The new sewing machine

If OH goes fishing and only if I will be trialling my new machine this coming Saturday night.

I have decided to start with something small and I thought that the miniature bunting might be the ideal thing to start with.  However I am going to back mine with some cotton lining and then turn them through press them and then attach them to the ribbon.  I still have the backs to cut out and I am going to make a template from one of the pennants and then cut out the rest. There are four garlands in all which will be ideal for decorating the dining room for a birthday party or high tea.  The colours will go well with the tea set I have.

So we will see if we can turn the contents of these packets into something pretty, probably impractical a little bit of nonsense to use when its someone's birthday.

I then have some clothes to mend, seams that are coming undone etc. but for the sake of a little stitching make the difference between something going in the bin or being worn and getting the wear out of the items. In my mind they still have a lot of wearing to give and being as I was taught to repair things from an early age I am not taking the easy way out on this.  They are going to be repaired.

I also need ironing board covers.  I have a lovely French Navy and white check that I have purchased online and I am hoping to get two or three covers out of the fabric maybe more.  If there are any scraps left I might make a peg bag with some applique on

And then I might start cutting out the patches for the shirt fabric patchworks.  I have about three colourways going on so far; reds blues and whites, pink white and blue, lilac pink and grey.  However I think for the first quilt it is going to be the red white and blue to start with.

I also have the denim patchwork to deal with as well  - this one for use on picnics.  Thought I might get some fleece with which to back it with so that it makes it comfy on one's derriere.

UPDATE 

Since this post was initially typed things have moved on a tad.

OH has gone fishing so that's me for a play tomorrow night then.

I have been back to John Lewis's again.  This time for bobbins as I am one of these people who winds their bobbins and then keeps them to one side in case I ever need more of that particular thread.  Its called being economical with the cotton.  However they did not have any.  I have been told also not to use the metal bobbins with my machine as there is something magnetic in the machine which does not react very well with them.  So I am going to have a mooch on line to see if I can source any proper Janome ones - plastic ones that is.

I have also spoken to one of my friends who works in the craft department and who was key in offering training courses primarily in beadwork and patchwork a few of which I attended.   She is really excellent at craft and I told her about the new machine and she has offered to show me how to do free form embroidery with my new sewing machine when I pop in next.  She did her degree in sewing needlework etc.

I have bought white, black, cream and red thread for doing my repairs.  The in-between size and will add threads every so often as I go along or when I have something to do.

I have also been eyeing up the Christmas fabric the one I was tempted by last week.  My table is quite a big one and I will need about three metres in length but then I will need to add a plain or same patterned border as the fabric is not wide enough to give a decent drop.

I have been back into Tiger Tiger and bought some wire for jewellery making and also some jewellery findings, earring stumps and butterflies, clasps for necklaces. I have also bought some cutters and pliers.  

I have also bought some more patchwork fabric  Think this may go into my hexie quilt as it is pink and cream colours for that; however we will see.

Oh and some more ribbon.  This time apple green and turquoise.

I also bought some tray bake carrier boxes in pink and blue for transporting/storing any tray bake cake.  I like to be prepared.

So tomorrow evening it looks as though I will be test driving the sewing machine.  Cannot wait.

Catch you soon.

Pattypanxxx