I spent some time yesterday doing real research on a new sewing machine that I want. I've spent countless hours on the internet and reading magazines about what machine to buy and I thought I had my mind made up on a Singer. I went traipsing around sewing centres and I asked ladies who either worked there or were doing classes there what their opinions were of the machine I had my mind set on. Not good. I have never heard such vitriole (in a very politically correct way as we are wont to do in the 21st century) about the Singer brand.
That's something I love about us middle aged women, we tell it like it is. Well the women outside of the Sydney CBD do, those inside wouldn't have a bloody clue about reality.
When I was younger, Singer was the only company you could trust with sewing machines, but it seems it has gone the way of a lot of other tried and trusted brands, and has been bought out by people who only care about the quick turnover of cash. Very sad.
I want an embroidery machine. I had a great embroidery machine when my kids were younger and it's still a beauty but the technology is limited in it. It's a Janome Memory Craft 8000 and I've given it to Lisa (my middle daughter) and I'm happy for her, or either of the other two girls to have it and I don't want it back because I want them to get an interest in this style of craft eventually. The technology in the new machines allows you to have unlimited creativity with software and a particular file format being used via USB that opens up a world of designs. I'm tossing up between a Memory Craft 200E or taking the next price step up to a 350E. For what I want to do (download designs and use them on quilts, linen, clothing etc) I can't really see the advantage of spending more money on the 350E when the 200E has all those capabilities, but just a few less in-built designs. So I think I'm heading for the 200E.... and I'm very excited... my stomach gets all butterfly-ish like a kid at Xmas when I think about it.
Yes, I'd love the girls to get the time to be active in some craft. When they were younger, I made sure that every opportunity I had, I bought them something to do in the line of crafting. Louise went for latch hook above the other things she was shown, Lisa went for arty things and Kristy eventually took up creating family history books. Wonderful because all female variety humans need a creative outlet. Today, Louise and Lisa are busy with their children but I see them showing their daughters how to make and do things and I know they are nurturing that inbuilt desire we have to create. The other day Lisa asked me to show her how to crochet again and I was as happy as a pig in mud.
When I was a child it was almost a task we were set - to learn how to knit, crochet, sew, embroider and cook. Women's duties. Every girl had to be taught them all and we even had compulsory classes in primary school in sewing and knitting.
I've still got my first "thing" I made at school - a pinwheel - or pincushion without the cushioning. It was to teach us basic sewing and embroidery stitches. I can remember making it in 2nd class Infants school so I would have been about 7 years old.
At home I used to love going shopping with Mum and Nana to, I think, Fletchers (the original Myers), to buy a new embroidery kit. We always had them, it would usually be a Duchess set for Mum (large doily and two smaller doilies), crochet cotton for Nana (to crochet around the edges of the doilies) and a small doiley for me.
I was given a Duchess set for my first attempt but they decided after that it would be better if I just stuck with single ones. To this day, my embroidery hasn't got much better. :)
Being the sentimentalist I am, I still have my first attempt at this too. I thought this was the only one left but a few days ago, Mum told me she had found the other small one in amongst her linen. The large one is not to be seen though. Embroidery by me, and I would say at about the age of 8, and crochet by Nana.
The quilt I have just started is like a culmination of those years of sewing and embroidery attempts. I often get ribbed by the girls about my terrible craft creations and that's OK, I know they aren't exhibition quality, but they satisfy me in some very deep way. They give me peace and they give me continuity in life... like all roads have led to this quiet moment. Doing them gives my mind a chance to reflect, reminisce, rest.
I have a day off today and after I finish sitting here typing this, I'm going to quickly get the housework out of the way and I might...might... go and buy that machine if I can find somewhere that sells it close by.
Or I might just sit and stitch and enjoy the brain resting time.
There are no perfect corners in my embroidery or my sewing, exactly the same as there has never been a perfect corner in my life.
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