Which sewing machine to take to my upcoming retreat?

April 28, 2024

This is my current dilemma. I’m flying, so I’m limited to machines that will fit in my Travelpro underseat rolling tote. Here are my options:
1) Singer Featherweight
2) Elna STAR (similar to Janome Jem 720)

Option 1: The quilt shop organizing the retreat sells and services Featherweights. I will be in good hands should anything go wrong with my machine during the retreat. I’ve also been wanting to switch out the tension assembly for one with a numbered tension dial. They could take care of that for me and giver the machine a once-over at the same time. Sewing space is limited (4′ wide), so having the built-in wider bed means I won’t have to carry a separate acrylic extension table.

Opton 2: This is my usual machine for sew-ins, classes and retreats, especially when I need more than a straight-stitch capability. It travels well and does exactly what I need it to do. The only drawback is that full throttle is a mere 650 spm. It’s fine for applique and most piecing. For long strips when you want to sew fast, it’s akin to driving a moped instead of a motorcycle. I’ll also have bring the small acrylic extension table.

I checked with the retreat organizer. The staff are bringing their personal FWs to the retreat. No retreat projects require any zigzag stitch capability. I’m taking a FQS Layer Cake Shake kit made from leftover 10″ Christmas squares and the 2024 Middle Georgia Shop Hop blocks + the FPP center block to work on at the retreat. No zigzag stitches required. I’ll be perfectly fine with my Featherweight!

Our final spring semester enrichment class

April 23, 2024

The last Monday of April marks our final Monday enrichment classes for this semester. As it was when I taught in public schools, the last day is always bittersweet. I’ve really enjoyed my part-time gig and spending time with the kids and staff. But I look forward to having Mondays to call my own for the next four months! I did agree to return for fall semester; however, I’ll be doing literacy activities with a geography theme this time around. There will still be storytime with plenty of hands-on activities. Arts & crafts activities will be fewer with more emphasis on social studies skills like maps, globes, cultures and countries.

Here’s what we’re reading and doing next Monday with supervision provided by Sadie:

The stories:
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. (K-1)
After the fall by Dan Santat (all)
On account of the gum by Adam Rex. (all)
Are we there yet? by Dan Santat (2-5)

The activities:
Kindergarten & 1st:
Bunny craft from Simple Everyday Mom

Second – Fifth Grades:
Would You Rather Game? (selected questions from Great Wolf Lodge)
Create Your Own Travel Scene (adapted from LB Kids pdf activity created for Are we there yet?)

The goal is to keep things simple for our last day. I’ll pick up our books from the library tomorrow and my printables are already downloaded.

Sometime in May, I’ll go through my craft/instructional supplies and see what I might need to buy for fall semester. Glue sticks and kid scissors for sure!

Will I run into you at the back-to-school supply sales in July?

How did I learn so much about sewing machines?

April 20, 2024

Answer: Natural curiosity and necessity.

When I ran the Stitching Stallions maker club at my former elementary school, I had an eclectic collection of mechanical and electronic sewing machines for the kids to use. Some came from the district’s own warehouse surplus, others were purchased with grant funds, some were donated and a couple were purchased by me. There was no money for sewing supplies, let alone annual service for the 5-8 machines we used. I had to learn how to troubleshoot, maintain and repair our machines. I did routine maintenance on 1-2 machines every week and a more in depth service during the summer. I learned how to replace spool pin holders, exterior thread cutters and needle threaders. I learned how to make bobbin winder adjustments. I learned how to remove covers to undo tangled threads, broken needles and big wads of fluff that managed to collect in the machines. Believe me, if there is a way to mess up a machine, a kid will find it!

Today was our first Sewing Machine Maintenance class at the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum taught by yours truly. In class, we had an Elna SU from the late 60’s, a Pfaff 1013 originally purchased in West Germany in the mid-80’s, a Singer 9960, a Viking Opal 670 and a Singer Merritt 4530. Can you believe no machine used the same bobbin? Students left with clean machines and a lot of smiles.

Feedback was positive and I was encouraged to offer this class again – which I think the museum director plans to do in the fall. Others asked for Featherweight specific classes so they can learn to use and care for their machines. Look for those to come in July and August. My local FW club is looking for someone to lead them in a machine spa day for their Featherweights. After today’s successful class, I think I’m going to put my big girl panties on and offer up my services to lead that class, too! I certainly know a lot more about FW than I do each of the machines we worked on today.

I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone and the sense of accomplishment I felt after the class concluded is something I’ll never forget.