Poor Duane

For some reason it took  F O R E V E R today to set up the GMQ (Grace Machine Quilter) frame.  I was up and out in the sewing loft by 0900. OK it took a bit of time to light the fire.  True I had to find some fabric for the practice piece, as well as some batting and backing.  Of course  I had to clear off the cutting table. Then I had to  find an old sheet, iron it, cut some four inch strips, sew them together, sew on the zippers and then ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS 1130 !!!! 

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

IS TIME GOING FASTER?  I am no physicist but I wonder....

I had to get to the Quilt Zoo.  I was meeting someone there and I was late.  On Fridays the Zoo hosts an open sew.  Folks come with their projects and we all sew together.  Technically the Open Sew is from 11:00 to 1:00.  But I know that if you show up anytime you can hang out there. CUSTOMER IS KING.  My intent was to arrive right at 12:00.  There was no way I was going to make it.  So, I pulled up my socks, threw on a skirt and a vest, locked the dogs up in their room (Wrigley has been a VBD (Very Bad Dog). This is different from being NAGD (Not A Good Dog) and I took off.

 When I arrived, there was no room anywhere to park. (I took this photo just before I left at 2:30. Everyone else was gone)     Parking, as you can see, is tight. Three vehicles take up all of the space in front.   I am not allowed to mention where most of the folks were parked.  I parked the next street over and cut across the neighbor's lawn. 

There must have been ten or more people in the class room.   What fun!  I pulled out my Featherweight.  I don't usually name machines anymore.  This one, though, Betsy and I named Duane.  It is sort of named after the person from whom we bought it.  http://mysewingmachineobsession.blogspot.com/2012/03/just-give-him-money-for-petes-sake.html
Duane wasn't his real name, but we called him that and, hence, we call the machine Duane. 

I wanted to piece the backing for the Disappearing Nine Patch.  I had made a big nine patch block and cut it into four smaller blocks for the back.  All I had to do was sew them up.  I wound a bobbin and threaded Duane.  I started my first seam. No power to the motor.  Now that was ODD.  I had just wound a bobbin; the light was working fine.  What was up?  Must be the foot controller. 

I fetched my tools from the car and took the controller apart.  Perfect condition.  M. suggested that I use her controller (she brought a FW with her for me to service) . Brilliant idea !  The machine worked !  I was stitching happily along.  Then, at the start of another seam, nothing.  No power again.  I gave the handwheel a push and it the motor kicked back in.  

Must be the belt is too loose.   I tightened the belt and it seemed fine for the rest of that sewing session.

 Sadly,  when I was using it later to sew the zip leaders (don't ask), same thing.  No power, no nothing, no hum, no noise.  Every time I would give it a push with the hand wheel, though, it would be fine and it would start right up again. 

I am thinking  Duane has a dead spot in his motor.  Poor Duane.