Separation Anxiety

A new topic showed up today on a sewing message board. The topic starter asked readers to rank various sewing machine features in order of preference. As I looked over the list, I started to mentally re-order them into my must-haves.

That's when I realized that while my machine has those must-haves, I've been doing without many of them for some time because I can't bear the thought of leaving my baby for repair. I mean, what if I want to sew? Yeah, I technically have a backup machine -- a BOL mechanical Kenmore -- but it hasn't seen the light of day (or touch of oil) for over 5 years. And after our move last year, I'm not even exactly sure I know where it is. Excuses, excuses. See. I'm good at justifying why not to pack her up and take her in.

Which means that right now I'm sewing without my needle threader, without a machine light (bad board that eats bulbs), without the low bobbin indicator, and the worst -- without reverse. So, are they really must-haves? Apparently not, because their absence hasn't stopped me. Oh, and my machine is also on a recall list, needing a transformer swap out, which I suppose means I'm risking danger everytime time I turn it on. Extreme sewing, eh? ;-)

The upcoming week will be a non-sewing week for me, so I've promised myself (again) that I will take my machine in for a long-overdue servicing. Hopefully by publicly announcing my intentions this time, I'll actually follow through. Please keep me honest and ask me about it next week. And who knows? If I start to get the shakes, maybe I'll dig out that Kenmore and see how she's doing.

* * * * *
As for my Simplicity 3990 top ... It's nearly finished but. Yep, but. The crossover neckline is very gape-y. I know I didn't stretch the bias edge because I stabilized it right away and everything fit together as it should. I'm guessing the fabric is a bit more forgiving than my muslins and that overall everything probably loosened up a bit as I was sewing. The top is in the washer/dryer cycle right now and my finger are crossed in the hopes of some residual shrinking happening.

I have a photo of it, unhemmed so I know it's too long, but still, it just looks so ... so ... matronly. It's really not like this in real life, but in the photo, I feel like I should be wearing it while working in a hospital or cafeteria. What do you think?


Oops. There's the washer bell. Time to toss it into the dryer and pray.