EMBELLISHER!

Above: Strata VIII, detail. Free motion embroidery on water soluble fabric with adhesive

Today I called Mr. Leichtner. Neither of my sewing machines were repaired. He actually blamed me for the situation. Frankly, he was rude and insulting. I was reduced to tears...facing a five day block of time without a working machine. He didn't have any free motion feet for the 220 either. In desperation, I called the new Bernina dealership in town, Creative Sewing. (www.creative-sewing-machine-center.com) They had feet for the 220. I went to get them...open toed and close toed.

I was surprised at this shop. It is wonderful...and friendly and helpful and full of nice people eager to see interesting work and willing to embrace an embroiderer who doesn't just sew straight lines on pattern pieces. (This wasn't what I was lead to believe...but now I'm reconsidering the source of this information!) While there, I saw it...the EMBELLISHER! It really is a machine all into itself! Within a minute a new plan was devised: From now on, the 1630 (whenever it eventually gets repaired) will be used for its decorative stitches; the 220 is now going to be my new machine--free motion embroidery; the 1008 will remain the "back up" machine for when one of the others is in for repairs; the THE NEW EMBELLISHER will be for the embellishing I've been intrigued about for a year. Okay, I've got the attachments for this already on order from the shop in Sumter...so now, the 220 can "back up" the embellisher!

Part of me thinks I must be crazy...what woman needs four sewing machine? Part of me knows the answer to that question...ME! Now, as planned, I'm facing five uninterrupted days in my studio with a working machine...actually three working machines...the 220, the embellisher, and the 1008...Mr. Leichtner called later to say that he didn't have time to service it but had repaired it...for $75...hopefully, this isn't a repair like the last one done to the 1630 which wasn't repaired and cost $125. Whatever...there's light at the end of this tunnel...Creative Sewing Center in West Columbia. They want me as a loyal customer and now I want them too!

While getting the new machine, my mat boards got delivered and I spent part of this afternoon mounting the recently completed Strata VIII and Strata IX. These are for my solo exhibition at Francis Marion and are pictured here with detail shots...though all can be enlarged by clicking on them.



Above: Strata VIII. Below Strata IX with a detail shot.