While going on big doses of steroids pumped my energy level (think
jitters alllllll night longggggg) and has me sewing to the wee hours,
it also has pushed my immune system to the ground (as intended) and so
I now have a fungus in my mouth. Yes, it hurts. I'm taking this
horrible medicine for it (let it melt in your mouth and don't drink or
eat anything for an hour -- yes, it tastes like you think an anti-
fungal medicine would taste) that has my stomach begging for mercy.
I've finish two small quilts, but then realized I made horrible errors
and had to rip out stuff to make it right. Nothing artsy, just basic
construction boo-boos.
But I am newly in love with my Janome 6600. I wanted one for so long,
and ended up with this one by accident almost. It's not a precise or
elegant as my Pfaff, but it's a powerhouse. I'm sitting here holding a
standard composition book that I just stitched a quilted/decorated
cover to with a nice decorative stitch. Wow. I'll post pics on
flickr.com tomorrow. For tonight, I'm just going to go sew some bits
of pretty fabric to some odd squares of cardboard. I don't know what
I'm going to do with it, but something will come to me.
Happy dances to all of you, Polly -- I'm smiling all over for you and
the lovely bride. And everybody go find out what all your SMs will
stitch through. It's really liberating
Sunny
Those sound good. I really must try a few things like this for gifts
for next Christmas.
>
> While going on big doses of steroids pumped my energy level (think
> jitters alllllll night longggggg) and has me sewing to the wee hours,
> it also has pushed my immune system to the ground (as intended) and so
> I now have a fungus in my mouth. Yes, it hurts. I'm taking this
> horrible medicine for it (let it melt in your mouth and don't drink or
> eat anything for an hour -- yes, it tastes like you think an anti-
> fungal medicine would taste) that has my stomach begging for mercy.
Yekk! Sympathies and ((((((SUNNY HUGS))))))
> I've finish two small quilts, but then realized I made horrible errors
> and had to rip out stuff to make it right. Nothing artsy, just basic
> construction boo-boos.
How annoying! But I bet they look fantastic now.
>
> But I am newly in love with my Janome 6600. I wanted one for so long,
> and ended up with this one by accident almost. It's not a precise or
> elegant as my Pfaff, but it's a powerhouse. I'm sitting here holding a
> standard composition book that I just stitched a quilted/decorated
> cover to with a nice decorative stitch. Wow. I'll post pics on
> flickr.com tomorrow. For tonight, I'm just going to go sew some bits
> of pretty fabric to some odd squares of cardboard. I don't know what
> I'm going to do with it, but something will come to me.
Sounds good to me! For stuff like that I have several good older
machanical machines. I have sewn tin cans with a Bernina 707 before
now! (Well, scales cut from Coke cans, anyway!
>
> Happy dances to all of you, Polly -- I'm smiling all over for you and
> the lovely bride. And everybody go find out what all your SMs will
> stitch through. It's really liberating
So it is. I'm still having fun testing the entry level Brother.
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 23:29:31 -0800 (PST), Sunny <onet...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Hi Sunny,
So sorry about the fungal infection. I'm hoping that's an indication
that your illness has been kicked to the ground too. Also sorry about
you being "wired" so much that you can't sleep. That said, I must say
you've been a trooper to keep on stitching, putting the excess energy to
good use, and learning cool things about your new machine. :-)
How much longer on the prednisone before you start to taper off?
Michelle in Nevada
As for needle size, I really don't know. I have a bad habit of just
grabbing the nearest needle when I need one in the middle of
stitching. So I already had a needle in and didn't change it. It's a
Schmetz purple needle -- I think that's embroidery. It's probably one
of the larger sizes. But I don't know for sure. Careless, I know,
but ....... somehow it worked and I'm quite glad.
Sunny
Okay, I'm so jealous and now I have machine-envy.
I have GOT to find a good machine that I can afford. Heavy on the
"afford" part.
