Friday, July 17, 2009

I was not amused

Last weekend I needed to finish some sewing projects. I got up bright and early (6am) and began making some tote bags.
This is how I begin:
I cut out the bases and begin laying out fabrics and images that I might use (the images are all by DJ Petitt, by the way, you can buy them already printed on fabric in her etsy shop):Then I make the collages and sew together the top layer:Then all hell broke loose. VRMMMM -- the machine was making noise, but spinning it's wheels and not going anywhere. Didn't I just have this into the repair shop for the same reason??? YES!!! Grrr. I had to pack up the machine and take the subway to the repair shop. Then wait around for an hour while they look at it (actually, I went down the street to Bizzie Bs and sat in on Daniza's most excellent Stamp of the Month Demo, so the waiting wasn't a huge hardship, and I got to fill up on Gummy Bears.). So my repair guy says that he loosened up somehting for me. I travelled home and finished one tote bag just in time (kind of) to bring it to the birthday party that I was now over an hour late for. Grrr. Not a relaxing morning..... AND I'm pretty sure that the machine is still not fixed. The stitches look fine (great, in fact) but the wheel still seems stiff..... I'll keep you posted.....

12 comments:

Patti G. said...

Martha, I LOVE your tote bags, and the images from DJ look great with all your fab fabrics and special touches!!!!!!!!! Sorry about the sewing machine hiccups! :(
Hugs,Patti

Pam said...

Love the tote. Sorry to read of the machine problems. It's always a challenge when our equipment malfunctions. Machines are touchy sometimes. Hope it is now fixed.

Kelly Snelling said...

it sounds like it was a lot of trouble but the results look like they were surely worth it. beautiful!

nancy said...

lovely tote!
hopefully their will be no
more mishaps with your machine!
happy sewing

vivian said...

that darn machine.. I think it got jinxed while we were at niagara on the lake! good luck with it! looks like youre making some neat bags!
hugs
vivian

Joanne Huffman said...

Oh no!!! I've been thinking you were happily back to sewing more wonderful totes and other joys. I am crossing my fingers that your machine is humming along unstiffly and productively.

Joanne

juneh said...

wowwiewow!

Very nice Marfa,

and perhaps some lube will loosen the stiff part!!! lol

A bird in the hand said...

No darn machine is going to stop you. (I hope it behaves from now on.)

P.S.: L & O UK is on THURSDAYS 10 p.m. on cable 7. Don't forget or you'll miss the whole series. It's been on for a month now.

Linda Vincent said...

Fabulous bag Martha....it was worth all the trouble, lol!!!
I have some of DJ Pettitts images too - haven't plucked up the courage to use them yet though....

Contessa Kris said...

And you whipped that up in no time huh? I'm jealous. It takes me forever to lay something out and then I keep lining it up and then it never turns out the way I want it to look because unconsciously I want it all crooked laying like yours is! My linear mine wrecks havoc on my art.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on my Christmas in July art. I'm hard at work on the ornaments. Except for this little breakie on the computer. lol

denise said...

Funny, but I had almost the same experience this weekend! My machine which is almost as old as I am I figured out the other day, started really acting up. Since my grandmother said I could have hers, I took mine apart and found thread wrapped around the knob on the side (don't know the technical term). I put is back together and so far so good. Hope yours is truly fixed! The totes you are making are wonderful!

Elizabeth said...

Martha !! Your bags are stunning!! i am in love with Dj's work and I covet her new studio! i want someone to redo mine!!!!
It sounds like you might need to move on from that Sewing Machine- not great sewing karma there!! You might consider looking for a used one from a dealer who will give you a warranty. So many folks have to have the latest and the greatest machines that they turn in wonderful machines to upgrade. that is how I got my machine> There is nothing worse than having to stop what you are creating becasue your machine is crabby and giving one fits!!!!!

Hugs!
Elizabeth