Hey, I Won A Serger! (what's a serger?)

So during my first visit to Fabricland (fabric outlet with stores across Canada) to buy supplies for my first sewing project, I noticed a box and ballot forms on the front counter. I didn't pay much attention to what the prize was but I figured it had to be good, so I filled one out while the clerk was ringing through my purchase.

Anyway, Fabricland called yesterday. I won a Janome Model 9102D Serger! WOOHOO!!! I was so excited, and told the woman that I never win anything! What I was tempted to ask but didn't: "What's a serger?"



Here's a Googled description I found from a store that sold the same model: "The 9102D is our most advanced MyLock serger, with speeds up to 1300 stitches per minute. The 9102D has 2 needles and 3 or 4 thread stitching capabilities. Equipped with differential feed, which is adjustable from .05 to 2.25 mm, the 9102D provides increased control for handling all types of fabrics and is essential for creative serger techniques. Features include adjustable cutting knife up to 7.3 mm, upper knife release and electronic foot control for precise speed control, also included is an instructional video that will help you get started quickly and get professional results in no time."

Whoa. And I thought computer techspeak was unintelligible.

I called Ginny and Luisa immediately (I've been talking to both about sewing), to proudly announce that I had won a serger and to ask what it was. They were both highly amused that I was going to be a serger owner after having sewn for just over a week. :-)



Thanks also to those who responded to my question on Livejournal. Apparently a serger finishes off edges with an overlocking stitch (no, I don't know what this is, either :-) to keep them from fraying, and is apparently mandatory for professional production-work sewing. It can also do decorative seaming and some other interesting stuff.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on the Overlock/Serger (apparently another word for serger is "overlock"), along with images of sample overlock stitches.

Anyway, Jeff and I are picking up my new serger tomorrow! I realize that it may be a little while before I'm using it; I should probably become better acquainted with my sewing machine first. But I've already found a one day serger workshop in Toronto, so I may sign up for that.

Serging ahead...

On Dr. Who

Jeff and I saw the "Blink" episode and LOVED it. However, it became clear to me partway through the episode that I've missed a bunch of episodes somehow ("Where's Rose?!?"). The last episode I saw was "Age Of Steel" in the second season.

On aging

I enjoyed reading your comments in response to my last post. A few excerpts...

From scs-11:

"Every time I think I'm getting used to the changes since I turned 50, something else comes along and slaps me upside the head. The most recent was seeing a photo of a friend and thinking "who's the greybeard with Giza?" Damn, it was me! It doesn't help working in an office where I'm the oldest by about 20 years. Don't get me wrong, the office folks are great - and I'd much rather be around them than a bunch of old guys. :-) But a few months back I was at a co-workers party and someone asked if I was his father. Harrumph! Get offa my lawn, ya damned hippie punk.

On the other hand, I did get invited to drive down to Louisville to party in someone's dorm and had to inform her I was babysitting my granddaughter that day. She was reportedly redder than I am gray."

From mdlbear:

"Not too happy about getting old, either, but it beats the alternative."



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Illustration Friday: Wrinkles

I created the illustration above for Illustration Friday. This week's topic: "Wrinkles." I was inspired by the Stan Rogers song, Lies. What an incredibly talented songwriter, and what a shame he is no longer with us. I remembering crying when I first heard this song, and this was years ago.

Sometime in my thirties, I remember looking in the mirror and finding my first wrinkle. I tried not to care, but I was horrified. I was getting OLD! I couldn't believe it; I knew the aging process was inevitable, but the person in the mirror didn't look at all like the person I felt inside me.

I still feel a little like that when I look at myself in the mirror and see those tiny wrinkles (which will inevitably grow into bigger wrinkles over time, I know). I can't say I love them, but I've gotten used to them, like unwelcome house guests whom I know will never leave. We've made peace with each other, and they've even brought me a certain sense of freedom.

Discovering Dr. Who

Many thanks to Reid, who is lending us Dr. Who episodes. I never watched the old Dr. Who, but got interested in the new Dr. Who series because Allison and Jodi have been enjoying it. Plus I like Christopher Eccleston. A shame he was only in the first season.

