You gotta see this

http://vssmb.blogspot.com/
This is a great tutorial on how to wire. Enough said.

Class 15 Clone

Macy's Own Herald

I bought this machine about a year ago for 15 bucks.  That does not include the fuel spent driving to fetch it.  I love the cabinet.  The machine looks pretty strong but the check spring is broken and I just hadn't gotten around to fixing it.  Today I had to rearrange some furniture (i.e. machines ) to make room for the Christmas tree and the gang we expect for the holidays.  Steven suggested that I move some machines out.  Out where, I wondered?  The shop is chock full as is the sewing loft.  I got creative and moved some things around.  I did take this machine to the shop.  I plan to pop a new check spring in it and see how it sews.  I think it might be a good one.  The cabinet is under the serger.   I will have to put that somewhere eventually, maybe the bathroom.

I have not bought or acquired a sewing machine in more than a month.  (I don't think sergers count as sewing machines)  I wonder if  that might mean I am in recovery?  I sold one machine two weeks ago and have given another away.  A friend plans to come out after Christmas and get one for her daughter in law.  I don't have the panic that I used to feel when I would think about letting go of a machine.  Actually I am looking forward to off loading some of these.  Mostly I am excited that they will get used.

Bernina 2000DCE Serger, continued

Mom

Mom taught me to sew about 50 years ago, we figure.  This vacation she taught me how to use her Bernina Serger.  I think it was easier for her to teach me how to sew in 1961 than it was for her to teach me to serge in 2011.  I was a better student fifty years ago.  I mean, when I was  eight, my mother knew EVERYTHING....and she was the most beautiful woman in the world.  She still is the most beautiful woman in the world.  I just adore her.

When I sew, I live in fear of thread nests.  When one uses a serger, there are no thread nests.     I had a hard time with that concept, until I practiced with the Bernina for a bit.  Now I get it.

Tension issues. 

Tension issues fixed

Reminders from Mom.  Something about setting the differential feed when making a jersey knit turtle neck T

I love the fact that it is my mother who teaches me how to use these machines. How many 92 year old women do you know who can teach her 58 year old daughter ANYHTING?   Mom  loves to sew, but can't anymore because of the arthritis in her fingers.  She won't give up her Viking I, though, which means that she still means to use it, despite the arthritis.  She won't use the serger anymore, she is certain.  I now have it all packed and ready for the trip north tomorrow.  I also have two huge bags of thread.......wonder what I will do with that?

Bernina Serger

Ever since I sat next to J. at Ray White class, I have wanted a Bernina.  Now I have one.  It is a serger, though, not a sewing machine.  Mom is giving this to me.  I can't wait to get it stitching.

Installing a 301 in a cabinet

How do you get this machine...

 

Into that cabinet??

FIRST:

Start with the cradle:

 The 301 has no 'hinge holes" in the base of the machine.  The cradle provides the structure to attach to the hinges.

set screw as seen from beneath the cradle

Hinge hole

Hinge in the hole as seen from underneath

From the top

Hinges at home

Brackets for the front of the cradle.  NECESSARY

Cradle installed

Cradle attached to front brackets

Lining up machine with male end on cradle

Placing the front.  Pushing down the spring

Spring engaged.

Done

How a sewing machine forms a stitch

I just came across this link by Jenny at Sew classic and wanted to share this on this blog.
It is a very good explanation, complete with an animation of how a  stitch is made.  I love it


Sorry it wasn't working.  Now it is.  Gotta go get the Jetta  snow tires.....

http://blog.sew-classic.com/2008/10/30/slanted-stitches-why-the-stitches-arent-straight--what-to-do-about-it.aspx

That will be $81.70, ma'am

Wrigley

Sometime during the night last Wednesday, this dog ate a whole loaf of Wonderbread white bread (stuffing ingredients) and about a pound (454 grams) of raisins.  The bread I could care less about.  I was worried about the raisins.  Reportedly, grapes and raisins, in large enough quantities, can be toxic to canines.  He did not get sick, though he had a snare drum for a belly all day Thursday  until, well, you know....

Friday my vet was not in.  Since Wrigley  seemed to be fine by then I decided to not to worry. Monday I talked to the vet.  She suggested some blood work (easy enough, the vet tech can draw that) and a urine test.  Right.  Oh, and if you get a mid stream sample, that would be good.  Right.

Undaunted (I mean I can re wire a sewing machine, how hard can this be?) I went out with a large yogurt container to try to slip in there when the leg was up.  Wrigley thought this was a new game.  He had a blast.  I had no urine.

By now I had googled raisins and canines and found out that the problem is acute renal failure caused by toxins in the raisins.  The toxic dose is 11-30 grams per kilogram.  Wrigley, at 31.8 kilos, had consumed at least 454 grams and some cardboard.  Toxic dose for him was somewhere between 350 and 960 grams.  I think the Wonderbread saved his life.

Today I dropped him off at the vet.  I hemmed and hawed this morning about even taking him in.  He seemed absolutely fine.  Still, I had called the vet and asked for advice.  It seemed disrespectful to disregard her suggestions.   So after the poodles ate breakfast (Wrigley had to fast) we all traipsed over to the vet.  I left him there all day.  The report, at three oclock, was that his blood work was fine ( no kidney damage) but still no pee.  "We really would like to get some urine."  Right.

We traipsed back and I paid the bill (it wasn't all that much, maybe the value of my 2 wireless 201s) and as I left, with Wrigley on leash, I said, "oh I wish I had a pan right now.  I bet he will pee."  The wondeful vet tech followed me, and swooped in from behind just as he lifted that leg.  Great news.  His urine test was fine.  No protein and perfect specific gravity. 

 I keep telling Steven that we have larger frontal lobes and should be able to prevent his marauding.  We do have gates on the kitchen.  We just have to remember to latch them...