A Busy Tuesday

I got quiet a bit accomplished today. I fixed our breakfast and then moved on into the sewing room I have been sewing side seams and serging the hem on the bottom of the lounge and the top part of the waist to make them look more smooth.But - time kept flying and DH had to go to the urology doctor for his 3 month checkup and it was not good news. :( His psa count was up too much -so they have scheduled him with a cancer doctor on Thurs. and a bone scan and a CT scan at the hospital  for Friday.

We came home and I think we both were in shock because we both just collapsed in our chairs like we were numb. He was so tired  so he fixed the woodstove up outdoors and he went to bed. He was just wore out . I came in the sewing room and worked some more on all those lounge pants. Then I got sidetracked and finished up the younger son's shirt.

 Humm??? I am running out of room - I am going to have to get some more presents wrapped. Can you believe it is only 3 weeks until the big day?

We are having a rain storm that sounds like Drums of water are being flung on us!. I can almost see the "raining cats and dogs" outside -except for the fact it is dark!
Sending love  
linda

Family Lounge Pants

A brand new Monday came visiting with me today-and I sure kept it quiet busy, knowing it was flying by. I fixed our oatmeal and toast. I am so pleased that after all these years that DH finally has taken to eat fresh bread that I make in the bread machine. I used to try as hard as I could to win him over -but the thing that made the difference was when he got his new electric slicer.(We wore one out and a friend right out the road from us gave us his and it looks like brand new! Yea! ) He is such a nice man and very talented too and he is the one that gave us Danny the lady turkey who is soooo full of herself. So , now that he can cut very thin slices -he has come to appreciate the fresh bread. He eats white and I eat whole wheat. I just finished with the corn bread to go with the beans and we will eat that in a little while.

Here is some of the lounge pants that I have cut out and put them each in a plastic bag so I will not lose any parts! I think the colors are so intriguing.

I was talking to my sewing angel -asking her to Please help me with my boo-boos-then I have started on the first pair of lounge pants. So far- so good! I have not sewed anything wrong so far and I have added a "cuff" to the legs to make them longer -from my boo-boo of not getting enough flannel to start with. When we checked it out yesterday -it was its regular price of 5.99 and it was hard for me to believe that the day before that we had actually got it for 1.29 -making it a real miracle in my eyes.

Here is another one of the pretty colors that will be for a granddaughter , since she likes pink and she loves monkeys. :)

OOOPSSS! I see the sky if looking angry - I better go run out in the front yard and pluck some more apples from my Granny Smith apple tree for my breakfast in the morning . They are almost gone and I have to use the apple picker to be able to reach the ones high up. :)

OK, Yummy they will be in my oatmeal in the morning all covered with cinnamon-have you ever heard that cinnamon is good for people with sugar? Well, its true and I like to use all the little tools I can to keep my sugar happy.

O NO-another boo-boo! When I was cutting out the pieces I thought it would be smart to mark on the front placement for the cord hole-but now that it is almost together - the markings do not agree with where it should be now -AND- I had used a red Permant marker? SHOOT!

So, I took a product called Resolve and squirted it down good and let it sit for 5 minutes and then I took a old toothbrush and some salt and scrubbed it good and it looked like it was more pale. Then I stuck it in the dryer to see what happens?

Well, I managed to dim it a little bit? Humm? IF only I had some blue paint.

I decided to use a different technique on the second pair . The first pair I had just cut out a cuff and sewed the one seam to join it and then sewed that circle to the bottom of the legs. This time I am cutting a cuff the same size as the leg bottom -sewing it to the leg and then sew them all together, like it is the one piece I was suppose to cut out in the beginning - instead of boo-boos! :)

This is after I sewed them on .

See , if I had any brains they would have been all one piece instead of looking like cuffs -but it is beginning to look like I do not always control what happens with my project - so I might as well learn to sit back and enjoy the ride! :) And see what happens?

Well, I have a little bit accomplished -I have 3 pair almost sewed together . I am hoping to do them kinda like production line work. I find that when I do that -as I go along I hopefully get a little better on each one. At least this time , so far I have not sewed the wrong pieces together !

After I get them sewed together - I know I always have trouble with the waist band and the cord? This time , too - I will not put pockets on them-just to see IF anybody even misses them???? :)

Love to one and all  and count my blessings that I am  not facing a Winter - storm like Micki and Joe are! The longer I can put that off - the happier I am! :)

Sewing Mysteries

Bright and early this morning I readied my flannel and patterns and attempted to arrange some Order for the goal ahead. I started checking and comparing all of the lounge pants patterns and they all pretty much were the same , except for pockets and no pockets. I decided to take the Hopefully shorter way.:)

Since I knew that I did not have enough fabric -I started letting the old wheels of the brain turn-seeking inspiration. That was when I just cut one leg shorter than the other one .????? I know you all heard me banging my head against the table at that one -then the steam came next - and THEN- yes - THEN - the inspiration came.

Just because something goes awry does not mean that is a BAD thing! Yes, I figured it out -my sewing angel had different plans than I had -and sometimes I am just too stubborn to listen to her. WEEEEELLLLLL - you know how it is when you have a plan and Think you are right-you really do not want to sway-especially with time getting shorter?

So, that is how the major  part of my day has gone-me going three steps forward and two steps back and her forging ahead. I started cutting out my projects -checking to see how many I could redesign and which ones that I would just have to have some extra fabric to complete. I had checked online to see if JoAnn's still had their flannel on sale and I just could not find out. The ones that had prices were the online advertisements and I tried to call the store and the first time I got a recording  and I tried again and they hung upon me -saying - thank you for shopping ????

SO, DH offered to take me over there and I took him up on it. When we walked in -One of my dear friends was finishing up her shopping. I was thrilled to see her because it had been years-but I was not thrilled to see her -because of my missing front teeth-the one the dentist pulled and while he was pulling -he broke the one beside it?I am So ashamed to be seen. So, we parted ways because she had quiet a distant to travel back home.

I was left with sadness in my heart Because this friend had taught me a very valuable lesson about Christmas one year. We had even gone to the same church for a long time when we were young. We both married and started our lives. After a few years we both raised goats and got to visit back and forth taking care of them and learning how to take care of them. That was a lovely friendship because we would met at her house and then we would take her goats for a walk and just enjoy the beautiful pleasures of being outdoors and sharing love with the animals that shared our lives.That was so great.

Then we both ended up living in violence for a while and it was near that time frame that she had moved and invited me to come spend the day with her -at Christmas. We spent the day backing cookies and making canvas angels and just sharing a wonderful friendship . That one day of being creative and enjoying a friend left a permanent impression on my soul! In my eyes she gave of herself and her creativity and that has always been one of the Best Christmas presents I have ever received and I will never forget it-plus she shared the cookies that were her family recipe and she shared the little angels we made-it was a Magical day for me.

O! When she left -we went back and checked the flannels and they were no longer 1.29 - they were returned to the regular price of 5.99 a yard-Pooh! But I still had to have some , so I picked out two yards to see what I could do. I would never been able to afford the regular price on so many different designs at 5.99 a yard. .

