Bagged out

Wow, Friday again! 

Much of this week has been spent in planning and booking new classes for the autumn. I think I have got pretty much all of the local ones listed on my workshops page, so why not click here? 

However, as promised I took some pictures of the 'Getting Going Sewing' Bag course which came to an end this week. They are fairly self explanatory, but I will say that this has been a really lovely group to work with, and I look forward to having many of them back when I start the skirt course in September. 

Rightly proud of themselves!

Pictured below is my new beauty. She is a stunning peppermint colour, and I love her. Here is the story of how I have her: 

Strange as it may sound, I have never bought a new sewing machine before. I sewed every stitch of my degree either on industrial machines at college, or a wonderful old Singer which dated from about 1960. An inherited family piece, it served me very well, both during those intense years and beyond. I can still hear the quiet efficient ticking of the stitches being made, if I stop to imagine it. She only did one type of stitch, but that did just fine, and she did it straight and true. She is in happy retirement now, in case you are wondering.

More recently I was given a Bernina, which I also adore. It had been put through its paces before it ever arrived in my life, but (dare I say it for fear of tempting fate...?), it still works perfectly, and is a wonderful companion. I have had it running for so many hours at home, and taken it so many times to various teaching locations and I have never ever had a problem with it. I am aware, though, that it is a high tech computerised piece of kit, and although it has never complained, I have always worried slightly when taking it out on cold winter evenings, or drizzly mornings- it deserves better really. And so, now it is tucked up in a nice padded bag at home, protected and snug for when I need it. 

For my classes I now have Peppa. For the very modest sum of £100 I have a sturdy yet compact basic machine, which is easier to move around and much less of a worry- no computer for starters! She does just exactly what I need for my teaching, and is actually a Janome under that pretty John Lewis exterior.