Then I found myself

right in the neighborhood of G Street Fabrics! I took someone to look at an apartment in Rockville MD today .I wondered briefly about fabric opportunity; this is just outside of Washington DC and is much more urban than my slower lower Delaware world.  I shook it off because it was Sunday and  I was sandwiching this 5 hour round trip adventure between two night shifts. I did just have to ask the landlady if there were any near by fabric stores and she said "G Street".  I've been hearing about this store for years, and GPS had me 7 minutes away.

Because both time and money were not budgeted for fabric today, I was determined to get in and out and sin gently.  As you can see with that $16. total, I did just that!

I found lovely beefy ribbing that I needed for my sweatpants, yayyyyy!

that's a blurry dark pen for perspective.

I passed rows and rows of other lovelies without grabbing any because I had no specific project in mind that I needed anything for.  I could not resist grabbing SOMETHING from the $2.99 room, as it's nice to have stuff you don't mind wrecking in practice.  I found this Dia de Muertos spandex/poly blend, not to thin or too shiny, great for a thirteen year old girl to be inspired with.  Mmm, no, she said. So I'll use it for something, or not.

I grabbed elastic and a bra back on the way out, dying a little at not being able to spend time with all of the threads, buttons, and trims on the way out.

The store was smaller than I expected, smaller than Mood in NYC.  The selection was vast and included apparel fabrics for ever scenero, quilting, home dec and upholstery.  A separate little store sold Bernina sewing machines. The sales staff seemed knowledgeable (not much time for chat today, on my part) and very pleasant.

I would so love to visit this store again, with more target fabric in mind, more time and money allotted.  I don't think the apartment thing went through though, so it might be quite some time before I find myself in Rockville again.  All scheduled  Airport trips for my family will have to be done during normal business hours, as Rockville is fairly close to that airport.

New fabric stash

Assembling and cutting PDF files seems to be the perfect night shift activity.  If  I knew more sewists close by, I could hire my services out for this.

going on at my house since I bought the serger.  And, no, I haven't actually sewn anything with the blasted thing yet. To be fair, I have been washing said fabric and assembling purchased PDF patterns, no small feat.  I've also been quilting on the periwinkle, pretty much some daily. I'm grateful for every time I fought to reduce bulk on that sucker, because it is indeed a bulky sucker and a challenge for using a ruler with.  It should improve my technique significantly, even though it may not actually show on this quilt!



One bumpy seamed sucker.  I made many pains to reduce bulk, but there are so many seams coming together in relatively small spaces.

I caught a great sale at Style Arc and purchased 6 or 7 patterns from them, and then went over and got one more from Hot Patterns.  Most of them required knit fabric, of which I only had a few in the stash.  Of COURSE I had to get more.

This is where the picture of the overflowing pile of new fabrics should be. Having prewashed any with cotton content and then folding them all neatly in an ugly cardboard box, I forgot.  So instead here's a shot of yet another delivery truck in my yard, braving the sideways rain that knocked panels off my neighbor's fence again. 60 degrees the day after surprise accumulation of 2" of snow.  I haven't got tired of winter this year, it keeps spinning off in different directions.

Fabric Mart was my first internet stop.  I've never bought from them before but have read their name on some great sewing blogs.  I purchased 4 lengths with specific projects in mind, then threw in a mystery "grab bag" of 6 yards of their choice.  I wasn't blown away with the package on arrival.  None of the 4 specifics were exactly what I had in mind. The best of the four was this mind-blowingly HUGE floral stretch twill.

I bought this on purpose!

I thought it was smaller (because who would use that huge of a print for what?) and when I hold it up and imagine it as tight capris I just have to laugh.  I've pondered making a jumper or jacket with it, but it still remains very very huge and quite colorful.  I may just have the chutzpah to carry it off though.  Drapery style from the 80's  squeezing up on my 5'11" 270 lb 50 something year old frame, going to walmart and then the slots.  I'd just have to remember to grin or scowl, and keep the lipstick fresh.

The knits I picked for the active/leisure wear seem somehow wrong weight/stretch, though they might work.  A ponte I picked for dress slacks has a ribbed appearance selvedge to selvedge that may look odd with the legs cut lengthwise grain.  The surprise bag had some pleasantly nice pieces, probably nothing that I would have personally picked but I think I'll use it all.  Quality of the whole lot appears to be quite good, and prices were excellent.  I'll just have to get better at internet buying fabric, a tricky business for an old sewer like me.  I use to spend hours in fabric stores, feeling, scrunching and stretching.

