My Poor Sewing Machine

Look at this poor, sad face:

It’s my beloved sewing machine.  He’s not feeling too good at the moment.  He’s broken!

I‘d decided to finish off a few unfinished sewing projects over the weekend.  But, just as I was about to launch into the endeavour, on Saturday morning, I discovered that my sewing machine was not up to it.  Every time I started to sew, the cotton would get caught up (around behind the tension dial) and break.  I tried EVERYHING!!!  I rethreaded, changed the needle, changed the cotton, checked the bobbin, messed about with the tension dial, took the front of the machine and cleaned him all out, oiled him, patted him on the head, begged and pleaded, and offered him a dose of Calpol.  BUT, sadly, nothing seemed to help.

So, no sewing for me over the weekend (with all these old projects to finish and heaps of new ones planned)!!!

Right now, my poor machine is at the sewing machine hospital.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll be able to fix him up, and he’ll be discharged soon.....

Have any of your ever had this issue with your machines???  I had a little look on t’internet, but couldn’t find any useful tips.

Hope you have a good week!

Carly

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Crafty Gift-Giving

As promised in my last post, I’m going to do a show-and-tell of some of the Christmas presents I made for people this year.

Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to make quite as many gifts as I did last year (being in hospital for the last two weeks before going home for the holidays threw lots of spanners into the Christmas-planning-works).  It was a good job I’d started on most of my planned gift-making projects super-early!

Here are the ones I managed to finish on time.....

[a hot water bottle cover for my mom]

[a make-up case and brooch for my brother-in-law's girlfriend]

[a make-up case for my mother-in-law]

[a bag for my friend]

[a button necklace and matching bracelet for my sister]

I made a few more things that I didn't manage to photograph:

• I made another make-up bag (for my sister).....
• ..... and ANOTHER for my cousin's wife
• I made a phone case with a neck-strap for my nan (she likes to carry her phone around the house with her)
• I decorated a plain notebook for my mom (I cut up pretty spotty and stripy papers to make a little house and garden on the cover)
• I made a beaded Christmas tree bauble for my nan

Simon contributed to the Christmas crafting cause this year too!  He made all the men in our families jars of DELICIOUS apple chutney and tomato relish.

Do you remember my post from aaages ago about my sister's first sewing project?  Well, I decided to set her up for future projects by getting her these for Christmas:  

[a little bundle of fabrics and other essential bits and bobs]

[my all-time favourite sewing project book]

[the world's cutest, pinkest sewing machine]

She was SO excited on Christmas day, when she opened the sewing machine.  I can't WAIT for her to get started on some projects. And.....  I can't wait to have a go on her machine!!!  ;-)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Carly

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