Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Tuesday 4:45am

Good very early morning on T-Stands For Tuesday!  I thought I'd have new cups to share by now but the two red ones I ordered from Thermos.com--backordered.  Maybe by next week.  :)  Do you see Miss Karma right beyond the red end table?
She was bathing there on the floor.  She spends time every day on her claimed Christmas stocking and now the tree skirt from my tabletop tree.  Yup--the one leg was broken on the tripod stand and another was giving way so that the tree fell over all the time...so it is now gone.  Leah said she has an old green table top tree somewhere that I could have--cool!  Then I'll steal back my tree skirt from Karma--LOL!
My Christmas decorations are disappearing.  Here's a picture of when Miss Karma was keeping me company as I was writing letters a couple days ago.  The big strand of musical lights around the windows--dead as a doornail now.  When one light goes they all go, I guess.    
This is what it has been looking like mornings.  Rain.  So overcast that you need lights on all day.  I couldn't even take a picture without the camera reflection in the window like you'd get at night--LOL! 
I was finally working on the diaper tote all weekend.  The first thing I had to do was sew around all the pieces to hold them together.
Now, I admit that I have only owned my one other machine for the past 40 years and this new plastic machine is taking some getting used to, but I am not thrilled with the tension on this one even when it appears to be working pretty well.  You sewers will know what I mean.  The front looks okay... 
...but the thread kind of lays there on the backside.  
I think I am having troubles threading this top-loading bobbin.  The third time I filled the bobbin I was down to the last pieces...sewing together the handles.  I'm going along and the thread totally jams up.  The top looked okay still...   
...but look at the backside!  LOL!  OMG!!  I'll have to rip that all out.
The thread is all jammed down inside there, so I need to take the metal plate off, right? 
Well, guess what?  None of the screwdrivers that came with it will fit underneath there.  And none of the old ones I saved from my old machine will fit, either.  There's only a couple inches leeway above the screw and they don't even give you a screwdriver that will work.  Totally ridiculous, right!
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Anyways, I will figure out a way.  And then I am going on youtube to see if I can find a nice closeup video on how to properly thread a top loading bobbin on a Brother Sewing Machine--LOL!  Staring at the pictures in the manual has obviously not been working for me.  ;)
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Meanwhile...yesterday Leah, Ian, and I went shopping (super sales) at Joann's.  I needed more of the brown thread and we wanted to look for fabric to sew our own feminine pads and panty liners.  Yes--going even crunchier, folks--ROLF!  (You can find crunchy in the online urban dictionary--but think granola lovers--lol!)  
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If babies can have cloth diapers why can't we use cloth, too, right?  Much better for the environment.  I had no idea this has also become a more popular thing these days.  I was certainly game!  Heck, back in the early 70s this flower child was using sea sponges...talk about going crunchy!  (Apologies to my male readers.)  Anyways, that is going to be the next big project in 2015! 
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We were there for hours--Ian was soooo good and such a trooper.  When I had to sit down at the pattern book table for quite a while Ian kept me company.  But I tell you, Gramma was so totally exhausted last night that she couldn't keep her eyes open and was in bed before 9:30pm.  Trouble was I woke up at 1:30am and wasn't able to get back to sleep (too sore)...so here I am...earlier than usual for the Tuesday group over at Elizabeth's.  :)
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But nothing can dampen the Christmas spirit around here, though!  Not trees and lights dying or dark days or sewing machine woes or good old body pains or even a brown, wet Christmas.  Nosiree!  If I don't see you again before--Merry, merry Christmas from me and Miss Karma!  And I'll end with a big drooly smile Ian's Mama caught by their Christmas tree. 
Happy Holidays!!  :):)
****
"I find ecstasy in living -- the mere sense of living is joy enough."
Emily Dickinson  

33 comments:

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, dear Rita! Miss Karma has to be the most photographed kitty in America. If Ian becomes famous as the new Gerber spokesbaby, then I think Karma should audition for the role of official spokescat for Meow Mix. Mrs. Shady drags me shopping and we usually end up in Joann's, Hobby Lobby and other fabric stores. She spends hours each day crocheting clothes for family members. Ian always seems to be in a great mood. He certainly was a good boy for remaining content all the while you were shopping for fabric.