I then went to Mood online and purchased a lovely, appropriately grandma and (bland, safe, oh, what's that word for socially normal?) khaki stretch twill. It did take 10 days to get here, a little long in my opinion since I can actually DRIVE to the NYC metro bus station in 4 to 6 hours, depending on driver and conditions.  Shipping is cheaper, but one day I'm going to have to go in person. 

The lovely Fabricmart person who packed this stuff gave thought several times about color coordinating me. The indigo sheer in the back will have to work into some details with the knit print on the bottom.  There's enough for a scarf that could go with the tourist print.

Subtle shimmer, sweet lightweight knit. The classic tourist petting it.

The tiny mirrors throw off  multi color lights.

ANYWAY, I gave FabricMart another try.  This time they had the grab bags at buy one get one free.  12 yards for 10 bucks.  I know, if it sounds too good, etc etc.  But I didn't get any obvious garbage in the first bag, and there's always wearable muslins to be done.  It was only 10 darn dollars. Well.  I was thrilled!  There was some pretty good stuff in there!!!  Maybe I would never pick out that lacy tiny mirror embossed fluid knit stuff, but you know, it's really cool.  It will make an awesome dress, or part of one because 3 yards would be a smallish dress on my afore-described frame. Or a fabulous top, just not to wear with the billboard capri pants.  There was some very lovely slightly gold shimmery t-shirt knit, some bodacious bold cotton sateen print, a great sheer nylon net in a nice modern print that exactly complements the swimsuit fabric I purchased separately from the grab bags. Finally, a classy but kind of modern cotton plaid that is perfect for a summer shirt.  All  in very  useable lengths, thank you very much!

mustard colored lycra on bottom, chiffon-like sheer print happy on top

My fabric storage is filled, there is no room to store any of this. I need new clothes.  I guess I better start sewing!

Check spring replacement for Kenmore 158.900

I couldn't find a tutorial to replace the check spring on my good ole Kenmore model 90.  I have the owner's manual but not a service manual.  I just parked the machine in the cabinet for about a year while I debated whether to buy the entire upper tension assembly or get the spring and try to fix that.  Neither choice is very expensive, so I finally got the spring shipped from an eBay seller for less than $6.00 and experimented successfully.

I took what for me was "lots of pictures' to help if  I needed a memory nudge or even to look for something I hadn't registered at all when I was in the reassembly phase.  I was more interested in getting the job done than photographing so this probably doesn't qualify as a real tutorial.  It could help nudge someone in the right direction though, and might give you an idea whether this is something you would want to attempt on your own (Hint: if you totally screw up, you can eBay purchase the entire assembly for about $15.00. Cheaper than a Craftsy class. Go for it).

Elizabeth at My Sewing Machine Obsession had a lovely tutorial on newer model 158's, which at least clued me in to find the hidden set screw that held the assembly on. On the model 90, I had to open the door, to find it here:

As you might guess, it's in the middle hole, about even with the tension assy, not the holes top or bottom that line up with thread guides.  Once you get that set screw loosened enough (and follow Elizabeth's advice, loosen don't remove to prevent loosing the bitty thing) the assembly just pulls/wiggles out.

Here's the whole assembly out.  I confess I had to take it at least this far before I could  buy a new one because the eBay guys had 2 types that looked similar except for the back posts.  This one, I see now, is a short post.  This is the point where you take note where things line up.  I could see the broke end of the spring poking out with a straight line from top set screw hole through the spring exit point to the arrow that indicates the tension setting in front. I could also see that to get to that spring I had to make that bottom part come off.

 Here it is at the next step.  I didn't take notes, but I believe this happened just with pulling apart. You  can see the slightly dusty tension discs that hold your thread there, good time to give them a thorough cleaning.  I can't get to the spring yet, more disassembly required.  This time, more tiny easily striped screws are involved.

In photo above I'm holding the back section that still holds the spring. One of the two screws is visible next to the diagonal mark on the cutting board.  The two sections were held by those screws via holes indicated by vertical arrows.