However, I have to say I'm really impressed by the second season so far. Almost makes me want to go back and watch some of the classic Dr. Who series. Anyway, I'm going to be watching the "Blink" episode next, which Jeff wants to watch with me because he's heard it's supposed to be pretty scary. *gulp*





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Zipper feet, sewing and B5

Feeling much better today, probably because I slept most of yesterday.

Since Ginny gave me my first sewing lesson last weekend, I've been spending most evenings sewing. Obsessed? Not me. Last night I dreamed about interfacing.

As I mentioned before, one of the ways I've been learning sewing is to pick a simple pattern (summer tank top) and sewing it over and over, with different fabrics. Fabricland had a mega-sale recently, so I picked up a bunch of material to experiment with. I'm glad I'm working with inexpensive fabric right now; I made so many mistakes with my first top that I ended up scrapping it.

Attempt #2 is the orange one at the right in the photo above. It doesn't fit all that well, mainly because of the darts. I'll wear this one out in the garden or while painting, I think.

Attempt #3 is the red one on the left. It fits perfectly, but I cut the fabric out upside down (note the upside-down skulls). The skulls are subtle enough that I'll still wear this top in public. Maybe people will think I'm making a statement of some kind. :-) And as Allison's husband pointed out, the skulls look right to ME, at least, when I'm wearing the top.

Attempt #4 is the blue floral one in the middle. The fabric is my favourite, but the fit is too small. :-( I'm giving it to my sister in hopes that it fits her.

I'm currently working on Tank Top Attempts #5 and #6; they're finished except for the bottom hem, and fit well. The hem is a challenge, though, because the material I chose is so thin that the hem keeps bunching up whenever I try sewing it, argh.



In the process of making all those tops this past week, however, I've been learning a lot, plus finetuning the pattern. I've nixed the darts and found I prefer the neckline on the back piece to that of the front piece -- so I've made a new pattern based on the back piece, and use that for the front AND the back. No darts, plus I've modified the shape. It's a much simpler pattern than the original, and fits me way better.



Also made my first skirt! The pattern (Butterick B4136) has a deceptive "Fast and Easy" description, but I discovered (after I bought it) that the skirt needed a zipper. Augh, zippers! I briefly considered leaving it until sometime in the future but then thought hey, why not give it a shot.

After I cut out the pieces, I used some of the leftover material to practice making zippers. The skirt required a hidden zipper, the kind where one flap of material covers the zipper itself.

I also had to teach myself how to change the regular sewing foot on my machine to a zipper foot, as well as figure out what a zipper foot was, and how to use it. The machine instruction booklet came in very handy, and everything worked out okay. I'm growing more and more comfortable with my new sewing machine. I'm even able to take apart some of the metals bits down in the gear-thingy section (my terminology sucks, I know) when thread gets tangled in there, AND put it all back together again.

Go, me! :-)



Anyway, I actually did manage to install the zipper okay, though I ended up improvising the finishing part (how it looks from the outside) since that bit wasn't in the pattern directions -- I guess it's assumed that the person making the skirt would already know how to properly finish putting in a zipper. I didn't, so my zipper section's pretty nasty-looking; I'll work on improving that in future skirts.

But hey, the skirt fits! Well enough that I'd wear this in public, even; unless someone bends over to inspect my butt, chances are low that the nasty zipper will be noticed much. Meanwhile, I'm going to find more fabric and keep practising this pattern; hopefully in the process, I'll get better with zippers and whatnot. I'm finding that actual act of sewing is relatively easy compared to the whatnot. :-)

Babylon Five Virgin Update:

SPOILER WARNING: The blog posts below focuses on my reports while watching Babylon Five for the first time. An LJ feed is also available. If you haven't seen B5 yet and don't want spoilers, please DO NOT click the links below.

Season 3, Episode 49: Voices of Authority
Season 3, Episode 50: Dust to Dust
Season 3, Episode 51: Exogenesis



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Davevisit

Ugh, I seem to have caught some bug. Crashed for most of the day, have regained consciousness enough to post a Blather.