Merry Christmas to you, to Karma, to Ian and to your entire family, dear friend Rita!

DJan said...

I hope you can get that bobbin tension figured out. There must be a way, and you will find it! I love that picture of Ian. He is a good baby, that's for sure, and Karma looks quite comfy in every picture! :-)

Divers and Sundry said...

Good luck on figuring out your new sewing machine. I'm not a sewer and have never owned a machine, so I'm afraid I have no wisdom to offer. I wish you well on your quest for crunchy :) Happy T Tuesday!

TwinkleToes2day said...

I'm so sorry your mugs didn't arrive yet, and your lights have given up the proverbial, but I LOVE your attitude about it all. You are a shining example. Young sir Ian is adorable sitting there, and if he continues to be so patient whilst waiting for his ladies to finish shopping, he will become 'the catch' to catch when he is dating. His smile is so angelic, bless him. I hope he has a super firs Christmas and you get to enjoy it all with him. Happy T Day & Happy Christmas to you Rita :o)) xo

Intense Guy said...

Puts his hands over his ears and says "LA la la la la la la la la la la la la" loudly while reading about "crunchies" and decides to sit with Karma if she'll share something soft to sit on.

:)

TexWisGirl said...

yup, tmi on the 'crunchies' effort. :)

merry christmas to you and karma!

Krisha said...

Merry Christmas to you and Karma.
Glad to hear your keeping the Christmas spirit through all the darker events......grin
Of course it would be hard not to with the winning smiles from Ian.
Thread tension and I are old enemies....LOL, every machine is a little different and every machine seems to load the bobbin slightly different....................the OLD machines are still the best.....if they still work!

Thanks for visiting earlier, the GDs are now up and out of bed, so I better get the day started.

Linda Kunsman said...

Oh that Karma is so darned cute despite taking the decorations and such:) I still have my very old Kenmore sewing machine and keep hoping for it to go kaput so I can get a new one-but perhaps I shouldn't be in a hurry after your experiences so far. Hope you get it all figured out. Ian is adorable and I love the quote you hose. Happy T day and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

froebelsternchen said...

Such a relaxed cat - and this boy is just adorable!
Happy T-Day and
A VERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
to you!

Anonymous said...

have you tried putting a new needle in..I had this problem with one of my machines and just threaded it all up again..hope it works for you as there is nothing worse than when it starts jamming up..happy christmas

Carol said...

Sewing machines are so much more temperamental than they used to be :( I've been debating with mine all week and I think I may have finally mastered it. These newer ones just have too many pens and whistles sometimes ♥

Mersad said...

Hope your project works out. Karma is adorable!!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Robyn said...

usually taking everything apart, oiling it and putting it back together works for me. You also might try a new or different needle.
hope your cups come- we'll be back.
Enjoy and may there be Peace on Earth!

~*~Patty S said...

Sending every good and special wish your way dear Rita.
May your days be merry and bright...
hugs and snuggles to your precious Ian and cuddly Karma too!
fa la laa
oxo

voodoo vixen said...

Love the photo of Karma with the tree skirt... my tree skirt is a dark maroon colour and it is covered with white fur from Pandora sleeping under the tree!! I'd draw the line at the panty liners - no to the material toilet paper made from material and washed over and over.... yikes!! LOL Merry Christmas to you and yours, Annette

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas to you & yours--the furries & the not-furries!!

Denise Price said...

I love the photo of Karma with her Christmas stocking. I used to have a small collection of toy turtles, until my old cat Maggie decided that they were her turtles, not mine. :) Cats certainly have unique taste in bedding, don't they?

Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Victoria Zigler said...

Some of the bulbs can go without causing problems for the others, but the way that Christmas lights are wired means that if certain bulbs go it breaks the circuit and the rest won't work, but if you have a replacement bulb for that one then you can get the whole thing working just by finding the blown bulb and replacing it. Before now, I've just swapped the blown bulb with a working one from one of the places where it's not important to the circuit, and ended up with everything but the one bulb working.