If the spring doesn't pull out fairly easy, you may have to loosen the screws still in your last remaining piece.  I believe there were two of the large size indicated in pic above, and three more that are really really small. Something like 3 threads wrap around those almost flat babies.  Oh, and they are kind of soft and look like the little slot would love to rip up so it can't be used anymore.  Careful not to over tighten when putting back in, and it is nice if you have a screwdriver that actually fits them. Once the spring was out I simply did everything in reverse until it was reassembled.  I did wonder where to set the numbers in relation to the arrow for pushing back into the machine heat and at first had my lowest tension reading as kind of negative 5.  I took it back out and set the arrow on 0 for a happy ending.  Then I just checked tension by stitching and adjusted the bottom slightly.

A little cleaning and oiling for the heck of it.  I stopped to admire the features on this machine.

The machine is from the very early 60's and is all metal.  I don't really love the colors but I do dig the lines of it.  The bobbin winder is ole-timey but neatly tucked under the door by the hand wheel and works very nicely, thank you.

My granddaughter asked me if that widow was the miles counter.  It delighted me because this era did make machines that resembled cars.  It's actually to set zig zag width. She does take cams (which I don't have) for decorative stitches, but does a basic zig zag without having to open and install.  The round knob to the side of the zig zag width widow will decenter the needle to the left or right.  Yup, that feature is nothing new, something I took for granted with any zig zag, though I believe it's a feature 'basic' machines might not have now.

The feed dog up/down selector is very accessible, and the machine does beautiful free motion embroidery and quilting.  I admit I wouldn't want to wrestle with a large quilt in that small throat space, but it did some beautiful small pieces for me.  It has a remarkably un-fussy tension.  Matter of fact, it took light to mid-weight fabrics without issue even with the broken spring. I just thought the time would come when I'd need the check spring to do it's intended job with some slippery or speciao fabric or thread. The machine also has a presser foot pressure adjustment dial and I don't know what all other features that may impress, it was just a good solid machine.

Made in Japan. See the J-A4 stamped in there?  Japan rocked machine making for American names like Kenmore, Wards, etc for many years.

After cleaning, oiling, and fine tuning I did a quick little sewing project just to show her some love.

Grandbaby jammies, shocking choice I know.  I was very aware of how s-l-o-w this machine sews in comparison to my singer 201-2, and even the 401-A.  This was one of the reasons my (11 year old) granddaughter loved it though.  She feels more in control on it.  It's still strong as only machines from that era seem to be.  And the button- holer, sigh!  It makes the button holes of my dreams, really really nice and really easy.  It's almost worth keeping the machine on hand for those sweet buttonholes alone!  Though the one I have for the 201 is close competition.  

These beat out every other button hole system I ever had on (all newer, including top of the line computerized machine of the 90's) any other machine.  A joy for both ease and professional appearance.  I sewed my holes for more than 20 years without one of these, and can't stress how much I love these since discovery.  Why did manufacturers stop making these, when they work so darn well?????

All in all, a long post because I'm glad to have this one back in the herd!

Finished the blasted xmas jammies

 

I keep thinking I won't do Christmas pajamas anymore, but somehow they became desired.  I don't get it.  But they do ask for them, and some of them get all excited about trying to guess which fabric is theirs ahead of time.  I just need to start sooner if I'm going to continue.  Those darn black Friday sales for $3.00/yd flannel mess me up.  When you are buying approx. 3 yards per person for 12 people, $3.00 vs. an average of say $9 figuring you'd find a few other good sales....still makes the $3.00 look like worth putting the pressure on.  Then the store sends notice that they were unfortunately out of stock (why'd it take the order then?) and you get the flu, and those scant 4 weeks get shorter and shorter.  I'm kind of proud I actually finished in January and won't have to feel guilt when the tulips come up.

 

The due date on my next grandbaby has been moved up, making baby sewing next on the post haste list.  I've still got a long sleeve jersey knit top cut, the sampler quilt has been on hold since black Friday, and I never did find the perfect denim but I'd love to sew some more jeans.  I bought another vintage singer, this one from the mid to late 60's.  Very entry level and even some plastic gears on her but I did like it.  I gave it away, totally functional and hopefully many years of usefulness.

