with good tension, where I can adjust the stitch length somewhat, and can MOVE when I want to sew a long straight line. (In other words, I don't want a slowpoke.)

3. I do not need embroidery stitches at all. I'm not going to do ruffling, or turn hems. I probably don't need it to make buttonholes either.

4. It should be quiet.

5. It would be nice if it could: a) wind the bobbin; b) thread the needle; c) cut the thread; d) have a deeper "throat" than six inches.

A quick search on Amazon brought me to the Janome HD 1000 which looks good.  I'll keep searching.

Thanks for your help and suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes. 


Updated 4:15 PM Sunday ....

WOW! Crisis resolved! Quilters are a wonderful bunch! 

This morning as I sat at my desk doing the bookkeeping my phone rang. It was Yvonne, my quilty friend who lives about 30 miles away. "You can't be without a sewing machine. I have three and I don't use one.  You can borrow it. You can come and get it today."

WOW! WOW! WOW!  So my sewing machine crisis has been resolved. I'll have more details (and photos) later...

Thank you Yvonne!

The Best Thing?

Can you guess the thing I like best about my new sewing studio?

Is it the two work tables?Is it the computer in the same room?Is it the fact that I can actually -see- the books in the bookcase?
Is it the design wall?
No, no, no and no.

It's the fact that I can see the TV in the living room that has the cable box, access to OnDemand and, best of all,
The Tennis Channel.





Helen has received her quilt. She wrote "...then I undid the ribbon and unfolded and unfolded and unfolded again to be left speechless!... It is amazing! It is beautiful! It is perfect! It is me!! I love it!!! ..."

Helen has blogged about the quilt, you can see pictures on her blog. (Go over and check it out!) I will tell you all how it came to be over the next few days.

In the meantime, Helen, you have made my day! Thanks!

Singer Sailmaker

I'm visiting friends in Maryland and on Saturday we visited the local Maritime Museum. My lovely fairy odd-kids loved me so much they gave me a cold, and I wasn't paying attention to much as we toured the museum, because my head was full of fuzz. You know the feeling.

But then I saw this:
This sewing machine was used in the late 1800's (dunno for sure, head too full of fuzz) to make sails. The thing was at least 30" wide, and the "throat" a generous 12" or so. I was so taken with it, I did not take a photo (with my cell phone, no less) of the stuff UNDER the table, so I can't tell you if it was a treadle machine or not.

I am not a sewing machine fanatic. All I ask of a sewing machine is that it sews forwards and backwards, do a little zig-zag once in a while, and work when I want it to. Most of the fancy computerized machines for sale now hold little interest for me.

But this thing stopped me in my tracks. "OoooOOOoooo" I remember thinking, "My quilt blog pals are gonna want to see this!"

Mom's the Bomb!

My Mom is so cool. She bought this Kenmore sewing machine in 1998, but she rarely uses it. She's in her 70's and is "de-accessioning" her things. A few weeks ago she mentioned that I could have her sewing machine.

Thursday night, when mine stopped dead in the middle of a seam while I was making my Jungle House, I called her and asked, "Can I pick up your sewing machine on Friday?"

Mom had all the manuals and everything that came with it. So I got it home, dusted it off, wound a bobbin, replaced the needle and tried it out. I adjusted the tension slightly, but it sews great. It's a lot quieter than mine.

Crisis averted.


Thanks Mom!