I like making things: Trying to make a positive out of the negative of Covid

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Trying to make a positive out of the negative of Covid

Because of Covid we are not getting out much. I am missing some person to person interaction. Online chat is nice but it's not quite the same. Grateful for it though in these times.

As we won't be moving anytime soon, I have been able to work on my sewing room and get out my knitting machines again. I have been busy sorting through my knitting machine stuff and organising it better. Oh, and I might have, sort of, possibly, well actually did......buy another one! It was on FB Marketplace and it came with a garter carriage. It was a risky buy because the seller didn't know much about it, they had purchased the machine and garter carriage with the intent of using them but never did. So it was untested but really cheap so worth the risk.

It works, I had to give it a good cleaning and oiling and have ordered a new sponge bar for it. I tried it with an old sponge bar I had and it does knit OK but it needs a better one for sure. The garter carriage moves along the rails. It is operated by electricity. Haven't knitted with it yet because it didn't have a needle, have ordered that too.

They must have not been used for quite a while but they work so all is good.

Looking forward to using the garter carriage, I have never had one before. You can knit both plain and purl on the same row with it so can do rib and patterning with it and do not need a ribber.

Will update with pictures when the parts arrive and I give it a try.

Stay safe everyone.

3 comments:

SharonJanuary 26, 2021 at 3:18 PM
Definitely not the same thing. My MIL is waiting on her second vaccine and then maybe (with precautions) she's thinking about going out and visiting some craft shops.

Your comment about your new acquisition made me laugh. We've got to at least try to see the good in things otherwise I think we'd all be crying more than we are!
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mamasmercantileJanuary 27, 2021 at 3:13 AM
I have never used a knitting machine before, I certainly like the idea of one but the cost is a little off putting. Its the lack of human contact I am missing the most, although I am thankful for technology keeping us together.
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JoyJanuary 27, 2021 at 9:56 AM
Good for you re your purchase. I'm so glad it works well. I'm looking forward to seeing what you make with it now.
xx
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As in the words of Thumper: If you can't say 'nuffin nice don't say 'nuffin at all.

Glad you stopped by

I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Trying to make a positive out of the negative of Covid

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