Meet Rosie

A good tool improves the way you work. A great tool improves the way you think. --Jeff Duntemann

So, I splurged a little bit this week:

Behold: the Singer Quantum Stylist 9960. It needs a better name... maybe I'll call her Rosie. Whatever we will call her, she is new to the family and joined us on Friday via UPS:

I felt a bit guilty when I decided to buy it. I've had my old Kenmore sitting in a case for the past couple of years, freshly serviced but without a base, since I had to get rid of the table a few years ago. And I had no idea how I was going to get a new table or base for it. It was suggested that I fashion one myself out of found materials... styrofoam or wood or the like... but honestly, I just couldn't get up the energy to do it, much less fiddle around with the machine to get it working again. I felt like I would need a clear out a couple of weeks out of my schedule to figure it out.

I just wanted to sew, darn it.

In the end, a recommendation from my friend who bought the same machine tipped me over the edge. I went to the Singer site and found that it was on sale. Half an hour later, it was ordered and on its way to me.

I really wanted it so that I finally work on all the projects that require steeking or stay-stitching or bias-taping or reinforcement... all those things that I could probably do by hand but would probably be more successful with a reliable machine. But Rosie also comes with fifteen (!) separate presser feet and a whooooole bunch of stitches. She'll even thread the needle for you and cut the thread for you once you're done. I bet I could get her to make me a cup of coffee, but I haven't quite figured out which button does that yet.

Once I got Rosie set up and threaded, I couldn't help but play around to see what she could do:

I think Seymour's gonna have a whole new personalized wardrobe:

I did have a mini-project to work on when Rosie arrived: I wanted to set in a couple of zippers into some cushions in the living room. I didn't have the right kind of zippers, so we went on a little excursion to Fabricland to get them. I thought I'd better pick up a remnant so that I could use it for practicing on Rosie... except I came home with four remnants that are exactly NOT for practicing. I've come to accept that this is my shopping style: see pretty things, buy pretty things, figure out what to make with the pretty things later. I have faith it'll work out sometime:

So Rosie helped me put in two new zippers into cushion covers this afternoon. It went pretty well, except that I remembered how much pre-work sewing comes with: pressing and cutting and pinning and basting. And I remembered how impatient I am when it comes to all those steps. It doesn't matter if you have the fanciest machine in the world. A zipper will go in really badly if you don't take your time to do it right.

Looks like Rosie's gonna teach me a few life lessons as well. Heh.

Meanwhile, I've managed to get my Midsummer Aran knitted back up to the point where I can separate for the sleeves:

I tried it on the other day and I am MUCH happier with the fit of it this time. I'm debating how I am going to write up the notes for this one on my Ravelry project page. On the one hand, I have no interest in trashing a designer's efforts, but on the other hand, if I'd known it was going to be this much of a slog, I would have chosen a different pattern. I won't lie: I'm getting pretty tired of working on this project, but maybe I'll feel differently once I re-make the sleeves to fit again:

In the meantime, I've tucked Rosie into bed in the cupboard for now (I really like that I can tuck the machine out of the way until I need it again) and I'm going to go work away at my sleeve while I daydream of what I can get Rosie to help me with in the future. I'm thinking about weaving up a ruana with and using Rosie to help stabilize the selvages...

A project with a loom AND a sewing machine? I better rest up for that.

Have a great week!