I considered going cloth, but with how mine works I'd be forever washing pads. Still considered it, but haven't gotten further than thinking it would be better for the environment (and maybe also more comfortable for me with how often I have to be wearing them). Another concern I have is absorbtion; I'm very heavy most of the time, and worry they won't be able to absorb as much (even the disposable ones sometimes can't absorb enough to avoid the requirement of a change of clothing).

Anyway... Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

I like Karma and her very own stocking.
Ian could be a baby model. He seems laid back.

GrandmaG said...

Such a cutie! He sounds like such a sweet easy-going baby. I'm happy for all of you. Merry Christmas, Rita. You make mine brighter :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Karma has turned your decorations into HER decorations. She's prettying HER space (grin).

I have NO idea about your machine, but I sometimes watch Quilting Arts, a TV show on PBS that is about art quilts and such. Regardless, I saw something one time where you can remove that outer part around the bobbin, tighten or loosen (I thought they said with your fingers), then return the bobbin to the holder. I have no adjustment on mine, so I often get a mess on the back side because the only adjustment is to use different thread.

Thanks for sharing Karma's, Ian's, and your week with us for T this week.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

I like seeing photos of Karma she is so bloody adorable just like Ian is

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful post and had same trouble with bobbin on newer machine and never did figure it out ~ Karma is a joy and your grandchild is beautiful ~ Know you will have a wonderful Xmas surrounded by Love ~ xoxoxo

Happy Holidays,
artmusedog and carol

AliceKay said...

Hmm...not sure if my comment went thru. It disappeared from this box after hitting "Publish" when I wasn't signed in yet.

So anyway....if it did go thru, I will wish you a Merry Christmas again. *hugs*

Dianne said...

such an adorable little grand baby! as for your stitching, I would say the tension is off, whether from filling the bobbin improperly or having the tension not set on the machine quite right? kind of seems from the photo that the tension is too loose. good luck, and Happy Holidays!

Darla said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family. Having a baby to share the holiday just makes it more special. I don't sew (except by hand) so doubt I could thread a bobbin. Have a great time with Ian, they grow up so fast.

Darla

Far Side of Fifty said...

Merry Christmas! In the olden days they calls those rags...and they used to say.."Oh she is on the rag" ...I am curious to see what you gals come up with:)

dawn said...

Hello and Happy T Day a little late, have had a busy week. Hope your Christmas was fun and filled with loved ones. Karma is so cute and rests so well by you. Sorry to hear about the machine, I don't sew so I can't help you there. The days are cloudy here too and I turn on all my lights. So happy we have had two days of sun this week, was so nice! Now the clouds will be back and probably rain too. Have a good weekend and sorry for being so late.

Serena Lewis said...

Psssst, Karma!!!! Hide that tree skirt away before your 'Mum' steals it back! hehe Karma is too cute! This year, we had the giant tree up as well as a table top tree. I LOVE the table top trees!!! Cute and less effort required.

We've had rain over the past two days but it's been lovely....a pleasant cool change to the dreaded heat.

OH yes, I hate when the front and the back of straight stitching looks different. You're either threading the bobbin wrong or there should be a little screw on the bobbin case that you can tighten. That said, I would have thought the machine would have sewn perfectly without having to make any changes as they are usually set to standard options for optimum stitching on regular fabric. Good luck!

Okay, you've lost me. What on earth does crunchy granola have to do with home-made, female knicker liners??? As 'Far Side of Fifty' said, back in my Mum's time, they called them rags because they were basically made from rags.

I hope you had an amazing Christmas with your beautiful family, my friend.

Love and hugs,
Serena xo

Hilary said...

You make me laugh. Perhaps you should start a new business. People can order them on their tablets.. it would give a whole new meaning to iPads. ;)

Queenie Jeannie said...

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Rita! :) Ian is so precious and you are so blessed to see him regularly!!!! Big hugs and will write soon.

Anonymous said...

Wishing you and yours a wonderful new year!

Jenny Woolf said...

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Rita and look forward to hearing all about it.
As for the lamps, I think if you could find a replacement bulb the whole lot will probably work again. They used to sell replacement bulbs, but I guess they don't do that any more. Maybe some new lights for next year??? that could be fun!