Time is flying by . I spent the rest of the evening cutting and hoping . :) I still have a few more to go and I cannot find the men's lounge pants that I always use! They are not in the envelope that I always keep them in. Plus, I had 3 loads of laundry piled up on my bed and they have to go somewhere before I can even get in bed. Then I just realized that I should put a crock-pot of beans on to cook overnight-but the pot was dirty -so I am soaking the pot while I do this. Seems that my plate is Always too full ! Big hopes and dreams -but a tired can do spoiling the plan. :)

So, I will just send you my love and thank you so much.:)  

Something I Do Not Have to Embroider!

Boy , Am I tired! When I came into the sewing room I carried with me from the dryer - the "
Flannel Monster", and bedded it down on the cutting table. I could see its adventurous eyes following me -wondering how we were going to "get along"?

I promised it that I would be as gentle as I could be and for it to Please -Work With Me! :)
So, I was gentle , I would gently smooth out the wrinkles as I would ready it for the iron and ever so gently smooth it over the soft surface-turning it from a raggy muffin - to a classy flannel.

It is very hard to believe , but it took me three hours to iron 39 yards of flannel! But, boy can my back testify to that!

After I a very late lunch I spent the rest of the evening attempting to figure out what size every body is because they all change as the year goes on? I hate to make something that nobody can wear. Then to make matters worse I only got two yards for the gals and that does not look like it is going to work. That is all I need - another problem to solve? Wonder why I can never get it right? This human thing is very trying.

I ran out and did my chores and then DH came in from work with one of the grandsons and they ate turkey sandwichs. It was a wild one that he had killed this week .He was thrilled to have one to eat . I saw it and it was a beautiful bird - which I would love to have watched and admired alive. That old thing about opposites attract?

My feet and legs are really killing me and my back is screaming at me , so I am going to close my sewing day and send love to each of you in all your endeavorers.

Black Friday

We had to go to town today and beside our one stop was a JoAnn's Fabrics -AND- it was black Friday. So DH dropped me off while he hunted a parking space. I told him that I only wanted to check on the flannel to see IF any of it was left -AND- how much the cost was.

I knew where they kept the flannel and my eyes were scanning for it and checking for the price. I had heard 3.00 a yard -BUT- low and behold -my eyes could hardly believe it ! It was 1.29 a yard - AND- there was still oddles to choose from. That was when I started wishing I had made a list ??? But I really did not think it would be anything but picked overs?Goes to show how wrong I was.

DH had found a parking spot and followed me in. While I was checking the first isle I asked him to peek around the corner and see IF there was any over there? My heart was doing flip flops at what I was seeing - I thought , well- there is enough here for the gals -Until - DH said the next isle and the next one . I asked him IF he saw anything for the guys and he started picking . I think he might be better at this than I was. Then he helped me round them all up. A sweet gal who worked there brought us a cart-just goes to show -that I did not grab a cart -because I did not think there was going to be anything interesting.

She was so nice and funny - she picked up a flannel with monkeys and bananas on it and said, You might like this on to do HIM a pair because he can drive you bananas! LOL  I thought that was a funny thought and knew it would make a memory , so I took it too! LOL

There was the neatest young man at the cutting table ! I Really liked him , he was kind and knowable and quick  - just a perfect 10! :) We was talking about the flannel and I showed him one Really soft piece and he said that would be perfect for the back of a quilt and that he had just finished one! I was really impressed with this youngest now. :)

We came home and I crammed all the flannel into the washer and dryer while I went out and did evening chores . Time always flies by and I am still not up to par from what ever that was yesterday. My ear is making weird noises and I am wondering IF that has something to do with it and my stomach is being queasy? ?

Finally I went to grab things out of the dryer and this was what I found!

I think I have a "flannel pie"! Gosh! I hate when it does that. I don't know IF I have the strength to unwrap all of that OR just leave it until tomorrow because I will have to iron them any which way???? :)

Love to all and have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Day

We got up early this morning for our two hour drive to go visit with DH's sister. ( I Hate long drives) They already had a feast on the table.We had a lovely visit and then DH was dragging me out the door so he could come home and hunt the deer. The man Lives to see deer season and he wants no intrusions. I cannot blame him - he has Always been this way.

 This was one of the decorations we saw over there. I thought for sure I had gotten a good picture of this turkey -but I did not-If we would have backed up just a tad so you could see his face??? But , you know how this "hindsight business" works. But it was made from a big bale of hay . I have seen the spider you can make -but I had never seen the turkey before and I think he is so cute.

On our way home I got car-sick. I do this fairly regularly since the car wreck and I was miserable for the two hour drive. I even stopped and got some dramine for motion sickness. While at that stop the cashier said you could hold your hand out the window and that would help it. So, I tried the hand first until it got cold and then the dramine. Nothing seemed to ease it up. We pulled off the road several times to let me walk around .

Finally we arrived home and the last few feet I motioned for DH to Hurry as I held a cloth over my mouth.I was out of the car fast as can be and I "let it fly" - every bite of her delicious meal-wasted! PHOOY!  It was so bad and so fast that I up-chucked all over my pretty white tennis shoe! UCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still feel wosy , so I am going to make it short and sweet!
Love today and a wonderful tomorrow! :)

Hump day -down hill the rest of the week?

This was another day to Learn and one thing I told my DH was that I do not know what to think of all of "these sewing machine dealers" who tell you that they have to go school and keep up to date on all the technology . This morning I had got ready to sew about the time the kids and DH came in from hunting. Cory came and sat down with me to see  how it was going to go. I had cut out a shirt for his younger brother and it was all ready to "TEST". Plans did not go as planned?

Last night Cory had sewn out a perfect design -and this morning when I started it went to breaking threads again?But! When you have someone "riding shotgun" with you , it is not nearly as bad as suffering by yourself. It was back to the drawing board. He asked me how long it had been doing this crazy stuff and I said , ever since I received it?  I remembered because when we took it to the first Brother Dealer I had only had it for a month and I thought that might get some attention that a new machine like that was already causing problems. Then after two months I got it back and it was still the same old problems. I did wait almost a year before taking it back here lately and the same story.

I could not help but wonder if it did the dealer the same way it did Cory when he ran the first test on the first design and it worked like a charm. I told Cory that I thought the dealers only ran one design  and that sometimes in order for it to get mad at me -I might have to run two or three designs Before it would show its true colors! About the time I said that -it broke bad.That time it broke the needle to let us know it was paying attention to us, but not going to be a good little Brother!

Cory started taking it apart and studying it again. In two different places the thread actually rubs hard against two pieces of metal and sometimes it would make it go wobbly and peek out a small hole that is there to let you peek in to see IF the thread is in the take up lever. But the thread is not suppose to jump out of the hole towards you!

Then he removed a second piece of the top and he took my hemostats and reached down into the corner right at the top of the take up lever and he started pulling big long dirty pieces of thread that was wedged in there from being broke before. DH and I had never taken that part off -afraid we might break it ? It was a MESS! I remember having some of those threads from projects before I took it to the dealers - so they did not find that either? (so much for the theory that I was not using enough stabilizer!)

Then he studied the bobbin and the bobbin case and he read the manual and it plainly says in there to not use a bobbin case that is scratched or scared under any circumstances and he pulled it out and showed me some kind of scars -now why could the dealer not find that?

We copied down the part number and I am hoping to try to order it after Thanksgiving ?  He even had me reduce the amount of stabilizer from what the dealer had said and it sewed perfect until it goes wild and then Nothing seems to appease it!