I have a Singer 15-91 which WAS a reliable little workhorse. Now her
stitch
regular is nearly toast, and the repairman said he can't do any more
for it, and I
need to just junk it and find another one, because for him to fix it
would cost
more than buying another 15-91 in far better condition.
So I decided to buy a brand new Singer, not a used one. What I really
want to do is leave it on someone's porch
and run away. That is how bad it is.
You say your machine can sew through cardboard? This machine can't sew
through
a double seam. Everytime it hits a seam, I have to pull it through.
The foot pedal
has two speeds: "nothing moves" and "runaway train".
Sorry for the rant. I know the price of the Singer was nothing
compared to what
good machines cost, but still, $400 is a lot of $$$$ for something I
can't use without
cussing.
Sherry
There are a lot of good used sewing machines in SM shops all over the
country, costing a lot less than they did when new. And most of those
shop owners will deal, cuz they really don't need used machines taking
up space. Also check Craig's List and talk to the people at your LQS.
You just never know what you'll find available. Life is too short to
use a machine that doesn't work well.
All that said, when I just had my first Janome and it was in the shop
and a deadline was looming (birthday was approaching and the gift
wasn't finished) I walked into the SM store here and said 'I want to
buy your ugliest used machine for under $50." I walked out with a New
Home that had been a high school Home Ed machine. Truly ugly. But with
12 sweet stitches and it ran like a champ. It's a great machine and I
gave it away two years ago to a little girl with an incredible flare
for fashion design who didn't have a machine. She's taken it to
college with her and it just may launch her into a career.
Sorry to be rambling. I don't know what I'm trying to say here except
that you need a good sewing machine and you deserve one. Do some
research, look at models several years old that might be coming back
into shops for trade-ups to this year's model, check ebay and other
places that sell direct to consumer, and know what a machine is worth
before buying it.
Hugs,
Sunny
Oh, no, I don't think you're rambling. I appreciate the advice, I do.
And I
*am* going to start researching machines and seeing what kind of deal
I can find on a used one. I know now that a quality used machine is
a better deal than a cheap new one. I don't think anything is more
frustrating than a machine that doesn't sew properly.
I used to be afraid of *learning* a new machine with no owner's
manual.
But hey, it's not rocket science, and I bet a manual can be found for
just about any machine.
Sherry
Sherry,
My very first sewing machine was like that....it would sew, but it
would leak oil whenever it felt like it! It was a bottom line (I'm
sure) brother. I've never bought another one!
I have a singer sewing machine that ate an appliqued wall hanging I
was trying to quilt...brought me to tears to have to rip it out of the
bobbin area and throw it away.
Thank heavens those weren't the machines I learned on....I had the
combination of the school sewing machines and my mom's old Singer.
She was fickle, but she beautifully when she wanted to. :-) I think
she was probably way past do for a cleaning, oiling and a check up.
As part of a military family she traveled around the country, meeting
us at each destination. I remember coming out one day with a pair of
shorts I was trying to sew up and had somehow flipped the shorts
around and sewed the waist as one of the pants leg or
something...anyhow...it was a funny sight to come strolling out with
these on. I wanted to show mom and ask what I did wrong...that is
mostly what she sewed was clothing and took one look at me and burst
out laughing....and all's I could do was laugh too. She explained
what had happened and I fixed them. My main interest in sewing was to
learn how to quilt! :-)
Anyhow, my brother had leaked for one last time on something I was in
the middle of sewing and I marched right down to the sewing machine
shop and traded her in for a Pfaff! Beautiful machine and sewed like
a dream...just didn't have the muscle I wanted. Sewed on it for
years...until I bought my singer.
A few summer's back my beloved Terry purchased my dream machine...the
Husqavarna....was still an expensive purchase for us, but what a
beauty she is.
Anyhow, I'm with the rest of the gang who suggested purchasing a well
used machine....good luck in that adventure and happy hunting!
Launie, in Oregon
Sunny,
Sorry to hear you are having such problems...my Terry had Thrush...not
fun!
You have such a great outlook...one day...I'd love to meet you. :-)
take care and hugs,
Launie