Tomorrow is the birthday of Patchwork Pie, and I am feeling guilty about neglecting my posts!
Sometimes a person just gets tied up with so many things, nothing gets done. That's a good time to ask: Is this business...or it just busy-ness?
I bought a wonderful new Janome 7700 Horizon back in August, and this is as far as I've come:
It's about 1" too wide for the cut-out previously home to my Pfaff 1475. I'm hoping this is the week it finally gets installed. I'll use the extension table that came with the machine to go around the free arm, which means I'll have to adjust the shelf (it is hanging in there on screws) so the machine is just a tad bit higher than the edge of the desk.
I hope that is not too high to keep the pressure foot knee-lift (not in the pic) from working.
I did quilt most of two small quilts while my new machine was on the dining room table. That only reminded me of how terrible it is to quilt when the machine is at the wrong height.
So I have been busy with business, thanks to Cherry-Cherry (AKA "The Business Manager") who keeps me on track. I published the "Shining Sea" pattern, and am now at work on one called "Groundhog Day".
I always wanted to have a Groundhog Day pattern, and never quite found the right idea. Then as I was working on one called "Monkey Business", I discovered that there are are currently several patterns with that same title!
This was a no-brainer....it is now called "Groundhog Day", and you will understand why when you see it.
For those who made the "Monkey Business" quilt in a Mystery Quilt class, it's almost--but not quite!-- the same pattern.
It's a busy week coming up here! I have to celebrate the Patchwork Pie blog tomorrow, then lectures to give for two different guilds in town, the Bad Girls Pie Club is meeting Thursday, and Saturday is a quilt guild Tag Sale. After all that is over, it's time to sneak off for a 4-day Quilters Retreat.
Whew! Hope you are also busy with good things.
The Janome Horizon 7700 is mine at last!
It didn't even make it to the studio yet. I had to unpack it right away on the dining room table (AKA the-home-of-all-art-projects-since-nobody-eats-here-except-on-holidays).
Ah, that smell of fresh plastic & Styrofoam! But right away I see the manual, the legs for the extension table, and a bag full of feet, bobbins and other goodies.
Ah, the machine finally appears, with the table and "semi-hardcover" tucked beside it.
This machine is big, but suprisingly not quite as heavy as expected. I do not plan on doing a lot of travelling this this one, anyway. (NOTE: 8/26/11 It really IS a heavy machine...I must have been so excited when I brought it home that I didn't notice!).
Ta-Dum! All plugged in and ready to go! I chose this machine for the extra room to the right of the needle.
I also chose it because I like my sewing machine dealer ABC Vacuum & Sewing Center (ask for Pam!)and this is the brand she prefers now. I have a small Janome Jem and like it very much.
Bringing a new machine home is just like a new baby...
I have to show it off from all angles! Right now it does not have the special spool holder add-on accessory that will go in the two holes at the top. But I got that, too, because Cherry-Cherry says it makes a real difference for the thread feed on her big quilting machine.
The double-bin free arm surround has lots of storage, but when I finally get this installed up in my studio it will never be on the machine. DH Ed will cut a larger hole in my sewing area...and I'll just save all that story for another post!
There's lots of storage on the top, too. That spindle laying down there can hold a second spool when it's stuck in a hole, and can also be used for winding a bobbin if it doesn't have to come off the sewing spool. This bobbin winder works great! It's been awhile since I had one I could trust. And talk about bells & whistles...in this picture, just to the left of the bobbin, is a thread cutter!
Oh, yeah...it definitely has more stitches than I shall ever use. Here they are from left to right!
Instead of boring you to death right now with too many pictures and details,(remember, it's like bring a new baby home! ), I'll share things as they come up.
Very pretty stitches, front and back, with the 7 feed dogs this machine has! I am looking forward to some more precise sewing...and I haven't even used the fancy feed system yet.
So...why is this machine on my dining room table, and why am I not playing with all the fun new features?
This is why:
Up in Ye Olde Studio, I'm in the middle of a quilting job on the Pfaff1473. If it survives two more years, it will be old enough to vote!
This is a large baby quilt and there's another with a related matching design. I'll quilt that one on the Horizon ....what a good comparison they will be!
Yes, there is a reason I got the Horizon right now, after thinking about it for a year. I'll share that story in the next post.
