The beast is tamed!

Today I tamed the beast!

In essence I learnt how to take my overlocker apart, clean it, oil it, put it back together and thread it (5 times in a row!).

I found out that with my particular machine I have to thread the top looper first BEFORE anything else. If one of the loopers break mid sewing I have to re thread the whole thing!

Now if top looper means nothing to you - you are not alone. Before I went to this class I didn't really understand anything to do with my machine.

After threading so many times I found myself taking less than 2 minutes threading four threads!

We then learnt to check our tension, the differential feed, the width of the slicing blade and finally ...... I learnt how to roll a hem. You know those fancy-schmancy hems you see on ballroom dresses? I found out how to do one of them.......fishing line and stitch on the bias. I also learnt a few "tricks" of the trade for current trends. Oh my mind is swimming.

The ladies in the class were lovely and some of them had never sewn anything before. The teacher was really quite lovely - although I couldn't stop laughing as she kept stating that if she was any more perfect she'd be fabulous! I might have to take that one on.

I had such a good time that I put my name down on a waiting list for a drafting class. I have the basic idea in my head, which I have used, but I am now wanting to get some professional advice on how to do interesting things which will help me make some individual outfits.

Great day all up!

woo hoo

So it's Tuesday, week 1 of my holidays. So far I have done some impressive things.

Saturday - mooched on the couch. Loved that! Was going to go out but couldn't be bothered.

Sunday - met up with a group of people I have never been associated with before at a jazz performance. The music was ok. The company was mixed - some interesting people and a few I was scratching my head over. You get that in any crowd so I'm not complaining.

Monday - caught up with a friend I haven't seen for a while - in fact most of the term. Saw the osteopath and he crunched the bejeesus out of my back. I am a bit over my back at the moment. Sciatic pain is annoying to say the least. Night time saw me with another group of friends at dinner and then off to see Anjelique Kidjo. What an amazing performer.

Tuesday - I met the cleaner I have employed. Yes, I have decided to go with a cleaner. I am a bit over trying to clean my house when I am over exhausted. She came in and for two hours she cleaned, dusted and then vacuumed away. There is/was a lot of work to do and next week she will probably finish getting the basic stuff organised. Once that is done she will then maintain my house....Hooray! I then sorted out the study - or as it really should be called, the dumping room. We all have one and it gets out of control. At the moment I am discovering my desk! It's there but I just have to search it out. I will have it completely sorted out by tomorrow morning.

I have also done the ironing - well ahead of time for me. I have sorted out two kitchen shelves under the sink, cleaned out a drawer to put my teatowels in and then started on the pantry shelves. The shelves in my laundry have been sorted. Two loads of washing, including the net curtains that the cleaner took down and told me to wash (yes ma'am!) and a few bags of recycling done!

I am sorting out the books on the shelves and tomorrow or Thursday I will take them to the book exhange. I really don't want any books in exchange but I am seriously running out of book shelf space.

I have also decided to re arrange the lounge and the study but that is once I have sorted out the mess of the study.

Over the next few days I will get some shoe racks to keep my shoes on in my cupboard. I will also get some other bits and pieces to sort out the storage systems (or lack there of) around my house. Scott you will be impressed!

Other things I have done - made two scarves! Beautiful.

Painted my vision board. Great colour. Now to find the photos of what I am seeing in my future to attach to it.

Planning on going away this weekend - Easter - so I might have to sort out what to do with the kitty. 3 nights away should be great for the soul.

so now I am back to sorting out the sheet music - alphabetising it! CD's will be completed soon as well.

all ironed out

Crochet......I have joined 40 squares. 20 to go. Then edging. It looks good. there will be no photos. I don't have camera. Will be done tonight as it is getting hot in the next few days and I want the blanket out of the way.

I didn't finish last night as I was ironing.

I got a new iron.

(just noticed that this blog is becoming riveting!)

The last iron didn't survive the nose dive it took two weeks ago. I thought it had survived. I turned it on a few days ago to iron a shirt or two but it never got warm. I own a lot of cotton and linen summer wear so I need to have an iron.

One of the stores that I go to had a 20%off sale. I know this sounds great but the price scanned in wrong to begin with. It was marked at $130. (20% 0ff = $104.) It scanned in at $100. I only paid (well I went halves as a present) $80. I saved $50!

At some stage I will write an exciting post.....but not today.

a new craft shop

I love a good craft shop. I especially love it when I find that they are having a sale.

One craft shop has opened just near my singing teachers house. This is dangerous.....

I spent 25 minutes in the shop in the opening sale....feathers, glitter, paper, crochet hook, glue....there was so much more I could play with but I restrained.

While wandering around I noticed so many people who had never been in a craft shop. Open mouths, eyes moving from one shelf to another and they were touching everything......It was funny. One man was with his girlfriend. Every time she picked up something she would say this is great, he would ask her why they would want it! She had no answers.