Temptations
There are temptations everywhere. Sometimes I should probably resist and do manage to resist those temptations. There are times when I simply give in. If you have been following my latest sewing machine journey, then you know I gave in and bought the Bernina 990. Now I am struggling to incorporate my non-sewing commitments in with the siren call of that sewing machine, set up in my studio and begging me to sit down and sew.
Steep Learning Curve
I’ve never had an embroidery or long arm machine. The Bernina 990 is an embroidery machine and does some things that long arm machines do. The image above is my very first attempt at selecting, sizing and running a quilting motif on my own. The stitching took less than 5 minutes, but figuring out how to do it took me an hour. Bet I can set things up in under 15 minutes the next time I try, though.
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Tempted as I was to simply play with the Bernina 990, I did want to get my purple blocks sewn for July. Of course, this gave me the excuse to try out other features on the machine.
What Works Best?
The laser image below is a Bernina marketing photo. I love the laser. I find myself using it when chain piecing my blocks to verify I am beginning sewing exactly where I want to start.
Another feature I thought would be great for chain piecing is the hover. When the machine stops, the presser foot raises half way vs. staying down or raising fully. The advantage is that I can slide the next unit to be pieced under the foot, then when I start sewing again the foot comes down. That’s the theory. In practice, I decided I prefer to not use hover for this. However, it will be great, I think for appliqué and any time I want to pivot the work.
Maintaining a 1/4″ seam took some practice. In the past, I always used my 1/4″ foot as my guide. I did purchase that foot for the B 990, however, what I found works best for piecing is using the stitch plate in conjunction with the 1/4″ foot as the guide.
The stitch plate is marked every 1/8″ starting 1/4″ to the right and left of the needle when it is at the central position. The machine comes with three stitch plates. I thought I would like the one that only allows for a straight stitch (no zig zag) for seaming. However, I preferred the 5 mm stitch plate because more of the feed dogs are covered. This avoids fabric getting caught in the feed dogs and reduces the amount of threads and dust requiring extrication in the future. BTW, 5mm and 9mm are the width of the oval in the center of the plate. This determines how wide you can set your satin stitch, for example.
Question of the Week
What tempts you? How do you balance giving into temptation with staying true to other, especially less alluring, needs.
I’m linking up to the following posts:
What tempts me? Books, and cross-stitch patterns and supplies. The first is a life-long temptation; the second, fairly recent, as I’ve become enamoured with samplers, and the fabric and floss that are ‘called for’. And yarn…But that’s also been pretty much life-long! My “less alluring needs” include covering the cost of food, fuel (furnace and vehicle) and shelter…on a fairly fixed income. Enter the Cash Flow Spreadsheet, which I’ve kept for over 50 years — since the time I used a paper ledger instead of a computer. It keeps me on the straight and narrow!
Margaret, the more we share over the years, the more I discover things we have in common. Guess who is CFO here? I learned to main a simple budget when I was in primary school, as well as through my parents. So, one of my needs is making and monitoring entries in our ledger(s). Fortunately, I enjoy the process and like to be able to analyze financial decisions in an instant.
Books are a great temptation. For me they are as natural as breathing. I always have two going, an audiobook and an eBook. The audiobook travels with me as I wend my way around the house, be it folding laundry, composing a salad or getting dressed and undressed. It is also what I listen to as I work in the studio.
I always enjoy seeing what temptations you are working on.
Your first attempt at sizing a quilting design looks great to me! As for what tempts me. . .too many things!!! Some examples are a design of pattern that speaks to my eye, a technique I want to try or fine tune, a quilting design. . .well. . .the list is long!!!
The only thing I would do differently when stitching out a quilting motif is testing my skills at editing. I hadn’t realized there were two mini gaps in the stitching. I’m pretty sure I could close them up through the editing tool. Just one more nifty feature on the B 990.
Isn’t it wonderful how many quilting temptations there are? Probably why you and I, as well as many others, get the quilting bug and stick with it. There is always something new to try.
It sounds to me like your new Bernina can do everything! Just like any new technology, you’ll get better at it the more you use it. The hover feature is interesting – I hadn’t heard of that before. I do a lot of chain piecing and don’t raise the presser foot to put in the next set of blocks, so I think that would take some getting used to! What am I tempted by? I am an avid reader and would rather do that than just about anything – so I have to remind myself to get up and move! (I count sewing as moving because I am up and down between the cutting, sewing and pressing stations!:)
Well the B 990 can do almost everything. Imagine if it could do housework, silently while I stitched away. Won’t happen in my life time. 🙂
I’m not sure when Bernina introduced the hover feature. I think it was around 5 years ago based on YouTube videos about it. The huge advantage is you can hover the presser foot without ever taking your hands off your work.
Seems there are quite a few avid readers who quilt or quilters who are avid readers. I read and move, because I listen to far more books than I actually read in print. Have the books queued up on my iPad and listen via blue tooth with ear buds.
Yes, there is a fair amount of activity moving around the studio.
I am totally enjoying hearing about your experiences with the 990. I love the stitch out that you did! Interesting take on the 5mm plate.
I thought I knew stitch plates before I bought the B 990. I didn’t. The only way for me to truly understand what works and doesn’t work for me is to do it and preferably at home in my studio. Never would I have guessed that the 5 mm stitch plate would be my go to. I also love that the screen tells me which stitch plate I am using. No doubt I will be sharing more discoveries as I learn about my machine.
Isn’t that a pretty quilting motif? Imagine the possibilities. I can see stitching out a motif oversized and then filing it in with FMQ. The possibilities are endless.