But , the more that goes wrong with it - the more my Son learns -and he is one of those people who will not be outsmarted -at least not by a machine? :)

But, at least with Son riding shotgun I did manage to Almost finish another shirt.But tomorrow we are going to West Virginia to have Thanksgiving with DH's sister . So, I wanted to wish everyone in USA - a big Happy Thanksgiving" and to my other branch of my cyber world family - love to each and all of you. It's ok with me - if you want to have your thanksgiving anyway because you have so many things to be thankful for to. :)

An Interesting Turn of Events?

I think we all know how this machine has been driving me crazy! What a relationship we have had. I researched and researched to decide which type of machine I would like according to my "Wish List". Then I saved and watched E-bay for almost a year -they were ALWAYS selling OUT of My REACH. So , close I could almost smell it.

But I knew it was meant to be because I wanted it to make customized items for my family and friends . Then Finally it happened. It worried me about learning something new ?? But it started to fall in place. I was making pretty items and then it seemed to fall apart. I could not seem to sew but just a few stitches -until it was breaking threads, continually and thus breaking my heart.

SO, I decided to try to take it to a dealer - thinking that they would be like doctors who only deal with one specific field and be more knowledgeable and competent. The one in our state was three hours away and that was a hardship considering the time and all the gas to get there.That cost me two months without a machine and I was going nuts!

I was beginning to wonder Why Christmas was so important to me? I think it has to do with the fact that my Mama took the time and effort to make me feel special on Christmas! She gave from her heart and her time and I can still carry that with me. So, in turn I have wanted to take the time to make others feel special  for the same reason -just to know that someone thinks of you - you are not forgotten and you are loved. This is something that you cannot buy , no matter how much money you have - or - do not have. Just like Jesus gave of himself for all of us too. I think it is the gift of love.

I have a friend who told me the other day that she has never figured out this thing called love? I always thought it meant to give freely of yourself -putting others first.But, love is also a mystery - for some of us it seems to flow and ebb like the currants of the ocean.  They may return your feelings for a while and seem to be consistent-but for others it is like a ride on a bucking bronco-where you don't know what the next move will be-but still, If that is the best they can give -how much more can you ask of them?

But , that dealer told me that the machine was fixed and that was what he had embroidered on the fabric in the hoop. I came home -almost frantic to try to compensate for the months gone - only to find it was still a mess.But, I fought the war of the machines, sometimes winning and most times losing -but too stubborn to give up and pack it in?

Then this year I have followed the same path -taking it one day at a time -until it would get so bad that you could only sew a few stitches without the breaking of threads . SO, this time I took it to a different dealer in a different state. Well, they were much more professional and had the machine ready in two weeks and I thought -wonderful - this will give me the time I need to finish my gifts?Only to find it was still breaking threads and tearing holes in the fabric of the projects???

SO, I took it back within a week's time -and was told there was NOTHING wrong with the machine - that I was not using stabilizer correctly.  The man was more stern this time when he said it was a Learning curve that I would just have to overcome?

SO, I REALLY tried to the best of my ability-I tried every way I knew and read about and was still losing the battle- starting to wonder If I should pack it in and quit-I just did not have what it took to do this craft I love so much?

You all know how the last couple of weeks that my DH had even taken time to sit with me and try different things - and he did prove how to fix the bobbin thread from showing -and that was progress for that problem! Yea!

Then it went to breaking threads every few stitches and eating holes in the project. This last week it has ruined every project I had cut out and attempted to complete - setting me back in my goals and starting a depression for me? How do you overcome something when you do not have the knowledge to do it yourself - and the people who are suppose to be knowledgeable in their field just can't figure it out?

Then yesterday when our oldest son came hunting with his Dad and he followed me into the sewing room during a lunch break . I showed him the disaster of the doggie  and he sat and watched as I did an example of how it still broke threads every few stitches. I told him that it was just not worth the effort -if you had to fight a machine that much. I gave up and he sat down and started to familiarize himself with the workings of the machine. He looked here and he poked there and he studied the thread as it moved and he tested all different threads and he started to make progress -a little?But, when I sat down by myself -it was a fight already.

So , I knew he was coming hunting this morning and I knew that he had to leave early to take his wife to have all of her top teeth pulled so I was not going to say anything -but his Dad must have because when they came in he made a bee line to the machine.I had downloaded a design that I wanted to use and had started a test on it (not dumb enough to waste another piece of good fabric!) The design had sewed just a little and then quit-so I switched to a different color and tried again and still it broke?

So, he took it apart one more time and he found a little Bur where the take up lever was rubbing the thread and that would fuzz it up until it would break. Then he told me to test all of my threads - because he believed that was it?  So, while he was gone I tested all of my threads and everytime I ran into trouble I would put that thread in a different bag. It turned out that Most of my browns ( colors I was using for animals) and a few of my greens were giving me grief.

Cory even went to Jo-Ann's Fabrics and picked up a spool of brown to test ? It was a Coats and Clark brand and it sewed like a champ. So, it is beginning to look like that has been the problem the entire time-Thread most of the time and occasionally a tension problem - not the fact that I am dumb as dirt! :) I do know I am not the brightest bulb in the pack - BUT- I did not think that you should HAVE to war with your machine ALL the time - IF so, then I think most embroiderers would just not have the time to sacrifice.

I am too pooped to tackle it tonight -but am hoping to clean up my mess of test projects all over the room and cut me out some more projects and I firmly believe that I will be on my way ONE MORE TIME!
So, if any of you know of others who have had so many problems with embroidery machines - tell them there is hope!

My love to all and may tomorrow bring us new Happy Adventures. :)

Hello blog family

I hoped to have some pictures of the new 'little guy" -but somehow I have lost where I put them. I think I am just so tired and my "marbles" are not acting right. It still seemed somewhat like a dream -until - we visited at the hospital tonight and I got to see my beloved son hold his child in his arms! It was priceless ! His Mom is doing good it seems and there is the possibility that they might get to come home tomorrow. He is still having mucus that he tries to cough up and you can hear him wheez and it scares me. It makes me so glad that I am not the "Mom" this time. All that hard work??? Just scares me to death. SOOO tiny and so innocent that you can almost see his "angel wings".

Meagan's Mom was sitting beside Meagan's little brother , who is 12 and he seems happy in his  new role as Uncle. So, she carried him over to me -what a thrill. :)

I won't be  blogging too much tonight . I am just so tired and our oldest son is coming hunting in the morning with his Dad.

I did go in the sewing room earlier this morning and " stuck my tongue out " at that mean ole machine! I am almost to the stage where it has me whipped and time is passing me by. There has to be some way to figure this out. Maybe tomorrow will bring a different light on the situation. ????

SO - love to each one and may this new week bring happiness. :)    

A Thrill that Nothing Can Compare To!

And that does not mean -getting a new machine! :)
I had a really nice morning -just taking my time tackling morning chores . I had a talk with that dumb machine and told it that I was not Even going to touch it - out of fear of making it mad. I decided to make it Jealous by checking out all different machines that sew a 5 x 7 design.Something has to give - you just cannot enjoy a machine that refuses to work for you - destroys the project that you work hard to get the fabric for -and then basically be told by a dealer that you are too stupid to operate one.So, pooy - I was just doing research and got a phone call!

