- With one deadline behind me (delivering work for this exhibit) and a few critical days' reprieve for another, I will have time tomorrow to gather some props to bring with me to Meet the Artist.
Dorothy Cochran, the curator, wants the artists to talk about process; we all work in layers. I will bring a Thermofax screen and possibly the photocopy image, and if I can find an onion bag around, I'll bring that with me. Pretty exciting stuff, eh? Should knock 'em dead.
(to be continued after the jump: scroll down).
My third deadline is Sunday's open studio and what I should have been doing tonight was printing scarves. Instead, I frittered away the evening. What a luxury.
- I drank tea and ate crackers with ginger marmalade and peanut butter. (I am still practicing to be a food stylist, but it took me 6 fuzzy shots till I got this one.) I love anything ginger and isn't this a beautiful label?
- I did not talk to anyone on the telephone.
- I contemplated the rather useless assortment on my home design wall, near the front door, which blocks either the heating vent or the door to the garage. We are either cold or can't get into the garage. Or both.
- I spent a few hours on ebay and freecycle,hoping that someone was giving away or almost giving away a sewing machine that works but that they no longer use. Herein lies a tale.
I am teaching our caregiver, Jennifer, to make a quilt? She has no sewing machine. She fell in love with my quilts and loves to sew (by hand, of course). One day last week I taught her how to use a rotary cutter and ruler, let her pick some fabrics from my commercial stash, and she came in today with almost all the squares sewn into rows. I forgot to take pictures, but I will, after she has sewn the rows together. Then, I will give her some batting and backing and teach her how to put a running stitch through the layers. She is SO excited.
When she came in today, she said she had seen a $99 machine in Walmart. God only knows what they are selling for that price; if it was a Singer, I told her to run in the other direction. It might have been one of the Brother models, but I only looked on line since there is no Walmart near me.
I found a refurbished Brother model CS-5500 on ebay for not much more than $99 - free shipping legitimate dealer, full warranty, return till mid-January, and am thinking it would be a good machine for her. Anybody have experience with this one? I will continue to check the freecycle groups and maybe the sewing machine repair shop, but she can ill afford even the $99.
Well, having frittered away not only the evening but my blogging time, I am going to bed. It is already tomorrow.
Well, having frittered away not only the evening but my blogging time, I am going to bed. It is already tomorrow.
7 comments:
Love the central and bottom pieces on your wall! But not the wall solution, hope that will be fixed soon!
This food label is lovely; what irritates me a little bit is that the graphic designer took this wonderful picture of the pot and two roots and pulled it horizontally, out of proportion, in order to get more space for the lettering.
Occupational disease of mine to see such things.
I just love what's on your design wall ! Have FUN playing with those little "emerging quilts" ;-)) A friend of mine bought a 99,- machine from Walmart, it was a Brother. WITHOUT a quarter inch foot. Poor quality ... I like Brother, but that one ... She's now a happy owner of a Bernina. So I think, getting her a used but reliable machine would be just great for her.
I have had very good luck buying wonderful vintage machines on Craig's List and at Estate Sales. All have only needed a good drink of oil, some minor cleaning and maybe a bobbin tire. Check the electrical cords. An undervalued model is the Singer 15-91 but if you watch carefully, you can pick up some of the more popular ones as well for your price (well under $100). Good luck. Enjoy your Blog.
I have a Brother embroidery machine from walmart that I just love! Of course it cost more then $99. I suggest garage sales or resale shops. I see a lot of machines at the Salvation Army etc. I look forward to seeing the quilt..........
Check the thrift stores. All the solid metal Singers are good (and will last forever) if they work. Many times, all they need is a bit of cleaning and some oil. I have a 401 that does anything except freemotion well, including zigzag & blind hem and a lot of decorative stitches I don't use. Made everything from quilts to prom dresses on it & all it usually needs is an occasional oiling & lint removal. Got a 301 straight stitch machine last summer for freemotion. Not very good at it yet, but some practice will take care of that. The freemotion machine has a vertical bobbin, the 401 has a drop-in. Several yahoo groups out there with lots of info on use & maintenance.
Thrift shops? In the area of NJ in which I live, Goodwill closed its shop (and anyway, only had clothes) and so did a wonderful thrift shop with all kinds of stuff, a couple of towns away. Now, there are no thrift shops, sadly, except the "designer resale, gently-used clothing" shops here and there. I don't know where there is a Salvation Army store - I think the one I used to go to is also closed.
The story is that people are shopping at Target and K-Mart instead of thrift shops -- but I don't buy it.
One of the pleasures I have from traveling and teaching is hitting the salvation army stores, etc. in other parts of the country.
Even the garage sales here have only stuff like kids' clothing and toys and nothing wonderful like an old Singer 401 or 99 or 301. Anyway, the house sales are all run by professionals and the antique dealers get there first. I once missed a Featherweight by 3 minutes, grabbed up by a couple of dealers. Sad, but true.
some months ago I discovered a Peach Ginger jam and fell head over heels in love with it!
NO THRIFT STORES!!!! Get out of here!!!!! Really!!??? That is just not right!!!!
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