I've sold out of my Letterpress cat cards in my Etsy shop, so have ordered more from Wales. I'm in the midst of working on some more designs for Blush Publishing, and am having fun with them.

For those who didn't have a chance to buy a copy at FilKONtario, Vixy's and Tony's CD, Thirteen, is now available on CDBaby! You can hear samples from all the tracks.



Today's Blatherpics are from Dave Clement's visit after FKO. It's always so wonderful to get time with Dave; we spent most of his visit hanging out, just the two of us, catching up on each other's lives. I'm so rarely able to spend one-on-one time with my out-of-town friends because of geography and everyone's schedules so every moment like this, especially with a friend like Dave, is so precious to me.

In case you missed it, here are 20 Things I Love About Dave Clement. There are so many more, of course, and the list just keeps getting longer over time.



Photo by Korak

During his visit, Dave showed Jeff and me his new PDA, and I found it highly enlightening to see how Dave reads Web pages. I'm going to be a lot more careful about always including ALT tags in my Blather posts from now on, for instance. Jeff helped Dave with some of the e-mail set-up.

I recently investigated the possibility of volunteering to do Braille music transcription for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Unfortunately the computerized training courses are only available for PC, not Mac. Also, taking the courses (which would be free) means a volunteer has to commit to 15 hours a week for at least 5 years -- that's more of a time commitment than I can make right now.

The CNIB is actively looking for music braille transcribers, however, so if you live in Toronto and are qualified (must have the ability to play the piano at the Grade VIII level (Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto) and have a knowledge of music theory at the Grade II level) and can make the commmitment, I urge you to find out more information.



On his last night here, Dave cooked a big pot o' his famous chili for Sue, Tom, Allison, Jodi, Marilisa, David, Jeff and me. His chili is the BEST. Walter dropped by after dinner, and we did some music later in the evening. 'Twas fun to see Allison and Marilisa do more loom bonding. :-)

And look, I even helped Marilisa with her loom knitted sweater:



Photo by Korak

It was Tom's and Sue's first dinner at someone else's house as a married couple!



Feeling a bit worse, so am going back to bed. Wish I had some of Dave's chili right now.



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Will Write For Chocolate

Yay for spring! I was getting SO TIRED of snow. Jeff did a ton of work out in the garden yesterday after work and filled eleven (11!) big leaf bags for collection this morning. Looks like the ice will be going out on Canoe Lake any day now. Looks like my prediction of May 4th in the annual ice-out poll is going to be way off.



I made the cute little handbag above on my sewing machine last night; I got the pattern from Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp. I used some of the fabric I bought at FilKONtario.

Anyway, I'm going to modify the pattern to make the bag deeper and with a longer handle that I can sling over my shoulder; I'm not really the 'cute little handbag' type, but wanted to try the pattern to see how it worked.

It was SUPER easy even though it required lining, and was so fun to do that I may eventually make some more to sell in my Etsy shop. The project requires something called a French seam, which sounds a lot more complicated than it is. You use it for the bottom of the bag, and basically requires you to turn the bag inside out twice, sewing the bottom seam each time. The second sewing hides the first seam. Very cool technique.

Of course, I still managed to sew the lining on the wrong side of the fabric the first time and had to unpick all the sewing, but at least I'm getting faster with the seam ripper after all this experience. :-)

Using my fancypants GPS-enabled pedomeer, I found out that the walk to and from our neighbourhood sewing supplies shop is about 4.6 km. It's one of my regular walks; not only is it good exercise, but it gives me an excuse to ogle sewing stuff. Yesterday I bought a snap fastener for the handbag; I'll be sewing that on tonight.



Above: one of my mom-in-law's cats after a particularly exhausting session on the Wii.

Getting together with Allison and Jodi tonight to do prep for our gig at Balticon in Baltimore, Maryland at the end of next month. So far it looks as if we'll be doing a concert, round-robin children's concert, a music workshop, and a literary theme filk. I'll also be participating in at least one comics panel.




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