My youngest son and his precious wife had gone into labor! I guess we gave them about an hour and we took off.Meagan had done a lot of the work at home by doing a lot of walking and helping the process along. Then I got the honor to stay and Meagan's Mama stayed and of course my son stayed and helped in any way he could. It took about 3 hours and I learned that you sure do feel helpless when you are watching a Mama work to bring a new baby into this world. No matter how bad you want to help - you just have to let them do ALL the work. But, it was an Amazing event and I felt so HONORED to be allowed to stay! I am still flying high! Poor little Meagan , I felt so sorry for her because I knew she was totally Exhausted and then she was covered in sweat -which her little Mom kept mopping up -then she started shivering from head to toe. The doctor was not sure she could finish a couple stitches that she needed to do. The doctor said that was still the adrenal pumping from working so hard. She had the entire bed doing a dance. Then the nurse gave Meagan a quickie bath and the other doctor gave the baby a quick check and the nurse was washing him off. He looked so tiny coming into this world at 6pounds and 11 ounces.

They swooped the baby off  because the cord was wrapped around his neck and he had used the bathroom and got some of it into his lungs. The doctor said that might be a good thing that the cord was there as it probably helped him not to breath so much of it in -so they were taking him to the nursery to check his lungs.

I am physically drained also - and Meagan was the one doing all the work. Boy, it brought the memories flooding back for the night that Emmett was born. ! Some memories are just too priceless - you could never put a price on them -no matter how much -or-how little money you have.

I really enjoyed spending time with Meagan's Mom too. IT seems that we both are shy and this helped us to get to know each other better - along with Meagan's two Grandmom's! LOL

I must say it is a priceless experience made even sweeter by the fact that you can treasure these moments and then come home to my "Fur-babies" , knowing that I will get to sleep all night and not have to be up ever hour ! Someone else is doing the hard parts and their names are Mom and Dad! :)

Thank you for letting me share my experience with you . Love to one and all.!

HELLO ! Blog-family

You know my life seemed fairly normal as I went about normal activities. BUT!- just let me walk in the sewing room and ATTEMPT to run this Brother PE-700II embroidery machine and then Everything just goes down hill!

After yesterday's fiasco - I emeailed EmbroideryDesigns.com and they politely emailed me back shortly! That is one thing that I really like about this company - they take you seriously as a customer and I really appreciate that.

This is the reply :
I am guessing that you are referring to the design "Chihauhua" ID: BT3108. I have examined the file and have found that it doesn't contain enough underlay for use on knits. This design requires a very stable fabric, such as a sturdy canvas (not denim) or dense nylon (not sheer) to sew without resulting in gaps or other problems. Because it is design for a more stable fabric, and does not contain ample underlay, it requires a thick density for coverage, which would also be inappropriate for knits, causing excessive pull and possibly buckling the fabric. As well, it is achieved with a particular blend technique that requires setting down a stitch to the outside to eliminate sewing over jump stitches, which could be partial reason for some of the trouble during the sewing. For the best results of this design, it should not be sewn on knits or other vulnerable fabrics.


I would like to recommend that you try this design on a sturdy fabric and use it for items such as totes or nylon jackets. If knits or other unsturdy fabrics must be used, try a peel and stick backing with 1-2 layers of poly mesh backing, as well as 1-2 layers of a soluble topping.

If you continue to have trouble, we can offer an exchange of another design from the same vendor and of the same price, or we can give you a refund.

We apologize for any inconvenience and if you have any other questions or concerns, please email or feel free to call us.

I thought that was very nice of them. But, I want to put it on a tee shirt for me and almost all the fabric that I use is knit? So - I pouted for a few minutes and then I opened up Embird and they have a section in there that lets you change the sizes and I found one that I had seen before -it let me change the density of the stitches.

I decided that I would just check it out and see what happened? I put down plenty of stabilizer and sprayed it down - I did not want to risk the stabilizer that Nancy - Jane had sent me-that is too precious for a test?
Everything started out perfect and then halfway through it brought the wild creature out of it! After enough of my moaning and groaning DH came along and he fought with it for an hour.

So he had me changing everything on it and when I changed the thread and it took off running like a racehorse he gave me "that look" - I told you it was the thread the whole time. So, we took a break and had popcorn and he went to bed for his big day deer hunting with our son and daughter-in-law and I ventured into the sewing room?Yes, it did finish sewing what it was suppose to with that color. But, then it went back to its old tricks? I decided that it MIGHT have something to do with the thread - so I decided to "test a few colors" -believing IF I found some that really worked I would just sew with those threads.

Then it went back to being ugly -SO- I stuck the color in that worked like a charm - and it broke it -several times? I changed colors and it almost jerked it out of my hand? ggggrrrr! Then I took the hand wheel and turned it ever so slowly to start the stitching and after breaking once -then it went on and took off sewing -AGAIN!

So, that tells me that it is not the thread entirely? OK - new plan - each color I start I am starting by turning the handwheel  VERY slowly. I can feel the jerk but I give it slack and if It doesn't cut the thread right off -I am making some progress. Talk about patience?  And wearyness???

Well, kids I am bone tired and I have "bored" you to tears . Tomorrow will be a  new day , full of new adventures for all of us.

O, and I would not spin you a "yarn" like that and not have the proof to back it up. Here is proof!

On the right side is the one from last night and all those ruffles are the fabric buckled up -on the left - is the one I tackled tonight after I used Embird to cut the density of the stitches. How do you like that green nose ? That was what they suggested and I was tired so I gave in just to see what would happen . LOL

O What an exciting morning this is!

I think you are know what a horrible time I have been having with my embroidery for a while now - since I got the newer machine -the Brother PE-700II - one disaster after another. So while my DH has got it back to working - a very dear friend-Nancy Jane from http://quiltflower.blogspot.com/ has sent me some stabilizer that I have never met before! It really has my curiosity perked. It makes me think of freezer paper because it has one slick side -but it also has one dull side?

I have followed her instructions about placing the slick side up in the hoop and scoring an X and then removing the top layer. That takes me down to a VERy sticky side which I now lay the fabric on top and smooth it out neatly. She had mentioned a Fix Stitch and I don't think my machine has that option or I cannot find it -it might be hiding right under my nose ?? But I took it to the sewing machine and sewed a basting stitch all the way around and now I am dieing to see what happens -But- on the other hand -I am scared this dumb machine will go nuts and make me waste her stabilizer - then I will be soooo mad at that machine !

So, I am just going to hold my breath and see what happens?????????????Wow- this is so exciting! It is turning out that this design is either Very very dense - or- this is the way my machine is interpreting the design because it started out great ( I almost fainted-if I had I would have missed out on some of the education) It just kept going and going and I had to go to the bathroom and when I came back it was still going . I could not believe it. But, I think that made it mad at me because when I sat down to study it - of course it broke the thread? You do know that offer still stands good to trade this machine for something like a Bernina???? LOL  It has broken the thread 3 more times - live and learn????

