Summertime in the Cities

Life has a way of grabbing us and making demands on our time and resources. Lately, it's been my time that has been in low supply but it's Sunday morning when I typically like to write a post for my readers. Loyal readers. Most of the time I have no idea who reads my blog posts but then I get questions and realize I have some very loyal readers and that humbles me. Thank you for your faithfulness while I attend to other duties.

I have continued to buy, restore, and resell sewing machines but it has slowed down as it happens every summer. There are cabinets stacked up in the garage but neither car wants to be sitting out and I've been too busy to try and clean them up anyway. One is for a Bernina Record that I have been using to hem bridesmaid dresses for a step-daughter who is pregnant with her third baby so they are hemmed with that in mind.

Bridesmaid dress with lower hem in front

I love the hemmer foot for making rolled hems and it seems to work the best of all the rolled hem foot attachments. Leave it to a Bernina to make the best stitch.

Next up is a Viking 2000 that I've been using for all kinds of projects because it's so sweet.

Viking 2000 in perfect condition

This is a model that is known for all kinds of problems but mine has been perfect so I want to keep it active and sewing. I made up swimsuits for a granddaughter and great nieces again giving them a choice of fabrics:

Swimsuit fabric choices: electric blue or dancing pink?

and they liked both so I decided to make up the blue fabric first:

Swimsuits sizes 7, 10, and 12

Sorry about the color difference but they really are the electric blue as shown in the first photo. I was busy sewing along and didn't notice anything amiss until I laid them all side by side. You can't see it very clearly in the photo but the middle one has a very narrow crotch! I don't know what happened but I wasn't paying attention and didn't catch it in time. Although I do not have any extra fabric I could have done some sort of an insert if I caught it sooner. I sent it along in hopes it just might work but with apologies and the promise of sending the pink swimsuits this week. It wasn't the fault of the Viking sewing machine because it made such a nice zigzag elastic stitch making the whole project easier. Maybe too easy? There is no autopilot for sewing!

I had another run-in with a New Home XL-II, a favorite of mine. It needed a new hook drive gear but after replacement I find it has other problems that I cannot fix. This is a big disappointment since it's such a good machine but I fear it's going to go for parts, too. At least I learn a few things along the way!

As we continue to care for my aunt in Iowa, I find I'm spending more time getting her financial papers in order and that takes a huge chunk of time but is necessary. I keep telling myself it will slow down but not yet. We cancelled a trip down this week because we need to go down the following week to take her for a bone marrow test. She could have this done without us but she doesn't want to have it at all and we are hoping if we go with her this might allay some of her fears. We just need to know what is causing her blood counts to be so dangerously low and if there is something that should be done to help her. Thank goodness she is not in pain but we are in more distress than she is at this point.

Life goes on, I continue to keep sewing as it is such a soothing task for me that I can't imagine not sitting down to a sewing machine to have a little fun. Having so many sewing machines to choose from makes it all the more enjoyable, don't you think?