Kayla in the Cornfield

10/11/2013

I wanted to take some pictures of my KW girls in the cornfield, but with days becoming
so short, we made it there after dinner just as the sun was going down.

Today has been one of those days when everything seems to go wrong. My browser kept crashing, I spilled my pins everywhere, when I tried the old "snip and tear" method of cutting strips of fabric, they went all wonky - narrow and wide like I've never seen before - and I was having all kinds of issues with my sewing machine, I started work on the last Hallowe'en costume, thinking there would still be plenty of time left this month to make a few things for my own dolls before tackling some more requests.....and I was making good progress too.....until my sewing machine decided to really act up. Now it doesn't seem to want to work at all anymore. Each time I start to sew, the thread disappears off of the take-up lever, and the thread tangles into a giant mess and the machine and fabrics jam. I carefully snip the fabric loose, re-thread from scratch, both top and bottom, and it's does the exact same thing - over and over. I have no idea why the thread won't stay on the take-up lever. I'm going to have to take it in to the quilt shop tomorrow and have them look at it. I really can't do without a sewing machine! I suppose I can haul Jan's old thing out of the basement, but it sews like "a kangaroo with an awl". But maybe that's still better than nothing.

Christina

10/11/2013 04:32:00 pm

Hmm, have you tried replacing the bobbin and thread spool altogether? I had a problem with a poorly wound bobbin (looked fine but tension was off) and a bad spool (weakened areas) and both caused thread to tangle and my machine to jam. I'm sure a cleaning wouldn't be a bad idea, but it's something to try if you'd rather not be without your machine for a while.

Martha

10/12/2013 12:59:21 am

I'd been sewing with that same thread and bobbin all day with no problems at all. I can try changing both to see if the thread will stay on the take-up lever. Unfortunately my machine's take-up lever isn't like most, in that it's not a piece of cast metal with a hole in it, but it's just a wire hook for "easy threading" - which also means easy to come off.

Margo

10/11/2013 05:23:44 pm

I am impressed! I know how frustrating a sewing machine snarl-up can be, and yet you still managed to get an absolutely amazing photo! You caught the "last of the light" just perfectly. Good luck with your machine issues. :)

Inma

10/11/2013 09:13:50 pm

Oh ! What a beautiful photo, the light is just perfect ! Love love this photo !
I'm really sorry about your sewing machine issue and do hope you'll find a solution soon.

Martha

10/12/2013 01:01:16 am

The shop I bought the machine from is only open during the daytime and on Saturdays, so I'll have to go talk to them today. In the meantime I'll use my husband's machine to finish the Hallowe'en costume.

Jane

10/12/2013 06:36:51 am

Oh no about the sewing machine........I really hope the shop were able to help today *fingers crossed*
Thank goodness you have a back-up machine to use in the meantime *phew*

And this photo is glorious with the last golden light of the day.

Martha

10/12/2013 07:01:15 am

It seems to be working okay today - fingers crossed. I did what Christina (above) suggested, and put in a whole new bobbin and new spool of thread on top. It worked just fine. Then I switched in the bobbin I was using yesterday, and still fine. Then I switched in the thread I was using yesterday, and still fine.

I don't know what it was. I've read that people with fibromyalgia can have weird effects on electronics, and my machine is basically a computer that sews. Or maybe it was solar flares, or it decided it didn't like the fabric I had been using. I'm just hoping it stays working.

Jay link

10/13/2013 06:47:57 am

Gorgeous photo! What beautiful light. And, of course, your darling girl in her beautiful outfit are amazing.

Sewing machines hassles--ugh! I can't handle it. Something in my DNA just can't deal with sewing machines acting up. Guess that's why I sew everything by hand. And don't sew much!

Comments are closed.

Kayla in the Cornfield

Author

Archives