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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rain and the Supremes

All right everybody, join me and Diana Ross
(I'm the one not in the slinky jumpsuit) as we warble . . . 

Oooo-oo, Ooo-ooo . . . (beat)
 My Baby Lock . . .
I need you, oh how I need you . . .

And that other great hit of the Supremes:

You've given me a true love
and every day I thank you love
For a feeling that's so new
So inviting, so exciting
Baby,
Whenever you're near
I hear a

 Okay, enough silliness.  (Is there ever enough silliness?)
Let me introduce you to the newest member of the That Old House family:
My new sewing machine!  Ta-da!

 It's a Baby Lock Symphony, and we bought it Saturday in Pennsylvania at a most amazing
shop that has more sewing machines and sergers to ogle and test drive than I've ever seen in captivity.
My Baby's got touchscreens.  My first electronic sewing machine.
 Confession:  I used to make fun of electronic sewing machines and their gadgets and gizmos.
"What? You can't turn a knob by yourself?" I'd scoff.
Oh, silly silly me.
An intimate portrait of the Symphony, thread fuzz and all.
Look Ma, no feet . . . you can start and stop it without using the foot control.
 After spending 2 hours playing with this machine -- and others -- at the shop on Saturday,
this is the one we came home with.  Thank you, Howard.  I never would have bought it on my own.
 
I do mostly home dec sewing, and some clothing construction, but I've been putting off projects
for several years because my old Kenmore, which has many thousands of miles on its odometer,
needs a whole lot of babying and tinkering now, and I want a machine that will just go.
This one goes.  Like gangbusters.

The straight stitching, zig-zag and utility stitches seem wonderful -- accurate and even.
But yesterday I played with the decorative stitches, because they are just so much fun.

 


My daughters are lucky I didn't have this machine when they were little, back when I sewed all their clothes.
I'd have put embroidery on their underpants.
"But Mommy, it scratches!"
"Shut up; it looks great."
*******************************************************************
What doesn't look great is the rain outside.  Every day.  All week.
Blech.
I took my Outdoor Wednesday pictures thru the sunroom windows today.
Pardon the reflections; think of them as special photographic effects, or the
ectoplasmic manifestations of ... well, something that might manifest itself ectoplasmically.

Below, the stone steps behind the house, up to the driveway.
To the left, white Bleeding Heart.  It had loads of lovely flowers till the rain got to it.
 To the left of the white Bleeding Heart, a pink variety of the same,
some tulips out of bloom, and Iris just in bud.  And a rude plaster goose.
And myrtle making a break for it, up over the wall.
 On the other side of the stone steps, poppies in bud (left).  Ivy and spearmint running amuck.
Time for ruthless cutting back.  Rain, rain, go away!
And that's it for this Wednesday!
I need to visit New Jersey's estimable Motor Vehicle Commission today;
license renewal.  That's always a rollicking good time.

And tonight, late, daughter Alida arrives from Los Angeles.  She's here till her wedding
at the end of June.  I guess we'll have to feed her if she's going to be here that long . . . . -- Cass

Visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday!  Click here.

16 comments:

  1. I'm in love with your new toy...er...sewing machine...wonderful! Ihas been rainig here too...still is...as I type! Have a great day!!

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  2. Love the new toy!! :D We have a break from the rain now, but it is coming back this weekend.:(
    Things I need to get done today, but can't get motivated.

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  3. Oh No.... I did not see that toy/machine!! I will not tell DH about it!!
    .....yes I did & yes I will!! LOL!!
    You lucky girl!!
    Marilyn

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  4. Here from Outdoor Wednesday. Your garden is gorgeous. Love the stone steps.

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  5. Oh Momma that new Baby looks great! Can't believe the beautiful embroidery stitches-have fun:@)

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  6. I love it. I dont even sew and it makes me want one. You are going to have a lot of fun...... making and sewing things.

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  7. Forget the embroidery on the underpants.....sneak in some last minute embellishment of Alida's wedding gown. Use both the red and yellow. That machine is incredible.... kinda NOT like mine which is the most basic ever that I received for Christmas 2009, still waiting for me to thread it. I have no clue what I'm waiting for. Perhaps I received the Singer Procrastinator. I hope you'll post pics of what you create with that Baby Lock. I think you need to set it atop an antique treadmill sewing machine so that it fits into the That Old House look. ~Nancy~

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  8. Wow! With a machine like that I could possibly enjoy sewing. All of those fun stitches. But, as I don't have one and probably could convince none of my family that I would use it, I'll just have to admire yours. lol

    It will be so fun for you to have your daughter so close.....and yes, feeding her is an excellent idea. Fainting brides add too much excitement to a wedding day.

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  9. Wow -- what a machine!!! How nice that your daughter will be home so long . . you will enjoy all your time together.

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  10. Cass,

    There is never enough silliness! You will love this machine and all it can do. You will absolutely love the scissors. Enjoy!

    Carol

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  11. Too funny! And I LOVE your new sewing machine! Wow! All those stitches... what fun! Enjoy!

    And yea, you'd better feed your daughter otherwise her dress won't fit and that would open a whole 'nother can o' worms!

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  12. Ok so color me the same color of green as your ferns. Don't know what makes me the most jealous, the Baby Lock, or the long visit from your daughter. Enjoy both.
    Kat

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  13. Oh- I love your machine- I wish I had gone one step up when I bought my own. I would have liked the one that did large monograming...Lucky girl! xxoo Diana

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  14. Oh, the places you will "sew" ~ sorry I couldn't resist! Looks like you've got the Caddy of sewing machines! Have fun, can't wait to see what you whip up on that baby!

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  15. Oooo, love, love your new toy. Enjoy!!!

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  16. That's what I want - but lack a great sewing machine store with variety. I think I'll have to go to the mainland to do the research!

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