This week is a complete turn around. Elna went in to the sewing machine hospital and I have pretty much had her "put down". After spending time on my daughter's newer Baby Lock and enjoying all the spiffy features, I could not see myself paying for a repair on old Elna.
After much contemplation and research ,but mostly due to a fabulous unexpected windfall that is more than the cost of a new Janome, I went back and retrieved Elna and bought a Janome 4120 QDC! I tried it out on all kinds of fabrics that I took in with me. Jim "Doc" Watson the owner/repairman at Doc's Comstock Sewing and Vacuum in Medina, Ohio was so great. He knows his stuff and he is super nice and not high-pressure. It was a pleasure to give him my money!
Now I have this great machine but no great place to put it. This is Elna's table.
The picture was snagged from Etsy where one just like mine was sold. No idea of the price. It is made so that no other machine will fit into its cut-out fold back top. I tried to remove the top folding panel but it is attached with screws requiring a non-existent tool. So what to do? Go shopping online where you can find tables from $99 to $9,000 (slight exageration ). The only thing they have in common is that they all must be assembled by ME!
Fate stepped in again this morning with an email from Joann Fabrics announcing that all sewing/craft tables are on sale for 40% off. So I came home with this a box full of this stuff:
Which turned into
And then hubby stepped into to tighten up the screws that my weak grip couldn't handle. I however have better knees (note pillow under his).
However, three hours into this I had to take a break and went for a swim and sun break. My back was aching. I finished up after another hour and a half of aching wrists and this is now what my sewing corner looks like.
I vow that I will be extremely neat since I have four more drawers to fill.
I know that I will have less thread mess with this new machine because my favorite feature, so far is the automatic thread cutter which means I don't have all those tails of thread to trim off and end up on the floor and into my vacuum cleaner.
By the way, on another visit to Doc I told him I might need a new vacuum cleaner as it didn't collect anything in the bag. He told me to check the hose for a blockage. It had a huge blob of pins, thread, fuzz and tiny fabric scraps stopping it up.
Now I need to sit down and sew as I have another stab at a craft fair next Saturday. If you are any where near Seville, Ohio between 9 and 4 come to the Seville Art Walk.
I just realized that I began this blog last August and it has now reached its first birthday. I guess a new sewing machine and table is a blog birthday present to me. I hope I can keep posting once a week because I need the discipline. I did get it done today if only a bit tardy.
Doesn't having a new sewing machine just make you think you are going to get so much more accomplished?! :) The automatic thread cutter is one of my favorite features on the Janome I own.
ReplyDeleteI discovered something to lessen the amount of "chunky" debris that goes into the vacuum when I clean my studio. I bought a sticky roller thing from Target that is on a long pole. It is great for the stuff on top of the carpet. I roll mine around and then run the vacuum for the other effluvia that gets caught in the carpet fibers.
I'm off to Target tomorrow to get a roller. Thanks for a great idea.
DeleteHow exciting, a new machine! I love my Janome too, though I barely use more than two settings. Still, plenty to experiment with as I try more new things...
ReplyDeleteLove your wooden boxes on the walls too, is it thimbles inside?
Yes, LOTS of thimbles. You can see all about them in this earlier post.
Deletehttp://csturgeo.blogspot.com/2012/08/going-back-to-beginning.html