It has me worried because it does not look like the design that I selected??? I know, I know - just wait and see. It has to be that design because the one I wanted is in the little picture window.  :) O GOSH - yes - that is the design I picked , but where I had enlarged it -it looks huge compared to the little Deco that only does only the 4 x 4 designs! I would never believed how much larger that is???  I am still excited I can see the little face kinda coming to life! :)

O OOOOO - BALONEY STRINGS! I Hate this machine. It kept right on breaking threads and when it makes this slapping nose you know something is going to go wrong. This time when it broke the thread it is NOW hung -up in part of the thread path that I cannot reach?? Just like it has been doing  all along the way ever since I got it! I am beginning to think at these dealers they only pick one short design and of course they work on cottons - which are a whole different ballgame from Knits which would prefer to just go "hokey-pokey" when they feel like it??? GRRRR!

It has got to that point that it is breaking thread every ten or twelve stitches????? I have not changed anything since I started  - wonder what it thinks I did ??? I am seriously considering writing Brother -but I do not think they would care. I guess I will just see how it goes ?

O NO- the bobbin thread is out and every time I have to fill a bobbin - it is like a war. GRRR! Well! Bust my britches - it is going to work and not show bobbin thread! YEA! But - here is a problem - this is the back of the project and it is hard to see, but all those dark ridges are valleys and hills that are about half an inch tall . That is how dense the design is. I have a really BAD feeling about this one?

As you can see , there is such a build up of threads to designate colors and shades that it is so dense that it is cutting the stabilizer and in places - even the fabric . :(  I think anybody would feel disappointed )

This is the front view and you can see the ridges and valleys?

I was attempting to get a decent side view so you could see the hights and lowes of the puckered design.  It is unvelieveable too me.

Well, here is the final project and I am uphappy with it. By now it has holes in the fabric almost cutting the design out. Plus, I have wasted lots of good thread I could have used on something usable. Then add in the 5 hours I wasted -hoping somehow it would save itself???

I would like to make a note that the stabilizer was wonderful - it did it's job of holding the fabric where it was suppose to be - but the design just had too many layers on top of layers- and I do know that is to show all the colors and shades to bring out the life of the design. I had embroidered one more design that did this that came from Embroidery Library - it was a sheltie that I wanted to put on a tee shirt that DH could wear when we took the pups to the park and it did the same thing. I even wrote to them and asked for help. They told me that Some people want to spend hours and hours on projects just watching them come to life. Well, if you are like me -there just is not enough hours in a day to start with and who has time to do such a thing?

Well, it is almost dark - so I better hurry up out doors and do my chores. I hate I have lost my shirt I was hoping to have to wear - but you know how it can be?
Love to all and many happy adventures! :)

Hump Day & The Naked Shirt

Hump day means that we are generally half way through our week and headed down the stretch and since we are headed down -it is suppose to lighten up some? Well I don't know if it lightens up any -but it sure does seem like it flys away even faster?

I managed to get up and get rolling while DH was gone hunting-good thing the deer were hiding so good. :) I came in and started on a green knit fabric for my "dear" friend who had sent me some nice knits. She had heard me moaning and groaning all the way to Tenn. about the embroidery machine that hates me and she said I could make her shirt and not embroider on it -but send it to her and she will see how it and her embroidery machine would act together.

The closer I get to finishing it -I feel like I am making her a "NAKED " tee shirt???????????????????  Goes to really show that I think the designs are the icing on the cake - errrrr - shirt!:) I guess I would wear a "gunny-sack" if I had to as long as it had DESIGNS on it. :)

DH took me to my counseling this afternoon. I thought it was a very good visit and that I had made some progress. I had started to have a horrific dream from my past haunting me at night and it was one of those things that seems almost impossible to live through once -but - then to have it show up later in life and have to go through it again seems Doubly painful to me.  It is amazing how things can show up and break your heart again- I got the feeling it was kinda like a splinter that gets in your skin and it goes for a period of time - and then it festers and has to have a way to set it free? She is such a wonderful counselor and such a wonderful human being - and I am so grateful to her. She knows I Hate the cold and she knows how I love PollyAnna and the glad game - Micki  does too! It was a movie about a little girl who always found something to be glad about when everything seemed wrong. My counselor told me that afternoon that in a few weeks -in Dec. - will be the shortest day in the year and then we are heading toward Summer once again -so instead of saying I hate Winter - I guess I can change that to " O BOY - heading back towards Summer once again! :)

Still Trying! :)

AAAAAHHHHHHAAAAA!
I got up early this A.M. when DH was going out, the door to go deer hunting with a friend. I thought I would eat a bite but DH had taken the flashlight with him & that prevented me from seeing the apples on the tree in the front yard for my oatmeal. So I got lucky as I decided to sneak in the sewing room .

It was all dark & I did not wake Mr. Brother PE-700II Embroidery Machine . Instead I told myself that I would work with the sewing machine & the serger. I just did not trust awakening Mr. Brother PE700II-afraid he might just turn the other two against me?

I knew I had about an hour before daylight and I could accomplish a lot in that time frame. Christmas time is flying by & I still have a lot to accomplish!

O, NO- while I had my back turned pinning in hems -Mr. Brother Must have put a bug in Mr. Janome' s ear because now he will not sew???? Instead he keeps giving me a 6Lerror & I cannot find that in my manual . If only he could just speak English, so I could discover what is wrong??? Maybe I should just go get my apple and my oatmeal? Maybe Janome just  needs a little nap to get back in the game?????

OK, dishes are done & my tummy is happy. I also had a consultation with Janome & it turned out it is a bobbin glitch. The bobbin thread is very low and the needle thread wrapped around the bobbin-I think my machine team is trying to complete Christmas by Wrapping things up early! :)

Well shoot! I had more than enough bobbin thread to finish-But- the thread in the bobbin got all tyed up! Acting like a bunch of children!

I managed to get all the parts back where they were meant to be and even filled a new bobbin. Somehow I managed to get this design sewed out and I am a happy camper.The first one in I cannot remember when! YEA! I thought I was really making progress -RIGHT- I should have known better because I spent the rest of the evening attempting to download a design so I could sew it out and I tried every trick in the book - I just could not sweet talk that design into co-operating with me!I had got 2 more from there and they work just find! Shoot! It feels like three steps forward and two steps back!

We have had a really wicked -Wind- day today. That wind has really been whipping , I am glad it was in the 50's today or that wind would have run right through you. I did get all my outdoor chores completed and when DH came in from hunting I fixed him a pot-pie and some sweet beans. We were stuffed !You would think we were kin to the bears - getting ready to hibernate and putting on fat to keep up warm -Hahahahahaa!:)Maybe tomorrow will be more successful because the company said they will try sending me that design by e-mail and see what happens - OR - maybe I was just holding my nose wrong and tomorrow will make a big difference!
Love to All and hope you do not blow away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would anybody in blogland like to trade?

I want to trade a rotten , hateful, evil , temperamental  Brother PE-700II embroidery machine for a state of the art - perfect - high dollar - Perfect (you notice I say Perfect-one that will actually sew instead of having to fight with it every inch of the way?

