Picking a goal for January has become a bit of a long shot for me. You see for reasons beyond my control I won't be able to do a lot of machine sewing this month. We are on for babysitting for a full weekend and I need to go to Toronto on a Friday which is my best quilting day. I also need to sort through all the stuff I took out of the sewing room when Dwight built my cupboards. Because of this I was planning on making keeping up with the Hand Piecing quilt along as my January goal. The reason it's a long shot is that at this point I'm not sure when it is starting. I'm hoping it's before next weekend because that's when I'm babysitting and completely without a machine.
The shot above shows some of the fabrics I was hoping to play along with. I don't know if you can tell, but the background fabric is textured with triangles. The coloured fabrics are from Libs Elliot. They are left over from my Quilters Planner quilt along from last year. I might just use the pictured fabrics, as I'm liking the way they sit together but there are others I can add to the mix. If the hand pieced quilt along doesn't start until February, then I will make cutting out all the rest of the fabrics for the Plus Sign Quilt Along my goal, as this is something else I was thinking of working on.
I had to take my better sewing machine in to the shop yesterday. Apparently it's been two years since I had it tuned up, which surprised me. I usually try to get the machines tuned up once a year. The machine has been giving me a error message after every time I clean it. I could tell from the icon that there was something going on with the needle plate and usually if I played around with it would start to work again. Of course I forgot about it until the next time I took the plate off. This time I had no option but to deal with it as the machine just refused to sew.
Reza the sewing machine fixer who knows all, told me that the machine's sensor isn't working and the symbol means the machine thinks my needle plate isn't on. Of course the question that entered my mind was " How many people have tried to sew without their needle plate on?"
I am without the machine for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks and will have to use my other machine. It has a few issues of it's own, the primary one being that the button to make it sew back wards doesn't work. It's workable but the machine that's in the shop has spoiled me. It sews better and it has a larger throat.
Today Cyndy and I went over to Wendy's to play around on our mid arm. It was lots of fun but of course we have a ways to go. I was practicing stippling, which I am not very good at. I'm using a very scrappy quilt that I am not crazy about to practice on. It takes the pressure off of feeling I have to do a great job. Sadly I can't get in more practice time until the 20th due to my schedule.
Oh well for now I am linking up this goal to the January OMG linkup https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/hosted at Elm Street Quilts.
postscript. I just found out the first block for the hand pieced quilt along will be posted on January 21st so I will work to finish that and work on the cutting for the Plus Sign Quilt Along.....sounds doable to me!
14 comments:
Glad you got a little time in to play with your longarm.....and hopefully you'll get a little hand sewing in as you travel to Toronto.
I am joining the hand pieced project too :) I really like your chosen colors.
@flamangodoor
I hope that the timing for everything works out well for you this month and you find more time to sew than you expect!
When I saw your fabrics, I said "yes", as today as dreary was, what better than "Sunlight in Winter". I was thinking that you had chosen them to match your blog name ... then I read of your plans for this grouping! Darned computer machines and all their super sensitivities. At least you have Reza on your side to get it sorted out. He IS the best and we are ever so lucky to have him. Here's hoping he can get the part, and there are no further delays beyond what he is expecting and you have it back in your loving care, sooner than later. Then, in goes the other machine!
My machine is due for a check up too, but I'm dragging my feet on getting it in, since I don't want to be without it. Those fabrics are so bright and pretty. I hope you can sneak in a bit of sewing now and then, while you tend to your other tasks.
Those fabrics are so pretty! My machine is a very basic Janome and it is about all I can deal with. Anything else would be over my head.
I think Hand Pieced starts on Monday. I'll be playing along as well. Good luck getting your machine sorted out.
Not having a machine working, I feel your pain. Love, love your fabric pull!
Pretty fabric! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and good luck with your project!
I haven't done an OMG officially but I have one in mind unofficially! Main focus is the IB blog hop and I go first, tomorrow, egad! Post is done as of a few minutes ago. I know what you mean about the lack of sewing time in January; it's looking that way for me too. My Bernina needs to go in for a tuneup too I think. I keep her well-oiled and cleaned but it's been a few years and I was religious at once a year spa days for her! Yay that I can comment now! Thanks!
It is hard to make sewing goals when the schedule is in flux or busy. I count the cleaning and organizing of the sewing space as part of the sewing time. My sewing machine needs a tuneup too. Thanks for the reminder!
I know what you mean about being spoiled by a machine. My Juki needs a spa day (or week) so I'll be stuck with my ancient Kenmore sometime next month. Not looking forward to that! Good luck on your OMG :)
You've got a little bit of everything happening this month! I never get my machine serviced because I don't like not having it, but it's about time to suck it up and get it done. Good luck with your projects and your grandsons!
Being without your favorite machine is never as much fun. Hope you get it back soon. As for playing around on the longarm - I actually recommend trying loops. They're so much easier than meandering. Meandering is actually harder because you're not supposed to cross the stitching lines. Meandering loops helps you develop a sense of the machine and the flow of curves so it's a win-win.
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