I booked 3 days off work to get so i could take delivery of a few things and have a break, and you know how some things – even when planned with military precision – don’t work out that way? Well, that’s been the case with everything in the last few days.
Curly Boy set about putting the frame together on Saturday morning....and there was 2 bolts missing. Curly Boy had a rummage around to see whether we had anything that would fit, and he didn’t. Dad had a rummage in his shed anything that would fit and he didn’t either. So it was erected with clamps holding the legs on until Curly Boy could get some from work on Monday.
I was planning on using my old machine on the frame except....the cord for the foot pedal isn’t long enough so I’ve had to put my newer machine on the frame.
I ordered wadding to arrive on Friday as well – it didn’t arrive. I didn’t arrive on Monday either. After a few phone calls from me to the company, and the company to UPS what it boiled down to was that UPS said they “were too busy”.
At 6.40pm there was a knock on the door and a rather pissed off UPS man was stood there with my wadding. I suspect had been told to get off his butt and get to me and judging by his expression wasn’t too happy about it.
Anyway, I have a quilt loaded on the frame and am about halfway through it. It’s going, but I’m not sure whether I’d go as far as saying it’s going well. The quilting looks lovely but i definitely need more practice.
Things I have learned:
* My Janome is VERY temperamental. I knew that anyway but it’s a pain in the backside when i have to keep sorted it out when it gets jammed.
* My Janome LOVES YLI quilting thread. That is, until the bobbin gets low and then it hates it.
* My Janome can’t cope with free motion quilting for hours on end. After about 3 hours it just stopped and went off and couldn’t turn it back on for another hour.
* The lighting in my room is appalling.
* Borders on a quilt are a pain as they stretch differently to the rest of the quilt.
So, on Thursday i bit the bullet and bought this
I haven't used her yet as she only arrived last night. She's called Holly. As she is a hobby 1200 and my very first sewing machine was a little childrens Holly Hobby one, and as she's an early Christmas pressie to myself, the name seemed fitting. She came with a pile of goodies to which are nearly as exciting as the machine.
Enough thread to last me a lifetime and extra bobbins and needles.
And this. So if i ever want to take her anywhere with me, or just wheel her around the streets i can!
