a new sewing machine in the house

I am still baking cookies.  So many cookies!  I still feel like I am absorbing sugar through my skin.  I have not even gotten to most of my Christmas sewing.  But there is a new sewing machine in the house.  I am going to start playing with leather.

When I made the prototype chef roll with vintage fabrics, I realized that in actuality that a leather chef's roll would be faster to make because all the edges do not need to be finished.  I had to make a run to get D rings and when I did, I got a chance to play with this leather sewing machine.  I had Koda Bear with me and he could even make it work.  

You pull the lever down.  You have a stitch.  It can go through the thickness of leather you can get under the foot.  It is actually rather simple.

My everyday treadle machine cannot handle this thickness of material or this thickness of thread so this is a win.  I will say I keep giving advice and reading the manual to guide others, but so far I have not gotten a chance to play.  Bright shiny toy!  I will get that chance though.  

The other thing is that when we went looking for thread, I stumbled across an industrial treadle sewing machine.  It needs to be refurbished but someone is planning to do that.  I might just be getting one of that refurbishement ever happens!

first world problems

I went to start dinner last night and needed a recipe.  I have not memorized my sourdough biscuit recipe yet so I went to my blog.  This site was down!  I was more panicked that I could not get to my recipes then whether I could share my day or weekend with you!  That is how often I use my blog.  I usually have the recipe index up on my phone browser so while I am working in the kitchen my recipes are right there.  I am such a geek.  I do keep thinking that I should make hardcopy recipes in some form but I am not sure what.  And the recipes are still growing.

But I knew what recipe I used as a jumping off place and was able to pull that up for my biscuits.  My blog did come up last night but by the time it had, I was ready not to deal with a computer.  So, there was walk and an ice cream cone instead.  A simple slow life.  Some people call that the art of slow living.  I think of it just as an enjoyable evening.  I am odd.

Remember, I broke my favorite H crochet hook.  My replacement hook arrived!  I spent a few pennies on it.  It is a Furls.  My hands have been aching and they offer a hand health guarantee but I am finding in my limited usage that it is easier on my shoulder too.  I have been being careful about doing my shoulder exercises and stretches but I have noticed that crocheting for too long hurts the shoulder.  The shape of this hooks lets my hand and wrist relax more which is seeming to allow my shoulder to relax as well.  This is all good.  

Furls has a less expensive line then the handmade wood hooks.  I ordered some of those as well.  I will use them until I save the pennies for my most frequently used sizes to all be made in wood.  Tool junky.  I know.