I can’t play until my “have tos” are done. I’m unable to relax and play if I have them nagging at me. So the goal is to not have alot of “have tos” . Easier said than done! Looks like you are having great fun learning what your new tool will do.
I hear you. Some of us just can’t have fun until the must dos are out of our head and complete. One of my best tools is my reminders aka to do list on my computer. All the musts and wants go there. Every day I prioritize that day’s list and work through them. If they don’t get gone, they are moved forward to the next logical day. I keep my three studio days pretty much reminder and appointment free. Yes, this does allow me to have fun learning all about my new sewing machine.
How fun to play with your new machine and discover its secret talents! As for temptations, I love starting new projects and really need to finish some UFO’s that have been hanging around in my sewing room for too long. I usually have an audiobook and a paper book on the go at any one time. I listen to the audiobook when I’m alone in the car and when I’m out walking and sometimes when I’m sewing.
Oh, I love that the idea of my machine having secret talents. It really does feel that way.
There is something so enticing about a new project. The possibilities are endless. One comment I hear frequently when sharing my work is, “I wouldn’t have the patience to do what you do.” I get it. Part of the joy is the repetitiveness of stitching and piecing. It doesn’t provide quite the excitement of starting something new. Hence, like you, I constantly have an audiobook running while I work.
Have fun with your new machine! You are going to actually use your machine to create. I see a lot of people buy an embroidery/sewing machine then not use it to its potential.
In the summer it takes will power to spend time in my sewing studio. I’d rather spend time outside listening to the birds and admiring my flowers while I applique. I’ve always enjoyed mowing yard and I love green grass. I can take the heat which is fortunate when we needed to bale hay and the heat index factor was over 100*. I piece a lot more quilts in the winter months than the summer.
It makes sense that since you work a farm, winter would be your go quilting time. I wish I had your stamina for the heat. We do get out, walk the neighborhood loop, approximately 4 miles around, about the time the sunrises. That is my favorite time of day, when most of the human animals are getting a bit more sleep, but the birds and wildlife are out about. Lots of turkeys and few deer this morning.
I did debate long and hard whether to get the B990 with embroidery attachment or settle for the B880 which is the same machine, basically, but with no embroidery and therefore no preprogrammed quilting motifs. I caved for the more robust machine because I felt letting the machine do more work would be wise as my own skills deteriorate with age. I like that even though the machine does much of the work, I am still in control of the creative process.
A new machine with lots of new capabilities – how fun!! You’ll have it mastered before you know it.
Sara, I wish I had have the confidence in me that you have. Thanks for the encouragement.
Dark Chocolate is the biggest temptation. I limit myself to one brand in dark chocolate and one local restaurant for their dark chocolate cake. Everything else is not worth it 🙂
Another dark chocolate fan here, Preeti. I have an ounce or two, maybe more daily.Then there was last weekend’s mini vacation. I caved and ate a slice of decadent dark chocolate cake. It was like eating the inside of a chocolate truffle filled with ganache. Yum. I don’t regret a bite. Good to hear you indulge yourself occasionally, as well.
Reading your description of your new machine makes me realize how much I don’t know about sewing machines despite having used one for over 40 years. What tempts me is working on a wide variety of cross-stitch, quilt, knit and crochet patterns as well as baking and reading. Thankfully I am retired and have a husband who doesn’t mind vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms. I will dust and cook.
Cathie, I started quilting exactly 40 years ago, too. There was an awful lot I didn’t know when I started. I’ve learned a fair amount over the years. Yet, there is so much more I continue to learn about. Machines have come a long way from the Singer Featherweight treadle machines.
The SEDOSO and I recently celebrated our 50th anniversary. I’m beginning to wonder if the secret to our longevity and your marriage is our spouse help with housework.
The laser looks cool! Great way to see where the needle will hit the fabric. Interesting feature about the presser foot too, sounds great. Have fun playing with your new machine! Thank you for sharing your tests and linking up.
I agree about the laser. It is especially helpful when you want to overlap embroidery motifs. The instructor at the sewing center where I bought the machine was particularly enamored with the hover feature. She makes embroidered bags and custom clothing.
Always a treat to see what you are working on Frederique.
That laser sounds like a great feature, Gwyned!!! And the hover!!! Interesting how they continue to come up with amazing new features for sewing machines! Your motif looks great!!!
Yes, the latest features Bernina has come up with in recent years are totally amazing. A few other high end machines have similar features, but what made the difference to me between the Bernina and the other machine, is just how customizable the Bernina is. Just about everything can be tweaked to your liking and than deleted if you don’t want to use it again, or saved for repeat use. I’ll write more about that next week.
I’m glad you liked the motif. I am looking forward to learning how to use such motifs in a similar fashion to either pantographs or custom quilting.
oh but that is a fun temptation isn’t it? haha ! your purples are so pretty. – what tempts me? everything!! my dogs, the horse, reading… but there are distractions that get me – I have to water the trees and then I see…. squirrels haha
The B 990 is fun with a side of frustration. Lots to learn. Sounds like you have many delightful temptations to enjoy, Alycia.
It takes time to learn a machine and become full comfortable with it. Be patient with yourself and as you said, you’ll get faster as you are more familiar with it. As for temptation… it depends on the situation. If I really, really need to tackle a household chore, I give myself 1 hour to work on it… and then reward myself with a time of sewing for screen time. 😉
Thanks for joining my Sew & Tell party
Your comment is to become comfortable. I did have some fun yesterday. We had guests for lunch. One of them, although not a sewer, but a love all things mechanical when he learned about the self threading feature asked for a demo. I was able to do that quite comfortably.
Melva, you and I are alike with the tackle a less desirable task followed by the reward. Temptations make great rewards.