It’s Been Slow Sewing

My machine has been in the shop for a week.Β  Since I was having all sorts of tension troubles while free motion quilting my scrappy trip along quilt, and then, my machine must have got a bad attitude, because the troubles continued on to regular projects!Β  So, I decided four years without service was long enough, and I took it in.Β  In the meantime, my sewing has been on this:

DSC_0833

While the cute little Hello Kitty Janome sews great for what it is, I am missing my machine features, particularly the fact that when I press the pedal the presser foot lowers. Yes, I’ve had quite a bit of bunched up thread, for forgetting to manually lower the presser foot, oops! As a result, the sewing has been small and slow.

DSC_0834

I’ve made the outside of a little patchwork zipper pouch, I stumbled upon this fun line done by Valentina Ramos for Robert Kaufman, and I love it. It seems to match my solid perfectly!

DSC_0836

I’ve also been making a little, overdue gift for my mom {I had picked out and sewn the squares in twos some time ago, and then lost them, but they resurfaced when I moved my sewing machine!}. It’s a Julia Wallet with some favorite prints. I’m thinking of using some of the leftover Simple Life Pink Gingham for the lining, and this bias tape I bought on Etsy too long ago. I think she’ll love it {right, mom?}.

Do you take your machine in for service regularly? If so, what do you do when it’s away?

Similar Posts

12 Comments

  1. What a cute little green machine! I have a few machines acquired in a number of ways, so when I have to take one in, I know I have a back up even if I can’t do everything that the other machines can do. Hopefully you’ll get your machine back soon in good health.

  2. I have a hand crank sewing machine I use for backup, I actually do all of my piecing on it and use my electric for sewing other things and the actual quilting part of the quilt.

  3. I think that little charmer wallet is really, really cute πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ Love and hugs from the ocean shores of CAlifornia, Heather πŸ™‚

    p.s. I hope your sewing machine will work properly again soon πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

  4. I do try to schedule a machine tune up- usually when I’m going away on holidays. That way I get some hand stitching done instead and don’t miss my machine at all!

  5. I really enjoy doing stitcheries and hand applique (normally needle-turn), so it doesn’t bother me when my sewing machine is getting a service too much. If I desperately need to finish something off, I can always borrow a relatives’ one. We tend to take ours in for one at least every couple of years … or when it really sounds like it needs extra attendance than I can give it.
    I am loving your latest projects – expecially the little turquoise piece – that fabric certainly does match!! … And is that some ruby I spy in the bottom piece? It’s gorgeous!!! x

  6. Hi Jennie! I am sorry your machine had to go in for servicing – my beloved Pfaff is in for servicing right now as well. I try to take mine in about every eighteen months to two years. I also take it in if I have been working with something like fleece (I embroideried 24 fleece blankets for church a few weeks ago); the fuzz is really damaging to the inner workings of the machine and I am so thankful to have this machine that I do make an extra effort to take care of it. I have a wonderful guy who has been cleaning/servicing machines for over forty years (he learned from his uncle when he was just a boy). Fortunately I didn’t give up my old Husqvarna (it’s eightteen years old and has lived on three continents) so I am using it right now…and I can not count the number of times I have put my foot on the pedal without dropping the presser foot – my machine “unthreads” the needle, stop rethread the needle….GRRRR! I love your little projects and I think “Hello Kitty” is precious even if she doesn’t have all the nice features!

  7. I love that little machine — I nearly bought the non hello Kitty version last night as a travel machine but the ladies in the store were not helpful so I ended up leaving. I have read lots of reviews and most people say for light work it’s a good machine (but slow and loud). I may be looking for this one instead because it would go great in my craft room. It makes me feel better knowing a real crafter has been using it even if it is for a short while. Your projects look great and I know you will be happy when the big machine comes home. I need to take mine in more regularly but never do — for the last few years instead of taking it in for service I end up upgrading my machine instead.

  8. I have 3 machines, my blue Kenmore (which is very similar to the hello kitty Janome), a PFAFF and a serger. I pretty much only use my blue machine. I do wish I had a machine that was a bit more fancy than mine….but I am so used to the blue machine that I don’t know what I would do with myself? It may be simple, but it gets the job done πŸ™‚

  9. Your little machine is very pretty! I do a lot of hand sewing so can get by when my machine is away, though when you are without it is usually the time when you ReAlLy need it!
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Helen x

  10. I have been sewing on a Brother CE4000 for a few years and just got the Brother SE400. So now my “daily machine” has become the “back-up machine.” I really should take in the older one for repair…but it would cost less than $100 to replace these days with the same model so I’ll do my best maintenance and leave it at that!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.