Doesn't that sound like the "perfect"deal? Just think of how much your brain function will improve as it runs here and there searching every corner of your brain searching for the right answer? There will never be a spare  or empty moment for the duration of your affair with this wondrous machine. Why-the way it can break threads or rip bobbins right out of the bobbin case is down-right super reflexes! And, strong - it is so super strong that it easily destroys titanium needles and leaves them as dust under its pressure foot! Maybe you could get hired to pre-test out every needle that comes on the market ? If they are strong enough to withstand the pressure test of this Brother - they can last in any machine created by human hands. Or, its smooth attention to details as it grinds into purring in a perfect gear - only - to change its mind and decide that White bobbin thread would be  more attractive and before you can blink your eyes - it is like super man and can switch techniques faster than the eye can behold! So, I will leave you -shivering in delight - at the thought of bring this wondrous machine into your family - only to create Many memories you will never forget!!!!!!!:)

Boy, did that feel good! :) First I hunted online for some designs for family and myself. As I was looking for the perfect one for me- I ran across a few for family -but that only took about 4 hours??? I was pooped! Amazing how tired you can get -just sitting on your bum??????

Then the war was on when I asked Mr. Brother to do any type of  actual work. Good thing I had on a test because it tried every trick in the book. I am beginning to think that it wins by wearing me out totally and then when I am exhausted and frazzled I can fall -betrayed by the simplier things? GRRR! It only thought that it was winning because when my deer hunting hubby returned home and found the misery - he had a good talking to that machine!

And , he did sit right by my side for the next hour -as his television heart-breakingly beckoned him to come back and keep it company too. OOO, how his heart ached to be with his first love -but he stayed , strengthened by the code of "FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE"! I thought I was the one that had experienced the bad through our many years - I guess fate has a way of slapping karma all over you in life.  Every stitch was a battle until he told it that he was going to take it out and give it a new home - with lots of fresh!

It even went as far as to let me test sew a brand new , fresh bobbin and on the test it worked like an angel - only to discover when I put the Real Project in the hoop that it liked WHITE Bobbin thread much better! But, with a few magic movements DH had it whipped into shape and off I rode on my charging white embroidery machine! And as a reward for all of my suffering -finally I actually got to finish ONE project -the first one in MANY HOURs! ISN'T LOVE A MANY SPENDID THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am hoping that each of my blog family has had as wonderfully fascinating a day as I have today! May we all be challenged with new and beautiful thoughts of  "splendidouse" projects to make your hearts beat with excitement and JOY!

And while this adventure was going on I did take a break and manage to get all my out-door chores completed about 4;30pm and it was perfect timing because as I was walking back to the house the heavens opened up and the waters came pouring forth! YEA! See, I did do something right and can celebrate it! YeA! ;)
Love to All! :)

What A Shock!

Do you remember when Lynne(sewing teacher/mentor/friend)  took me to the Quilting Guild Meeting last month? We attended a dinner they had and looked at all the projects they had going on and the "Play-things" they did like taking donated ugly fabric and turning it into something else.

After we had left my mind toyed with the idea of joining . So, I looked up the information online and saw that the dues were 55.00 and I knew that was out of my reach right now. I even thought of how Lynne would have to do all the driving and all the wear and tear on her car-so I gave up on the idea and was grateful for a fun experience.

Then last week Lynne wrote and asked if I wanted to go with her again this month? I wrote her back and said I would love to , but I was afraid I would be getting her in trouble. I mean guest status could not last for long.:)

Then last night she replied and said ,"Merry Christmas!" I was stumped. I could not imagine for who the Early Christmas would be for -since - I was the only one I know that is working on Christmas Early. So, I read on and she said -Welcome - you are the newest member of the Roanoke Valley Sewing Guild! I almost passed out! She had paid all the fees for me! !!!! I almost cried -here she has opened the door to a Major Gift to me of teaching me to sew and working with me and haveing patience with me and just for that I knew I could Never repay her-then- she turns around and includes me with this. I have a feeling that there are several of you out there to know how much you get from your "Sewing Meetings" -no matter what they are called -because it comes from the heart. She did tell me that I had to make my own sewing name tag-"Stumped Again"! :)

To recover from my shock - I thought I would start out my morning just sewing tests to see IF I can over come my "Embroidery Machine Handicape"?

This is my first color thread and as you can see - the only color you can see is the white bobbin thread??

This is the second color and it does show a little of the dark blue top thread-but the white is showing like a frame.

This would be the third color and all you can see is the white bobbin thread , once again.

This would be the last color and still the bobbin is the only thread showing? By now though DH has come looking for me and he sat down in the other chair and was looking at it? First he took it apart to where he could get to the race and he took that out and cleaned it and reinstalled it. Then he took the bobbin out and studied it good. Then we did another test run and no better - The last time he studied how the bobbin thread came out of the bobbin case? I was doing the direction right -but it had to do with how I managed AFTER it came out of the bobbin case. He showed me to  keep a  little tension on the thread and also hold down in the bobbin? The next thing you know -the design was coming out like it should.

Now I was all ready to TRY my luck ? But DH happened to see where I had carried his "GAME EARS" that he uses for hunting -in here in the sewing room so I could see if there was any way I could fix them for him -since he had broke them last week?

As you can see , they operate kinda like a girls headband with the sound muffs attached to the end. His band had broken right in the center. We got lucky because we went to the thrift store and I found that white band-but with a bottom attachment different from the attachment of the muffs????  I fed the white band inside the camouflage tube and realized I would have to cut some of the white one off and asked if he could help with that. That was all it took and now he was the captain of this ship! LOL After the first cut he decided to take a rivet to bind the two bands together. I had thought of that ,but could not figure how to install the rivets in plastic without shattering the plastic. He asked IF I had a tiny drill bit and I wandered around in my brain for a few minutes trying to think where I had : "put it to be safe"???? I finally found it and he drilled a hole through both pieces of plastic and now trimmed off the excess white. We had to keep the dark band because it has a special attachment for the wire that held his Game Ears onto the band. After we did all of this studying and thinking and scratching OUR heads about it -he now had his set of game ears back in one piece -ready to go hunting tomorrow.

Just these few things seem to have taken most of the day. See , why I fuss about time just runs off and leaves you? I would Love to make me a new tee shirt to wear to the quilt meeting on Thursday and you know that is only a few brief seconds to me and it will be hear, ready or not? :)

Let's see, I have to check out designs? That always takes a while and then I will do a lot of :being fearful of this machine. After seeing it ruin two projects laying on the table -I am almost too scared to try again. But, I guess I have just enough stubborness to have to try one more time? :)

Well supper and chores got in the way-we will see how tomorrow goes.:::::

I wish I may- I wish I might!

I thought I would just take it slow and easy this morning. DH and oldest son were out deer hunting and nobody in the house but dear ole me. :) I thought just by not getting all upset things might go great-I guess I forgot to put a time frame in on my dream? One of my most trusted advisers is posted nearby so she can have a close view and hopefully spot trouble before it shows its ugly face. Miss Mocha on Duty.

Thank goodness that I decided to work on a shirt for me-because it is not looking hopeful. I even tested my design to start with and it was looking good. I put plenty of stabilizer down and then sat back to see how it goes? It was going great -UNTIL-the bobbin ran out??:(  A little voice in the back of my head reminded me that EVERY TIME that I have to fill a bobbin that things do not go as planned and sure enough the bobbin thread started showing on the front? I thought I might be a smart chick and just change the top thread to white to match the bobbin thread and nobody would notice - that is -Until- the design started getting pulled in all kind of directions and now there is all kinds of little humps of fabric staring me in the face? That still was not going to stop me -Until- the thread in the  bobbin came to a complete stop and that is bad news.  I had to take a kitchen knife and cut it off of the machine.For some reason this machine Hates me-Now that the bobbin is almost empty once again -the threads have straightened out and look great-but we will see what happens in just a short while? The closer to the end of the bobbin -the better the stitches . I am hoping there is enough bobbin thread to complete the project. Mocha is keeping a close eye on the progress-I am not for sure she knows what to think of the situation????

