Introducing my machine, Betty.

I'm always really interested to see other people's sewing machines and the space where they sew so I thought it was about time I introduced everyone to my machine, Betty.

I inherited Betty from my mother-in-law, also Betty (although I always called the MiL Elizabeth as I she told me once that's what she prefers). Betty (the machine) is an Elna 6003 and I'm pretty sure she is a quilting machine, which makes sense as Betty (the mother-in-law) was a quilter. There are SO many stitches on this machine, lord only knows what they all do. So far I've used the straight stitch and the zigzag stitch. That's it...

As a newbie sewist my FAVOURITE feature of this machine is the tortoise vs the hare function. Often my stitching goes all skewiff and I'm 100% sure that is because I'm going too fast. Lately I've been slowing things down (A LOT) and have been making a whole lot less mistakes which means less time on the quick-unpicker.

And this is where I sew...at the dining room table. Luckily we usually eat on the sofa in front of the TV (yeah I know, naughty) so it's not very often I have to clean off the space. My machine has a prime view of the TV so I often sew with the TV as background "entertainment". Probably not good sewing practice but it keeps the husband happy and drowns out the sound of the machine for him. Win:win!

Where do you sew? Do you have a dedicated sewing room (my dream) or do you have to hijack space within your house too?

Getting my "L plates" with the overlocker!

A few weeks I decided to drop off some unwanted fabric scraps to the Fabric Cave. I totally can't be held responsible for the fact that they were having a BIG FAT SALE at the same time. Coincidence? Totally!

I had every intention of dropping my stuff off and making a mad dash for the door before the fabric could lure me in. What can I say...I'm weak. I fondled a A LOT of fabric but in the end only came home with three meters of this knit jersey jumper type material. Guess how much? Go on....yes, $5! For THREE METERS of fabric. MINE!

I new exactly what I was going to make with this fabric - another Mandy Boat Tee.

I decided this was a low risk way to see if my new (30 year old) overlocker and I would get along! I was given this overlocker by my father-in-law a little while ago - it had belonged to his wife who was an avid quilter. Confession: I was terrified of it so it sat in a corner in our flat for...ages. I just felt a bit overwhelmed by something that had the potential to slice my finger off if I got too near the blade...or slice a hole in my garment...or that requires a PhD to thread...or is so old it looks like it should be hand-cranked to work.

I really had no confidence in ever being able to use an overlocker...until my Mandy Boat Tee class over at Tessuti! Neurosis aside I was still wary as they just look so dang complicated to thread. I mean LOOK at this thing. WHAT is going on in there?  I was told by one of the sewing teachers over at Sew Make Create that she NEVER re-threads her machine...she simple ties on the new thread to the old thread and feeds it through the loops/needles until the new colour is there. Apparently Singer agrees with this method as that's what their instruction book says too.

OK. No more excuses!

I'm pleased to say that everything went pretty well with me and the overlocker...no dramas to report. I'm not sure that the tension is quite right but the tee I made is still in one piece, so hooray. The tension dials are pretty tough to adjust - they're quite stiff and to dial the tension up (or down) a notch you need to turn the dial for a full 360o rotation. My thumb muscles are too weak for that nonsense!

Now that I've used the overlocker I really love it. Despite my initial gut feel about this "old thing" I actually really like the look and feel of it. I hope she's got a lot more life in her yet.

Oh...and watch this space for my new Mandy Boat Tee. Coming right up!