 

I did a couple videos this week.  One to show the old time and fairly lost art of darning as a repair, machine darning a tear such as for blue jeans or a sheet.  Another to show free motion ruler work on a vintage machine.  As soon as I completed the clip the foot started sticking on the 201.  This is the second or third time I've had to fiddle with it, I will have to go ahead and order another.  It takes off at top speed and doesn't stop till you tap/stomp up and down on it a few times.

 

I've got a lovely new "2 in 1", a cross between a tablet and a laptop.  Much nicer for taking with me on night shift.  Crazy windows 8, which I do NOT like much, and I'm missing all my favorite software.  I'm getting the new windows over time. After trying several photo editing  apps/programs I've found one called Photo Pos Pro that is very similar to the Photoshop family. Free to try and $10. to keep.  I've given enough money to Adobe for a while yet.  I downloaded VSDC video editor, which I'm pretty clueless with but will need to figure out at least the basics before I can upload to Youtube.  Maybe on tonight's shift if it stays quiet.

 

Update 2/6/15 I went back to using windows editor- but the blasted videos are too awful.  I love how the machine sounds, but hate my meandering backwoods Florida dialog.  There were filming/focusing/ card full issues as well that can't be fixed with my editing skills! I'll have to film again.  Good excuse to get in a little more ruler practice, which is probably only at a cumulative hour in the past year.  Not very expert.

 

 

 



Wahhhhhh!

I killed my primary machine Monday.  I was so upset for a little while.  It was more than 20 years old and had it's share of missing/broke things.  The reverse for zig zag quit working some time ago, the bobbin cover has been held on with tape for a couple years.  Sears doesn't make the same cover anymore, bad design from day one.  The top tension disk has been acting up for the past year or so, the thread would jump or get lodged somehow deep in a crevice and the thread would break, requiring rethreading from spool down.  It was a random problem, but I couldn't see enough of the mechanism to identify the problem.  I started quilting and got  big ugly loops on the bottom. I played with the tension for many attempts and changed top and bottom threads and the needle with no success and decided to go in and look at that disk, requiring taking the machine housing all the way off, bottom, sides, top, and front.  I couldn't see anything broken and it seemed to function ok, so I cleaned it thoroughly and put it back together.  RRRrrrrrrrRRRR silence.  The thing powers up, the stitch number pops up on the screen (alternating with SP for bobbin winding function), the needle moves into place for straight or zig zag.  The motor will not engage.  Will not.  I called a repair guy and he said I probably shorted out the circuit board when I opened the front housing, that many are designed to do that if "unauthorized" repairs are attempted.

I knew I was risking it when I went in. I've done so many of my own repairs in my life (plumbing, electric, carpentry, masonry, auto, computer, etc etc etc) that I didn't think I'd REALLY kill it.  I'm still taking it to the guy next week to ensure it's not a loose thingy that I didn't see.   I attempted it myself because I really can't afford a repair.  Of course I can't afford a new machine.  I do have my back up.

 

A machine this old should have a name.  Maybe Ethyl.

 

 

I bought this one years ago at a thrift store hoping the cabinet would work for my (dearly departed) newer Kenmore, it didn't.  It does have a pretty straight stitch.  I can't recall if the zigzag ever worked for me, it doesn't now.  It also won't wind a bobbin, I believe it needs a belt, not sure. (update on Thursday- I've fixed the bobbin winder, though its still tricky and stiff to start, and I can engage zig zag if I pop off the top cover, no screws involved, and nudge it into place). I had just pulled it out to see if I got better scant 1/4 seams with it than with the primary and I think I do.  As I recall from previous play, it did not do a better job with free motion quilting, but I (just last week) did order a new darning foot that may improve that a great deal.

 

Because this one knew nothing about the missing darning foot for the primary

and this darning spring just wasn't getting results on ole Ethyl.

 

 

I have been so motivated by all I've found on the internet about sewing.  I had pretty much stopped sewing the last 10 years or so, as fabric stores moved further and further from where I live.  Fabric prices skyrocketed too, and I earned more and didn't feel guilty about paying some premium dollars sometimes for nicer ready to wear, stuff I would have been compelled to make at home years ago.  Then I started seeing such fabulous trends with sewing from simple designs for kids and got sucked in by the sewing revival. Quilting and retro and knock offs, sewing is not the chore that it once was when you had to buy a pattern and alter it and get the correct fabric and trims and sew it the way the pattern said to.  I already know so much about sewing, hundreds of tips and techniques, but I was getting exciting clicks and pops as I recognized I would be able to use that knowledge in more free and personal choice ways.

