A couple of weeks my machine went off for a spa treatment. At the beginning of the year I had the machine service but I was still having problems particularly with the touch screen. Whilst at the festival of quilts I spoke to a Brother engineer and he gave me the name of a service engineer who he desribed as amazing. So I booked a date to drop the machine off . The shop was sold machines and thread and Brett was knowledgable and interesting to talk to. A few days later to tell me the problem was the touch screen and he gave me a quote for the part and the work. Earlier in the week he called to say the machine was ready and working very well and I arranged to pick it up yesterday. He talked through what he had done and told me about how neat and organised the electrics were behind the touch screen. It was great to have my machine back in full working order and today I will be doing some sewing.
Whilst at the machine shop I had asked Brett if he would demonstrate the Babylock Aspire overlocker to me. He went through it all and I had a play which was a lot of fun. I bought my current overlocker when my children were little and the youngest is now 35. The technology of the overlocker is very old and I wanted to update it. The Aspire is also a cover stitch machine which woud be very useful. Having played with it I decided one needed to come home with me, so I bought it. Unfortunately the machine couldn't come home with me as we had taken the little sports car to collect my sewing machine and that took up most of the boot space but the overlocker will be delivered on Wednesday. I can't wait to play with it.
Whilst my machine was away I used my old Elna. I bought this machine in 1989 and it is still working well. It's a useful machine as it's smaller and more portable. I set it up on the dining table, planning to do some more work on my blouse but also scrap management. Scrap management is a big issue as I don't have much storage room for scraps or for my fabric. Currently scraps are taking over space that should be for fabric waiting for the next project. I got some of my scraps out and generally created a bit of a mess.
I am reliably informed that making a mess is part of the creative process! I had lots of fun with the scraps and managed to create these scrappy blocks. I already have some scrappy blocks made up, waiting for more to be created and then used in a quilt.
The blocks are 8.5 inches square. Once I have enough scrappy blocks I'll probably use a solid sashing in between the blocks. At the moment I still need to make more blocks. I also have some string blocks that I've made and again I need to make more to be able to make a good size quilt. Scrap management is the plan for today.
I also want to get on with some secret sewing. I have some small printed blocks with cats on and I'm going to use them to make a cushion for my son. Our old cat Picasso or Casso was originaly our older daughter's cat but being a cat he decided that my son was the most important person in the house and spent a lot of time with him. The blocks look just like casso. I have several gifts I want to make for Christmas and this cushion is one of them. I love these cat blocks.
