1/15/2014

Pin keep

Pin keeps or pin cushions are used to store straight pins and sewing needles.  Most are weighted in some fashion. According to Victorian folklore, a tomato placed in a new home would bring prosperity, if a tomato was not to be had one was made from a ball of fabric. The most popular form of a pincushion to this day is the tomato.

A little history lesson and you may ask "what's that got to do with Valerys Gallery?"

1/04/2014

Naomi

I had to make a trip this morning to the local fabric store to pick up fabric for a new quilt I'm working on, a quilt I designed with Electric Quilt 7 (on my punch list to master in 2014).  While at the store I checked out the Janome sewing machines and the 7700 QCP caught my eye.  The harp space, the space to the right of the needle, is an awesome 11.5 inches, I could probably roll up a sleeping bag in there.

Back at Valerys Gallery, as I was cutting and piecing quilt blocks all I could think about was that sewing machine.  I even thought of a name...Naomi...Naomi Janome, corny...I love it!  I compared their price with prices online,  their price was lower and the store services the Janome machines.  I called hubby, I called the store, shut down Valerys Gallery for lunch, drove to Keene and picked up Naomi!


Naomi


She sat in the box in my craft room at home until I closed up the shop.  I was a tad bit more excited about getting the two blocks of the quilt I designed done than playing with Naomi.  But when I got home at 5:30, I said hello to hubby and headed for the craft room.  My old standby Singer "Slant-o-Matic" got swept aside to make room for the new.  I have two old Singer machines, a White I bought from a school's overstock, a vintage Kenmore I haven't checked out yet, my mom's old Brother machine, and a newer White quilting machine, they'll come in handy when I start having sewing classes otherwise I'd just be a hoarder of sewing machines.

I digress, I went through the user guide front to back, wound a bobbin, threaded her up and took her for a spin.  (I tried out the needle threader...in the dark...very nearly, the guide says "shut the machine off", WHAT!, no light and I'm farsighted, I cheated and turned it back on, I've had a needle in my finger before and I'm sure my finger will never let that happen again!  The needle threader worked like a charm.)  She's so quiet I may nod off in that capacious harp space. Alas, dinner calls.

Goodnight, Naomi

Keep calm and dream on!

Val

1/03/2014

In the Kitchen

I would love to walk through my kitchen and just sigh.  You notice I said "walk through".  I love aesthetics, I don't really enjoy the kitchen's purpose, I just want to walk through and appreciate it's beauty.  I'm ready for a kitchen makeover.


1/01/2014

The 2014 Punch List - a moving target

I started making a list of goals for 2014.  I don't expect to reach them all and I do expect to add on to the list as the year progresses.  It's a moving target.





TRAINING

  • Master the ElectricQuilt7 program. Thank you, Santa
  • Master the Cricut Expression.  Thank you, Santa
  • Learn how to free motion quilt - FMQ.
  • Learn how to crazy quilt.