Working sewing machine #6

I have had to admit that I am a bit of an addict when it comes to sewing and knitting machines. I may have mentioned this once or twice before!

Have no excuses, I have been obsessed since an early age with sewing machines and since my early 20's when I discovered there were such things as knitting machines.

Thankfully, I am reasonably sensible and also rather frugal so I have been able to resist the urge on a lot of occasions.

Recently I have been obsessing about vintage and antique machines.  I have one of each so that satisfies that itch, well most of the time anyway.  I passed on one vintage machine to our grand daughter a few years ago but she and my daughter in law didn't really get on with it too well and they bought newer machines to use so that one will be returning home at the end of the month when they come to visit. Now it might well be that the plastic gear in this particular model may have now broken in which case it will become a paperweight because it is almost impossible to find a replacement gear for it but I won't know until it gets here.

Now, on to my latest acquisition.

Found this in our Thrift store for $30.  It is a Brother SQ 9285 and it works beautifully.  It is computerised but stops short of doing fully fledged embroidery but it does have letters and numbers and a gazillion different decorative stitches.  It is quite lightweight and has a bunch of useful features.  They didn't start selling them until 2017 and it came with most of the original accessories.  It is a big improvement on my Singer Sewmate but I love all my machines so that is an observation rather than a complaint.  These newer machines are not constructed nearly as strongly as the vintage and antique machines but I do so love all the features and the lighter weight.

So now I have two fairly new machines, two circa 25-30 years, one 1950's machine and one early 1900's machine.  When the above mentioned wanderer returns I will have a 1950-60's machine.  That will make 7, I think that will be enough, (says she with fingers crossed behind her back!)  I didn't include the old Singer that I couldn't fix after I broke an internal bracket trying to free it up as that one will never get back into commission or an old White that was my mother in law's but has a boatload of missing items and is quite rusted. It came to me that way so I am guessing she had scrapped it at some point.  I am not really into restoring any more, I do not have the energy or ability.

There are two camps when it comes to sewing machines, some just want to have old machines and some just like new machines.  I just like all machines, old and new. Never come across one I didn't love.

Now to make something with the new machine, husband has requested an old fashioned night shirt.  He doesn't like pajamas but thinks he would wear a night shirt.  But will he like all the fancy decorative stitches I have in mind for it lol!

Where does the time go????

 It's been over a month since I did a post!  Where has the time gone?

Well, health issues have played a major part, my husband isn't doing so well and his neurologist was off sick last Friday, the day of our appointment with him.  We left at 6am as it is 150 miles to get there and they in their infinite wisdom didn't call until gone 7am so we made the trip there for nothing.  The previous Friday I had to take him the same 150 mile journey to the ER on the advice of his primary care physician. As he wasn't having a heart attack the discharged him after a couple of tests.  It seems that heart attacks and broken bones are the only thing they treat at the ER. No problem if he can barely stand up or walk!! We were hoping for some answers from the neurologist but as stated above he was off sick and no one else would see him.  

Now this doctor has been amazing in the past but he leaves for another state in just over a week and we can't get any answer as to whether he will get to see him before he leaves.

Added to all of this within one week his stair glide broke, his wheelchair broke and his walker broke.  The chair glide has just been repaired and the walker and wheelchair have now been replaced.

So, needless to say my BP has been very high and I ended up going to my doctor and have to go back tomorrow for a follow up appointment.

Enough of the health stuff!!  Boring!!

I did finish the big boy jacket for my new baby great grandson.  It came out very well but I had problems getting the zipper sewn in.  It took 4 attempts and I am still not happy with but I had sewn it in and unpicked it three times and just didn't want to do it again for fear of straining the knitted bands.  I have put it away for now and didn't take a photo with the zipper in but here is one before I sewed it in.

And Bunny is almost done, all the parts of the rabbit are knitted and I just have to knit his dungarees and sew it all up and stuff it.

Hoping for a more cheery post next time........