Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Bernina...BAH!

I purchased some new feet for my "old" 160 this year, in anticipation of my Art Quilt Tahoe class with Carol Taylor next week. One is a #21 couching/cording foot, which is the cause of my frustration.

I haven't had a need to use it this year, so it has been sitting in my sewing box, waiting for class. Last night I was working on my challenge quilt for AQT and, low and behold, I needed to couch something! I was so excited to use my new foot and clipped it on the machine. My excitement dimmed, however, when I realized it is not the correct foot for my model. ERG! Instead of the needle lining up with the zigzag hole, it lines up with the hole the couching thread goes through. Thankfully I noticed this BEFORE I began sewing and busted a needle.

WHY DOES BERNINA DO THIS?

I've never liked the fact that their machines come with so few feet included, and each additional foot is SO EXPENSIVE! And why make feet that are so similar but aren't transferable? Think of the investment you make in feet over the years, then you get a new machine and WHAM - your feet are not transferable to the new machine. If you are changing the design, change the numbers so you don't think they all fit the same.

So, I am off to our Bernina dealer today to buy a NEW #21 for my 160 - hopefully they have it. Thankfully I discovered this error before going to class! I'll have to test my other feet tonight.

And I'll have to put my old #21 back on eBay where I got it. RATS!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Lucky Number 35

A random fact: I have taken up the sport of trapshooting! Bruce and I have been going to the range regularly for the past six months or so and are progressing so well we will be shooting in a tournament at the end of November. In case you're curious, I shoot a Remington 11-87 semi-auto with a 28" barrel. :-)

Last night we were shooting trap doubles and I shot a 35! It's 35 out of a total of 50 targets, but I'd only been hitting about half up until now. Hopefully I can maintain that consistency and keep getting better. In the tournament you shoot 100 singles at 16 yards, 100 handicap singles (19 yards for the ladies, and up to 27 yards for the men), and 100 doubles.

Another 35 - that's about the number of readers I get on my blog each day. I don't know if they are the same 35 people, or a different 35 each time. Anyway, I appreciate the visits, especially since I haven't been posting regularly. Thanks for hanging in there!

Quilt-related news: Honu III is complete (except the sleeve, which goes on tonight). I will post photos ASAP. He is traveling with me to Art Quilt Tahoe in 2 weeks, along with "Night Light" and "Croton Chorus" for a special display of work by the scholarship recipient...ME! I'm also working on my challenge quilt based on the theme "Benign" or "Be Nine" aptly named for AQT's ninth year AND prepping my supplies for class. I will post photos of some of these things, too.

Stay tuned!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

I MUST...

  • Do something creative today
  • Finish two baby quilts (before they grow up!)
  • Finish Honu III
  • Make my challenge quilt for Art Quilt Tahoe
  • Make another special small quilt for AQT
  • Get back to work on the agapanthus quilt
  • Start the Reef quilt

...and get back into the studio for some quiet creative time. Does someone have an extra two weeks I can borrow?