Translate

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

So much has happened since my last post.  I have moved back in with my mom in Forney. With my health being as it is, living on my own with my 13 year old son (who is a handful on good days!) is just not feasible   At first, I was really concerned about it.  I was worried so much about losing my sewing room as well as my office.  This is not only the room where I sew and create, it is also where I work part time.  My mom's home is very large and she has a media room that is pretty much sitting empty.  So, she said I could convert it into my sewing room/office.

The room is actually larger than the room I was using in my home.  So for the first time ever, I am able to set up my quilting frame in my sewing room.  Also, because I am not broke every day as I was before, I was able to purchase a new sewing machine and put the Viking on the frame as it was purchased to be used.  

ready to use!
lights, camera, action!
Isn't she purdy!
For the first time EVER I finally loaded her up and started trying to practice using her on a couple of pieces of muslin.  I was starting to really get the hang of it and had worked out my tension.  Then it jams up and scares the ever lovin'..you know what out of me!  From what I can gather a piece of thread caught somewhere along the plate that covers the feed dogs and pulled it up.  When this happened the needled came down on it and bent the plate so now it will not go back on it snugly. I am not sure if the plate is the problem or if it has jumped time now. When the needle goes into the quilt, the thread is not catching anything! It won't even bring the bobbin up. I fear the timing is off on it now.   

It's just as well.  It's probably best to give her a tune up and servicing before I put her to work as hard as I need. I have 5 tops  waiting to be quilted.   

See here I have her loaded up and ready

Not too bad?
The room is a mess right now.  I am still working on it, as you will see.  But she is coming along beautifully!  I purchased this beautiful Armoire from my brother.  He gave me a great deal.  I am thinking he may have regretted that later though.  Moving this giant up the stairs was really touch and go.  Finally, and much to my his relief it was up the stairs.  Though we have decided if my mom ever chooses to sell the house, the armoire will go with it!
You cannot beat these for storage

These are fantastic for storage!  As of today I have just got it cram packed full of stuff.

I am getting storage containers to use inside and get some kind of system going.  I also have another peg board that I am going to cut to size and mount on the inside of the doors.  This would be a great place for those tools that I use rarely. But still need often enough not to put into my other black hole...the closet. (not going to show a picture of that place!)  That will be another project to do once I get the room under some kind of order.

My absolute favorite addition to my sewing room is my new sewing machine.  The Viking Mega Quilter is only a straight stitch machine.  The machine I was using before I purchase the Viking was a Singer 7426.  I just hated that machine.  It was so loud!  The Viking was so smooth and fast.  BUT again, straight stitch only.  This is really what I do 98% of the time.  But then I have that 2% of the time that I need a zig-zag or blind hem stitch for applique.  I had been just putting the projects aside that needed anything other than a straight stitch in the hopes that some day soon I would have the money to purchase another machine or break down and use the singer.  Well after moving into my mom's I got my first paying job!  A lady I had met through a group called Free-cycle where you post items you are trying to get rid of for free to anyone willing to pick them up.  You know the old adage "One man's trash is another man's treasure."  She had given me a ton of fabric from cleaning out her sewing room back when I first began sewing.  So in all honesty, I would have done the job for free for her!  But she insisted on paying me.  I wish I had pictures of it!  It turned out great.  I had to do some improvising to get the backing and border fabric to be large enough, but it came out great. It was a baby quilt for the lady she works for.  I needed to applique the baby's name on the back.  So I broke down and purchased a new machine after trying to use the Singer.  I had been doing a ton of research and testing several machines.  I wanted certain features which normally come on a machine that is over 1,000.00.  I finally found one that was only 800 and had everything I wanted and more!  I purchased the Juki HZL-F400.  

I love this gal, she is so quite and smooth.  She actually FMQ sitting at my sewing table as well as the Viking did, if not better.  

This is just a sneak peek of my new favorite room!  More to come as I get it all finished up!  Right now I am knee deep in fabric folding it to put it in some way where I can keep a better idea of what I have.  Till now I have been folding it and storing it under my cutting/pressing table.  Which works well except for one major problem.  I forget it is there!  One thing that I do when I see something I want to make is start going through my stash in my head to see if I have fabric to make it already.  This way no need to buy any more right?  Well I have a very hard time remember what I actually have much less how much!  I am hoping that by having it in a place where I can see it better, it will not only help me remember what I have but inspire me to use it! 
Just a small amount of my favorite fabrics
I also am wanting to install some shelving.  I have a wall space above my cutting table that would be perfect for shelves that go up about 4 sets. I want to get one that has the cube storage for the bottom shelf, then about 2 or 3 shelves mounted on brackets.  That way I can get some of my knick knacks up and out of the way.  

need wall shelves where the small wood one is now but much longer and several of them

So it is coming along again.  Slowly but surely.  I am certainly not flush with cash. I am however not nearly as strapped as I was before.  I still have rent to pay and bills.  However, before it was just me bringing in the only income and that was only my disability.  Now I have a part time job to help get me back on track and no longer having to support my husband too.  Things are definitely looking better!

I have added my pinterest button on the right side of the page.  If you are into quilting or anything related to sewing, crafts, DIY and related, you have to check it out.  I have thousands of pins and more than 30 boards.  There are so many tutorials, free patterns, fabric shops, and even links to sites that will give you the plans to build things!  There is really something there for everyone.  Be careful though it is HIGHLY addictive!  But...what the heck!  Its all for fun!

Till next time, I will try to blog more and post more on what I am working on.  I am about to start a new quilt today.  I have really come to like the modern quilts and am going to start one today! Yeah!  I will keep you posted on it!