Scrapbusting...ch-ch-changes...

A while back, I set out to organize my overflowing scrap piles and fill some scrappy project bins with properly pruned little bits that are just waiting to "be someone."

Pruning scraps is very gratifying...especially if you have a good DVD or book-on-CD to listen to.   :o)

Well, now some of my scrappy project bins are overflowing!  Time to do some SERIOUS chain-piecing and get some units and blocks stitched up!

One thing that has stopped me from doing all this is my sewing machine.  Honestly, my sewing machine is a piece of crap.  I used to think that a sewing machine was a sewing machine...since I pretty much just use it to sew straight, why spend a lot of money on one?!? 

Ten or so years ago when my childhood Singer started wearing out (a 1970 "Genie" model...back when Singer was REALLY Singer...), I blindly (and stupidly) bought another Singer.  It was one of the "Quantum" models and it turned out to be a truly horrible machine (Singer is no longer Singer...).  I paid about $500 for it, which seemed like a lot of money to me at the time...my daughter was a toddler and I no longer worked full time.  It had some bells and whistles, and I blamed my immediate disappointment with the machine on the fact that it was new and fancy and I just wasn't comfortable with it yet.

Ten years later, experience has not made up for the fact that the machine is poorly lit, the throat plate "eats" the corners and edges of piecing units and "leaders," it doesn't feed well or evenly, winding the bobbin is awkward, it is clunky and noisy to use, it "walks" across the table when I am using it, there is limited room to manipulate what I am sewing, the buttonhole stitch is horrible, the foot pedal has a "delay," the tension is never correct, and the walking foot is huge and sounds like I am killing the machine when I try to use it.

And that describes its BETTER qualities!

And don't get me started on my attempts at free motion machine quilting...

Anyway, I have been paying attention to what other people sew on and I've been listening to them complain and praise various machines.  I just purchased a Janome Memorycraft 6600.  I am in love...

My friends describe this machine as dependable and a work horse...sounds like me.  I'm still learning how to use it, but decided that throwing together some wonky stars (a la Bonnie Hunter) would be a good introductory project for the new machine.  These blocks are liberated and don't require the accuracy that other piecing demands.  I can work on establishing that perfect 1/4 inch seam tomorrow...

Here are some that are finished...I make them, then trim them down a little crooked so that they look even wonkier.

Here are the last ones I made, before the crooked trimming job.  I almost got through all the neutral squares and little triangular scraps that I have been collecting.

I also managed to prep 20 more applique basket blocks...all green ones.  I have a few meetings coming up, and I always take some small handwork to do.  I listen better when my hands aren't idle...

Tomorrow I will solidify that elusive 1/4 inch seam on my new machine and catch up with some blocks for my Bee Balm group.

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)