With all this confusion going to I turn my attention to some gloves that DH has asked for -to help in handling our firewood. I even made many boo-boo's with them too -but it was like the more I could "pour it on" -I was getting rid of some of my frustration and helping me to "calm me down". I sure hope that is the case.

So now I will turn my attention back to the shirt. O NO! I turned my head and the blasted piece of metal made a big loud screeching noise and I turned and looked and it looked so pitiful as it yanked the project half way across the middle and now there is a big hump in the center. GRRRRRRR! Boy, do I dread to look under the fabric. I was having such a good time too-Chris from Diet Coke Rocks - had just given me a great piece of advice and lifted my spirits - only to have this Happen! Time to pull out the butcher knife! Watch out machine - here I come!

I did use the knife to cut the project free from the bobbin. Then I studied everything to see what had gone wrong - and I could not see ANYTHING ! No thread nest  - nothing -except for it being a big pain in my neck! So, I turn it back on and it starts on the outline while I am holding my breath. I could just murder it because as it stitches it gets some of it right -but it misses the path it is suppose to be taking a good 50% of the time!I am so glad to see that "Finished Sewing" window that I just cannot stand myself! Thank goodness it was not for somebody so special! This machine is starting to become what is called -HORROR of HORRORS!

If you happen to meet a BROTHER PE-700II in the middle of the road somewhere - RUN - do not stop-flee for your sanity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

As you can see, not much to be proud of here.I have not decided what to do about this? I wish everyone could have had as beautiful a day as this has been here.Seems like I am full of wishes- Wish Winter could be like this all season -Wish that a embroidery machine grandfather would "gift" me a decent machine to be able to create things with. Our parents always told us -IF - we were going to wish for a watermelon - then be sure to wish for a Big Watermelon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Friday Blogday

Today was "critter-day" and I did all my chores and cleaned cages for another week  . Then we headed off to town . We was making good time and heading home when DH pulled over to check the oil in his truck and one of his friends" son stopped to say Hi. We had not seen him in 2years - I just could not believe that it had been that long -but it had to be because his little boy was in a car seat and he was 2-his partner had been pregnant the last time we had seen them. She had two little tow-headed children and they were so cute. I was so pleased to see how much Billy loved his baby and he looked just like Billy when he was little .It is an amazing process to watch these young ones grow up and start their own life - or at least try to. Everybody is looking for something and sometimes it seems so hard to find? Billy was always just like our kids and he was a pleasure to have around.

Even as they aged -he had dated our daughter for a while and one night we had come home from church . We had had a thunder storm and our creek was swollen to where we could not drive through it. We parked the car down at the road and walked around the swollen water and that way we had walked around the water. But there was a fence that we had to climb and I had on silly shoes and did not think I could do it. Billy was with us and he just picked me up like a feather and set me down on the other side. I was totally Amazed. And he was always doing anything he could to help - like fixing the fence when the goats would get out.I will never forget how sweet he has always been. He was always good to anybody's baby - he just loved children , but had been told he could never father a child because he had the mumps when he was little . Goes to show what doctors know-sometimes life has a way of surprising us and I am so pleased about it -because he really deserves to be a Dad. :)

We finally made it home and I jumped right in to the evening chores. There is just never enough "ME" to go around and accomplish what I hope to. I ran the vacuum and put the laundry up. I wanted to give the dogs all a bath -but my chest started hurting like crazy. It had me doubled up with pain-but I had learned the nurse practitioner told me that it is called "chest wall pain". She said the walls of our chest would get inflamed and that the pain was on a scale of a heart attack-but it had nothing to do with our hearts?? I took a pain pill , but it just refuses to leave me alone. Bad Pain - Bad , mean ole pain! GRRRR! :)

I had to laugh at DH because he said he needed to go to bed early because our oldest son is coming to go deer hunting with him in the morning. The funny part is that he has already hunted during bow season and then he hunted during muzzle loader season -But - something about rifle season ?? He gets so excited that he just cannot sleep! It makes me think of when I was little and it was Christmas Eve-it was so hard to fall asleep because you knew that Santa was coming that night. I would even imagine hearing Santa making that flight and I could see the reindeer pulling his sleigh! I was so lucky to have such a wonderful Mom and because of her - I tried to create the same magic spell for our kids.

I am SOOOO hoping to be able to sew tomorrow! Here almost two weeks have raced past me -due to circumstances beyond my control without many things being created. That is the way time flys off and leaves me.

We are having such beautiful weather here this week  - in the 60's all week long -that is pretty amazing ! Even when I was little I remember we had some snow at thanksgiving.  At that stage of our young lives we did not have to worry about heat and food and electric bills - we just think that white stuff is a new toy- with no worries except maybe putting our gloves near the coal stove so they could turn dry and be ready for another adventure.

Things sure do change as we age. The economy has me scared to death as I can not stretch our pennies any further . They were talking on tv about changing the time that people would be able to retire from 65 to 79 because our Social Security account is in danger -not enough people paying into it as there are people retiring. They are also going to take more out of people's checks to put into social security.

Then I saw where the people in France were protesting about almost the same thing-changing the date people can retire there to? I told DH I think they are making a big mistake because even with my health ??? I used to be a "fireball" at work. I loved a challenge and the faster I could work -the faster time would go by. BUT after falling and breaking the bones in my ankle and foot and leg - I cannot get up and go - like I did then- and if I was at a public job - I truly do not believe that whoever was my boss would not be getting the same amount of work from me -because I just do not have it in me. Add the fibromyalgia and the chronic fatigue and some arthritis throwed in, making my knees and hands undependable. Then the vertigo that makes me so dizzy - I would be a hazard to any job? I would not add the fact that I have not driven in the two years since we got in the car wreck with the boy who hit us head on??I guess it scares me to death because when DH was diagnosed with prostate cancer -if something was to happen to him before it did me - I am stumped at how I would support myself ?????

I have tried and tried to figure out some kind of work at home job-but haven't pulled that off yet? I am not complaining - just running things through my head-and trying to figure out how to survive??I see people with beautiful homes and vehicles and I wonder what kind of job would it take to do that???? I admire all of my friends who have tried creative things at their home- but even they have not figured out how to let it make you a living???

Well, my dear family - I just hope you have had a wonderful day . Each of you is so special and I appreciate the visit so much~Sometimes just sharing things with friends just lightens the load so much!Thank you!

Hugs ,
Linda

Thursday Shirt Knock-Out.

Good morning ,Blog Family,
I am so sorry I did not post yesterday - but , it was just one of those days that seemed to have more to do on your plate than I did "time to accomlish it all with". :) Plus, I had something trying to pounce on me and make me sick. I was just miserable all over and even my eyes were hurting and when I work up they were almost glued shut. I even went to bed a little early last night and I feel like it has helped. I don't have time for a bug - and I just need a Big Bug-Swatter!!!!!!! :)

This machine was the one I had before the one I use now. It is a sweet little machine -but I just wanted a needle threader and the ability to show down my stitching so I could have better concentration on it. But,  I pulled it out just to see if it had the ability to make the satin stitch that I was needing -no it did not . I was very puzzled because I thought I had used it to make several pretty flags with ???? Hum? Must no though- I need a new chip in my brain and probably more memory also.

