I Used To Have One But . . .
The quilt to commemorate Niece's engagement is progressing, though not as quickly as I might like (so why am I wasting valuable time here?) I was hoping to have it finished by next Thursday, wishing to put stitches into the latest Sock Travel Project rather than hurriedly putting finishing stitches into said quilt.
Then yesterday lunchtime the wheels fell off. The project, the quilt doesn't have wheels.
The top thread has been getting pulled under the cloth in seams. That usually involves re-entering the bobbin and rethreading the needle. Carry on. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Only yesterday it stuck yet again. So I took the shuttle race out to clear it. Eventually got it back in correctly. Now the top thread doesn't catch the bobbin thread at all. Aaaarrrggh!
Fortunately there are other bits I can do while trying to arrange the "borrow" of another machine. And taking this one to the repair shop to see what they can do with it. It's only my second sewing machine ever. In more than forty years. The last one 'died' of this sort of thing too. It may be me, it may be an inherent flaw in sewing machine construction.
Sewing machines have moved on a LOT. Mine just went forwards, backwards and sideways (zig-zag and variants). Now they thread themselves, cut threads, put the foot up and down independently, embroider and all sorts.
Of course, they are now computer controlled. And therein lies the potential difficulty. You know when you take your car to the garage these days? They suck their teeth and say something along the lines of, "It's the wiring" or "It's the computer" and you just Know it's going to be expensive because replacement. They can't reprogram.
I have the feeling it might be the same with the all-singing-all-dancing sewing machines. They're a form of Tech. I have a somewhat rocky relationship with Tech. I can use a computer - provided it's this computer (or at least a Mac), or one I use frequently (age-related difficulty remembering infrequently-used skillz). I have a totally non-Smart phone - I do txts and calls. Also alarms, reminders, etc. Don't hand me a Smartphone (not even an iPhone) I'm forever touching the wrong bit and 'losing' things. Further than that I am reluctant to go, though I am not a Luddite.
Then there's the whole 'built-in obsolescence' thing. Mum had a hand-cranked Singer machine on which I learned to sew (one handed!) Seem to remember that had tension and bobbin issues too. (See comment about such above.) Mum passed it on to Sis, who, I believe, still uses it. I've seen similar models in museums. But then, I'm of an age when most of my childhood (and later) is considered History. (Real Improvements as well as Built-in Obsolescence. Give me an automatic washing machine any day. And a good breeze to dry it out on the line afterwards!)
Maybe I should start saving, and dropping hints about potential birthday/Christmas presents. Wot with it being Birthday month and all that*. Though not until well after next Thursday!
Anyhew, I shall continue with design and planning. And hey, I has needlez, I can hand-sew. Whether I can see to thread said needlez . . .
Y'all have a good day now!
*That's birthday month for Niece, D, Mum, Me (also Gran, MiL, and a SiL, all now not with us.)
Then yesterday lunchtime the wheels fell off. The project, the quilt doesn't have wheels.
The top thread has been getting pulled under the cloth in seams. That usually involves re-entering the bobbin and rethreading the needle. Carry on. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Only yesterday it stuck yet again. So I took the shuttle race out to clear it. Eventually got it back in correctly. Now the top thread doesn't catch the bobbin thread at all. Aaaarrrggh!
Fortunately there are other bits I can do while trying to arrange the "borrow" of another machine. And taking this one to the repair shop to see what they can do with it. It's only my second sewing machine ever. In more than forty years. The last one 'died' of this sort of thing too. It may be me, it may be an inherent flaw in sewing machine construction.
Sewing machines have moved on a LOT. Mine just went forwards, backwards and sideways (zig-zag and variants). Now they thread themselves, cut threads, put the foot up and down independently, embroider and all sorts.
Of course, they are now computer controlled. And therein lies the potential difficulty. You know when you take your car to the garage these days? They suck their teeth and say something along the lines of, "It's the wiring" or "It's the computer" and you just Know it's going to be expensive because replacement. They can't reprogram.
I have the feeling it might be the same with the all-singing-all-dancing sewing machines. They're a form of Tech. I have a somewhat rocky relationship with Tech. I can use a computer - provided it's this computer (or at least a Mac), or one I use frequently (age-related difficulty remembering infrequently-used skillz). I have a totally non-Smart phone - I do txts and calls. Also alarms, reminders, etc. Don't hand me a Smartphone (not even an iPhone) I'm forever touching the wrong bit and 'losing' things. Further than that I am reluctant to go, though I am not a Luddite.
Then there's the whole 'built-in obsolescence' thing. Mum had a hand-cranked Singer machine on which I learned to sew (one handed!) Seem to remember that had tension and bobbin issues too. (See comment about such above.) Mum passed it on to Sis, who, I believe, still uses it. I've seen similar models in museums. But then, I'm of an age when most of my childhood (and later) is considered History. (Real Improvements as well as Built-in Obsolescence. Give me an automatic washing machine any day. And a good breeze to dry it out on the line afterwards!)
Maybe I should start saving, and dropping hints about potential birthday/Christmas presents. Wot with it being Birthday month and all that*. Though not until well after next Thursday!
Anyhew, I shall continue with design and planning. And hey, I has needlez, I can hand-sew. Whether I can see to thread said needlez . . .
Y'all have a good day now!
*That's birthday month for Niece, D, Mum, Me (also Gran, MiL, and a SiL, all now not with us.)