Work on it Wednesday

I have so much personal sewing to catch up on. I can't believe how I've let these unfinished projects pile up. I think it was the mad rush to finish the TMQG blocks and the quilt for O's teacher. Well that's all behind me now and I have to get back to my UFO basket. What's in there you ask? Well, I have a lunch bag for my mom, a backpack for O, a top for me, a quilt for me and a quilt for E. That should keep me busy for the next six months, lol.
Oh, I almost forgot, I took the foot pedal to my neechi apart to rewire it. I really need to get that back together and back on the machine.
But best of all I found an inexpensive singer 15-91 at the thrift store last week. I'm jazzed. It's suppose to a wonderful machine to quilt on. Speaking of quilting, that was an education for me. A machine you use for piecing might not be the best machine to quilt on. So, even though I adore my Brother PC6000, the harp area is pretty small. I have quilted a full size quilt on it, but it's not ideal or easy. The harp area on the 15-91 is over 7". Nice! It's also a straight stitch, direct gear driven machine, so super powerful with a lovely looking stitch. I found so much useful info online about this classic singer. I'm also going to attempt my first full rewiring job. I've rewired foot pedals before, but I'm a bit intimidated about the machine motor. My TMQG friend Lisa's husband, Mike just finished doing her 15-91 (and an awesome job he did) so I hope he can walk me through the process.
I can't decide what to do first. I know I should finish the sewing first, but I'm anxious to tear apart the 15-91. Decision, decision. Hmmm....sewing first!

Home at last

Every since rediscovered my sewing hobby shortly after having my first child almost fourteen years ago, I have wanted an Elna. You see when I began to want to sew again, I shortly realized that it might be fun and beneficial to take a class. It would get me out of the house for a few hours every week and teach me some forgotten skills. It did both. I used a school owned Elna. It wasn't fancy to say the least, but it was a great little machine and I wished I had asked about purchasing it when the shop closed. Every since sewing on that machine...oh let me add here that sewing is so much more pleasurable on a machine that performs well, even if it's as basic as my school Elna was, I've wanted to own an Elna. They are Swiss made, and the old sewers who own them hang onto them because they are great stitchers. So, from time to time I would do a search on ebay and Craigslist trying to find one to make my very own. Finally a few months ago I located one outside of Richmond, Va. I don't live in Richmond. But, it seemed close enough in my estimation. I contacted the seller, we negotiated what I thought was a bargain price, one final question...does it stitch. Come to find out she couldn't get it to stitch...she didn't know why. Not to be daunted and somewhat of a machine hobbyist, I said I would still get the machine. She said she couldn't imagine selling it since she couldn't get it to work, but that I could have it for free...I was ecstatic. Anyway...now to get it picked up. Mister said he would go get it for me, but I was able to get my friend, D. to go get it since she was just 45 mins or so away. It resided at her home for the next 3 months until we were able to get together for the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show and she could pass it off to me. Lucky for me she doesn't have the jones for vintage machines that I do because it's a beauty. Anyway...finally last night I was able to get it home and take a look at it. At first I too was daunted that I couldn't get the light to come on, let alone get the machine to power up. Could it be a loose connection. I took apart the foot pedal. Everything looked great there. I took apart the machines power inlet...looking good. Now to take the top off the machine. Except wait, maybe if I actually plug the machine into the wall it just might work...eureka! We have power, and guess what it works. It works great, it's perfect. I cleaned out some linties and oiled her up and she purrs like a kitten. Best of all, the owner had all the manuals, attachments and tons of extra bobbins. I can't believe my good fortune. She told me the original owner had been the postal matron in Lukenbach, Texas...I grew up in Texas. It's as if this machine found it's way back to a Texan at last! I'm on cloud nine!

My Bernina dream come true

Finally, finally I have acquired a Bernina. I'm thrilled! I found it on craigslist and maybe it was providence but it had just been posted. Perhaps no one else was looking for one or they were turned off by the fact that it was for sale without the power cord or foot pedal, but I was not. I drove over as fast as I could and claimed her. I paid $45 (I know, insane!) and although it doesn't have the manual, it did come with five of those very pricey Bernina feet that were probably worth way more than what I paid. I headed right over to Elegant Stitches my local Bernina dealership to get a cord. Two of the ladies were very excited for me and Brenda (the one who teaches the classes) even went over all the feet and what other things I could use them for with me. I found out that although the vintage cord for the 801 was for sale for $357, I could get the same cord used by the 1008 for under $100...better still one of the ladies from one of the machine list I belong to had one for sale for 1/3 of the price and it's on it's way, woohoo! I just love a new machine. I've spent the last few days giving her a bit of a spa treatment. As far as I can tell the only issue she has is a frozen darning lever. I will work on getting that unstuck, in the meantime I tested her out using the borrowed 1008 cord from ES and she fired right up...even the light bulb still worked.
I can't wait to find out why everyone says "Nothing sews like a Bernina, nothing".

With baited breath

I await the arrival of my newest acquisition...an elna supermatic!!! Woo Hoo, it was one of the last two machines on my wish list, the other being a bernina 830. I had been trolling Craigslist for months, finally expanding my search to neighboring states. Well, I finally located one outside of Richmond, Va. and this morning my good friend D. went and picked it up for me. I'm very excited! Even more exciting, it was free! Seems the last time the lady who owned it used it ran fine, but when she went to check it, it didn't stitch so she said I could just have it. I'm not worried...I'm sure I can bring her back. Now we just have to figure out the most cost effective way for me to get it here as she said it's a tank and weighs a ton! I can't wait to get it and give it a go. I know that Elna's of this era are well regarded and wonderful stitchers. I will have to join a vintage elna group to learn more about these amazing machines! Just wanted to share my joy and anticipation as I await the arrival of my dream machine.