Stormy Weather

While heat and storms were predicted over the weekend, I got busy and posted a few sewing machines and a serger, thinking people might stay inside and think about projects they needed for finish with a sewing machine. That turned out to be a good idea but I only sold one of the items from the actual ad. Here's my story (and I'm sticking to it):

After another hot summer day topping +90 degrees, I figured I would buy plants for a few pots and planters on Sunday afternoon and get them growing but the weather had other ideas. At 8:30 in the morning I got a weather alert that a storm was coming in with hail predicted. I no more than read the alert on my cell phone and it hit. We had golf ball sized hail that continued for about 15 minutes, making it look like we just got an inch of snow. The temperature plummeted, green leaves were littering the sides of the house and covered the ground. It was scary! Here's a chunk of the hail I recovered:

Hail after the storm

While I was checking things over I get a call from Nebraska and it turns out it's Marilyn's daughter who has heard the story of her mom's Viking 1070 and White serger and wants a sewing machine that is more reliable than the one she has.  Her daughters are sewing for 4H and the Husky 145 is sewing only at top speed, not acceptable for those learning how to sew. Marilyn can come over right away and pick out a sewing machine, she trusts her mother. Oh, and do I have a serger that would also be easy to use? I get right on it, setting up 5 sewing machines that would be good for beginners and reliable plus two sergers, one from a current ad on Craigslist. I actually enjoy getting out the machines and testing them out, just to make sure everything is still working: sometimes I have surprises and they go into the repair shop (just my table top) before going back on a shelf.

Kenmore serger

Singer serger

Before Marilyn arrives I get a text from someone else asking about the Kenmore serger: can it sew knits, especially performance knits? I quick grab some four-way stretch knit and sew-up a sample and text the photo to her. Perfect! She will be over when she's off work at 8; this should be good news but what if Marilyn buys it first? I quick stitch up the knit on the other serger to find it works great, too. I have to tell her that it could sell before 8 pm but I still have another one that will also work. Marilyn arrives, looks at the five machines I've set up and says she really wants her daughter to have a good Viking. These machines are too basic because the girls are already putting in zippers and want a good buttonhole feature, a one step not a 4 step of a more basic sewing machine. Of course, I did have some very nice Vikings but they were considerable higher in cost than a beginners sewing machine but Marilyn was prepared to buy a much better one for her daughter and granddaughters and I could hardly blame her. I brought up a lovely Viking 1100:

Husqvarna Viking 1100

We gave it a test run and it was wonderful, similar to the Viking 1070 she already was enjoying at home when purchased from me seven months ago. Now on to a serger: the Singer or the Kenmore? Both were working fine and could handle what she was looking for but they each had strengths and weaknesses. It came down to what I would recommend but remember I already had a buyer for the Kenmore serger. Just to be fair, I pointed out the Kenmore had a more modern look, had a scrap tray and accessories but the Singer's manual was much easier to use. So the better manual won out and the Singer serger is going to Nebraska! We got everything all packed up (the Singer had a box with the original packing foam), extra cones of thread were picked out, and she had to hurry out to get all of this to Red Wing, Minnesota (home of the RW shoes and pottery) where it was going to a mother-in-law before she set off for Nebraska. Whew!

By 8 pm the lone Kenmore serger was set up, samples made with three different knit fabrics and a cotton, when I got a knock on the door. Amy comes in with her mother, a quilter, to check out the serger. She's in love - at first sight - sits down to try it out, and claims it sold. That was fast! And here's a bit of the back story: Amy is working with a theater group, making repairs and parts of costumes and wanted a better way to finish seams, a more professional look. I bought that serger from a woman who originally bought it to make her daughter dance costumes. I thought the purpose was pretty similar so just maybe the Kenmore serger found a forever home.

Will I see Marilyn again? Yes, she confesses she hasn't used her serger, a White 534, since she brought it home and maybe she needs a lesson on setting the tensions. Of course, she's going to come back for a lesson and to practice using her serger. Who knows? Maybe Marilyn has a sister to bring along or even a sewing friend: all are welcome!

White 534 serger