In between sewing those pieces together, I put a couple more of these snowball blocks together (I see a juvenile I spy type quilt forming),
and sewed some more of my ribbon quilt together.
Everything was going fine...until it wasn't. My machine froze up on me. I couldn't turn the handwheel, the presser foot just made the machine give a mechanical groan, nothing. So I took it apart, cleaned and oiled every moving piece I could find, rethreaded it, and still nothing. I wanted to cry! Not only did that stop my sewing for the evening, but my guild's quilt retreat is next weekend, and I will need a machine! Any ideas? It is just a $99 Singer from WalMart, so taking it to someone to fix would probably cost more than getting a new machine, but I can't really afford to get a new machine right now, either. Aaarrggghhh!
Let's look on the bright side...
1) I received these plaid flannels from Angela at Country Scrap Quilts in the mail - thanks Angela! I will put them to good use. I need to revisit my Flannel Buzzsaw quilt sometime soon.
2) I checked The Aloha Quilt byJennifer Chiaverini out of the library. All they had was a sound recording, but since it looks like I'll be doing some hand quilting until I figure out my machine woes, I have the perfect story to listen to while I quilt.
3) I have to go to work this morning, then rush to the airport to hop a plane to go to Atlanta to work for the rest of the weekend (no, that's NOT the bright side). However, I bought Arlene Sachitano's new book, Quilt As You Go over a month ago and haven't had a chance to read it yet. I'm thinking that this weekend's travel will provide the perfect opportunity to curl up with that book (actually, not even I am small enough to curl up in those miserable airplane seats, but I'll be curling up in my mind).
For everyone who has a quiet, relaxing weekend planned, please relax a few extra moments in my honor because I don't see any rest in my future until May 1.
(sigh) Calgon, take me away...
11 comments:
Can you borrow a machine?
Check out your thrift stores a lot of times they have machines for under 30 dollars .Those older ones are real work horses .Remember to take thread and fabric to try the machines in the store .
Erin do you wan to borrow my machine? It's an Elna Diva and I just had the same thing happen and got it serviced. I'm using this weekend, but next you could. Just e-mail me at work.
Hi Erin! Sorry to hear about your maching woes, but I do like the projects you're working on. The pink and black is a cute combination.
I'm sending you some Calgon by Internet FedEX right now.....
Sorry about your machine. What about the one you got for the boys, maybe you could use that? I hope you find a few moments for yourself this weekend.
Maybe you can share with someone at the guild. I have done that before. Good luck. If you were close to me, I would loan you one of mine. My first machine came from a thrift store. I paid $10 for it!
I had similar sewing machine trouble last month. Mine was a 6 yr old favorite I only use for raw edge applique. I tore it apart and cleaned everything, no luck, thought it might be a gear. The repair guy said there was thread tangled up top. (Of course this machine is not owner friendly when it comes to deep cleaning) I paid $99. for it originally and $75 for the repair. (I could have bought a new one but really like the feel of this one.) check your top thread. cw
Hi Erin, glad to see you have been sewing some blocks and working on that beautiful ribbon quilt! I'm so sorry your machine is not behaving! If I lived close to you I would offer you my machine to borrow :-) I am sorry that work is so very stressful at the moment, it can be difficult sometime can't it? I hope you can borrow a machine for the retreat - it sounds like such a nice this to do! Sam xox
Love your I-Spy fabrics, but even better is that Orphan quilt you made. Wow, it is so busy and great. The Cardinal bird is my favourite block.
I think I recognize some of that fabric. It's fun to see what you are using it for.
I just browsed through your blog and I love the ribbon quilt in this post. Is there a pattern for this? I always ask first, and if not, I can make it up. But I like to purchase from the designers first, keeps them designing for us piecers!
Post a Comment