I went into the sewing room with high hopes that things would co-operate with me this morning . I was not going to have high hopes - was just intending to be grateful "for the ride"!When I treat sewing as this -I enjoy it and do not get upset because I am just taking it one stitch at a time. This shows a piece of knit that I used to test out the stitches on my little Janome De'cor Computer . I needed the satin stitch -and I finally did get a satin stitch-But- with complications. The top two test almost made me give -up-But the one below brought my hopes back up. I have used stabilizer on all of the embroidery work-but never thought of it for sewing-Guess I was wrong and now I am more enlightened.

Now, I have laid down the front shirt piece and on top of it and my disasterous design-then on top of that the piece that I have practiced the design on a separate piece of fabic with stabilizer between and I intend to draw a circle around my whole circus ..

It's hard to see, but I drawed a circle using the plate as a guide. I hope to satin stitch around the mark? We will see how it goes.

Well, we both can see - it did not go right. It was perfect around until it got to the bottom and then it did all this puckered stuff???

AAAAAHHHH - now I see what happened -the pretty stitches were on top of the stabilizer , but when it got to the bottom it ran out of stabilizer.

SOOO, I just have to rip out those bottom seams(this will be tough for me because of my poor eyesight.) But it has to be done and then see IF I can make it look neat ?????

Wellllllllll//////????? It does not look as neat as I would like. It looked better with just plain lavendar thread - BUT - I thought it would look better with a little Bling - so I added the metalic thread and now I don't like the way it makes it pucker up? I asked DH and he did not like it either-but he helped me stretch it and then heat treat it  and it looked nicer -but I am afraid that it will return puckered - so I just stuck it in the laundry and see what it looks like then? GOSH! I sure am glad that I enjoyed sewing today -because it has been one little lesson at a time???? If it does not come out decent I will just have to find me a different piece of knit to remake the front.

Well, I better give it up because our youngest son and his wife have bought us some groceried and we are going to pick them up-plus, that way I can take Meagan her "baby items".

Love to all!

Sheezzzz - Tuesday adventures

I am beginning to wonder where this "abundance of things" that seem to puzzle me , are coming from? Bad enough with all these computer woes - then the war of the machines ????

Take for instance this morning? DH had a doctor's appointment -where they keep a check on his PSA levels are at to keep an eye on his cancer. His doctor is a wonderful human being. He is kind and smart and helpful and does his best to leave a good feeling when you go to see him.

We had just got ready to go out our door this morning -when the phone rang. It was the doctor's office and he had a heart attack. When I called the office to reschedule the appointment and to ask how he was doing - they said it did not look good. I HATE that !  It made me wonder if he had not carried too much stress from his role of treating people with a horrendous disease? When a doctor works with you to attempt to save your life for a while longer - you develop a bond -kinda a little like next in order from an angel.

So, we decided to make our trip to the mill for critter food and flour that I need to make loaf bread for both of us. Years ago I tried to get DH to eat fresh bread and he did not want to -so I had given up on that idea. Then here lately we had taken to eating two different types of bread- me whole wheat and him white. He goes through bread like pig through slop! LOL

I had been researching about a product called white whole wheat and my curosity was really running rampant. My older son had found some at a nice Amish store in our neighborhood and picked up 5 pounds for me. I really like it , I just wish I knew where to find out more information about it?

We stopped at a Dollar Store and picked up a handfull of things and as I was paying for it I dropped my little change purse as I went to pay . I retrieved it and dropped it again. I told the little girl I was having too many adventures this week.

We came home and unloaded the feed and I sat down to take a break in  a little plastic chair outside the bird house . I must have been daydreaming because all of a sudden - Tommy Turkey appeared in my face-kinda purring like they do when they get mad . All of a sudden he went for a little bracelet that one of my friends had bought me over the week end dealing with friendship . Tommy grabbed for it , catching me off guard (how many times do you have a turkey go wild over a bracelet?) I jumped - he jumped - and I discovered that as I was reaching for a bead - he was too and he grabbed up two before I knew what he was doing. Then I did get my hands on about 5 beads -and he was really angry . He purred again and as he raised his head up , I grabbed his snoodle (floppy flap on his face) and I held on and he jumped backwards trying to dislodge me. I let it go and he pushed me and I pushed him-back and forth we both went . Neither one of us was winning. Finally I saw a break for freedom and I grabbed my pitcher and zipped through the door.  LOL

I did end up with a cut mark on my wrist that looks like a big astrick. Funny because I tried to wash off the blood and it just seemed to make it brighter. I guess that is just my badge for the day. LOL

Anybody got any "turkey tips"????  He was just so crippled up last fall and winter -when he came to live here. He could barely walk - but he is looking better now. Matter of fact  , so much better that I cannot lift him! LOL

Love to all and watch out for bracelet eating turkeys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW- to get down to Something Important!

This was where I had left off - these two designs on a shirt - with the white bobbin thread showing.  So, what can I do????

I decided that I would attempt to do the design on a separate piece of knit and then hopefully attempt to add it like an applique ??? I got it all laid out very neatly and pinned it like a deer hunter and his bullets - and took it to the sewing machine and decided , just for safety sake I should try a sample since I had left over pieces of knit.

I put needle to fabric and - would you believe that I now had White Bobbin Thread on top of the satin stitch that I was going to use . White THREAD - just like on the embroidery machine! Can you immagine how much I liked that?????????????????????????? I went through every step that I knew to try and figure out what was going on? Then DH came in and he did too!We both tried to solve the mystery. He did manage to get the white bobbin thread to quit showing -but then we could not get it to make the satin stitches without gumming up and making a big hump that it could not get over without us pulling on it-and I knew we did not need that since it is knit that loves to stretch. All and all , we both saw a number of New Places on the little Janome-but we could not solve the mystery since at times you would think it was going to work properly and then it would go into some kind of stitch that makes you think of that ticker tape they run for your heart -then it would just take off on any stitch it wanted to.

I finally sent him back to his wood cutting and I pulled out my other Janome that I had put up when I got this one. I packed the newer one up and stuck my tongue out at it! While all of this is going on I also am still working with this Smart Engine mess. It is kind of a mess- I have the computer at the end of the table -then the embroidery machine -then the sewing machine - and it feels like they all hate me today. The innocent little creatures have been kidnapped and somehow it is my fault! I HATE BO-BO'S!

I started the little "in case of emergence" machine and as I first started it up -it sounded like a wash machine-from where it had been sitting for a couple of years, but then it smoothed out . Then I remember the reason I wanted the other machine -BECAUSE I wanted a needle threader - and because I wanted to be able to slow my stitches down. This little guy felt like riding in a car with no brakes , as it came steaming down on me. I checked all of the stitches and I could not get a satin stitch out of any of them. :( I guess I will just chalk it up to - Win-Some -  Lose - Some (but I REALLY HATE to lose some - or any for that fact! :)

I still cannot get over how all of my toys seem to hate me on this day?????
Love to all - and hope you have got something to show for your day's work! ;)