 

I was motivated and excited and inspired, but frequently I was irritated too.  I read many blogs, and I truly admire the authors and, well, artists- but!!! I get miffed sometimes when I see their machines and fabrics and equipment, especially when included are pics from their nice cameras of their nice homes and families.  I think, oh, yeah, SURE if I had a hubby that provided like that I could let creativity flow a little more freely too.  Then I feel bad because it is petty.  Everyone has their own stuff to deal with.  So I'm feeling bad because I don't have the funds (or the TIME!) so many bloggers have, and then I feel bad because I'm envious.  It's not just the money either, it's the whole wholesomeness I see, the pictures of on our way to church and when we get home we will have these muffins with stuff from my garden.  Those pretty houses!!  I have peeling lead paint I'm trying to protect the grands from, a failing septic, my bumper is duct taped onto the car and I work alternating nights with my daughter so when I have a night off I'm babysitting nights and days when I'm home, and she watches the baby nights I'm gone and days I sleep.  No vacations in my world.  Shopping trips are rare and small.  I've had issues with drugs and people in my house that made me fear home invasions from junkies and police.  We have had theft issues, money and electronics can walk right out of here.  The refrigerator is a nightmare of leftovers and please don't touch from several families, dishes are abandoned and no one will claim them. 

 

 I've wanted to put some of this out here, not because I want to portray my life like some daytime reality show (I HATE those shows) but because my life does seem so different from all those other bloggers.  I was pregnant with kid number five and my oldest was 6 when I became a single parent and homeless. I am so grateful that I CAN let my adult kids that need a place still to stay here.  I couldn't give them cars and college to help them launch into the American dream, but no one is living out of a bag on a street.  I mentioned drugs, but none of my kids (or anyone currently in the house) is in need of rehab, and I'm really grateful for that because it's a reality for lots of their friends. I don't like all the problems that are in my life, I take responsibility for most of them.  I'm trying to stop taking responsibility for things that aren't mine.  I just feel funny sometimes trying to write about sewing with a curtain over all the stuff going along side.  I could say nothing (if you don't have anything nice to say, says Thumper's mother), but that feels restrictive.  I could  put a pitcher of pretty lemonade on the table as a backdrop for a photo and it IS nice to put your best foot forward, but what about other folks who have holes in their socks while looking at what I'm trying to show about sewing?  I want to be honest about the whole thing is what I'm saying.

 

I do ramble on.  So, while I see all these new Bernina's and drool, Janome's, I know it's possible to sew great stuff on very basic machines.  And because I currently have no other choice, that's what I'm going to try to do.  I may buy a new used machine from the repair guy (he sharpens scissors, I suck in breath!) but it will probably be another old one.  I'd like one that could use all my snap on feet from the departed Kenmore, but I know I can buy an adapter shank for that.  Ethyl here loads needles with the eye in front and the flat side of the needle to the rear, so none of my twin needles will work.  I'd like a machine that can take those needles, oh, and the walking foot.  I would like a free arm, and a blind stitch.  Auto buttonhole only if it truly does a nice one, the Kenmore had the feature but it frequently was not pretty. I do not want an older computerized model.  They don't hold up like the old work horses.

 

I never was big on sewing "cheaply" because if I'm going to invest my time I want the best end product I can get, and that means have some decent equipment and quality materials.  But frugal, YES.  I like my sewing gadgets and goodies, but I'm going to make do with what I've got.  Having said that, also just before busting the Kenmore, see what I ordered and has arrived:

 

These are fine line and continuous line rulers, hard to see, from http://accentsindesign.com/fineline.html

The two together cost about $60 including shipping, but I tried for two weeks to work out some kind of homemade job without success, and was obsessing about them.  I'll be able to do that beautiful precision ruler work I love so much in longarm quilting on a domestic machine with these.  As soon as the darn darning foot gets here, maybe today.  I do allow myself a certain amount of spending yearly on hobbies, and this and the feet (and needles I can't use now) just about put me there.  A used sewing machine will put me over, but I could put it on next year's tab, it's almost September!

 

Enough rambling.  I have a loose toddler with a sucker and a bag of crackers in here.  And the dog needs a bath.