Some Sewing Done

After I got the donations out of the way … Well, not really out of the way as much as got the pictures taken … and I ate my dinner of Honey Nut Cheerios, I sat down at Bubba. Well, first I did a little cleaning and then sat down at Bubba. You may or may not have realized that in about 7 weeks, I will be heading to a quilt retreat. (Oh, you didn't know? Have you been living under a rock? Just kidding! giggle) Anyway, all of these donations have been coming in and are starting to put a huge cramp in my style at the house! I'm also going to be hosting a few ladies from out of town. (Hi, Jen, Moneik, Cindy, Sherry, Maureen, Regina the I, Jennifer! Hmmm … I think I am missing someone! Am I missing someone?) This means that my condo needs to be in top shape.

I have made myself a list of things that need to be done in the condo before April 22 when the guests start arriving. I started working on the list on Wednesday night. Right now, my biggest job is putting all of the clothes back into the closet that my cousin renovated a little in December. All of the clothes that had been in the closet were moved to the bed in the spare room and this needs to be used in April (see the list of ladies above). So, the last couple of nights I have also been trying on the clothes as I put them in the closet so that I can make sure that I have the things that fit in the front of the closet and the things that will fit soon in easy reach, too. I think that I am more than half finished. At least, I hope that I am! Once I get the closet situated, most everything else should be a breeze.

After I finished with the clothes that I was working on last night, then I sat down at Bubba. (To those new to my blog, Bubba is my Brother machine that I do my everyday sewing on. Squiggy is the Mega Quilter for the quilt frame.) I had been working on some blocks for a couple of weeks, but since I was working at the shop so much I hadn't been able to finish them up. Last night was no different. I had 6 blocks prepped and I was able to get the rows sewn together on all of the blocks. I ironed a few of them, too, so they are ready to be sewn into completed blocks.

The past month or so, I have been hearing some strange sounds from Bubba. At the beginning of a sitting, he purrs like a kitten and everything is right with the world. As we progress, I can hear a low squeaking sound. It's almost like there is a gear or something grinding every time the needle goes down and not enough oil or grease to help with the friction. I have cleaned the insides out lots. I have oiled what I think can be oiled. I have changed the needle lots. And it continues. Now, if I leave him alone for 15 minutes of so and come back, it sounds fine again for a while. This is one reason why I haven't done much sewing. I asked at the machine place next to the shop about a cleaning and how quick they could be and they said 7 days. With my discount for working at the shop, the price comes out a little higher than the shop where I actually bought my machine, but he wouldn't be in the shop for 3 weeks. Plus, I should have him cleaned again before retreat. But then I think, I JUST had him cleaned before I went to Wisconsin. IN OCTOBER! Should he really need a cleaning this often? At $60 a cleaning? I'm hoping that nothing is wrong with him. Or maybe I should hope that something IS wrong with him to need a maintenance this soon. The machine is not even 2 years old.

So, I packed Bubba up last night instead of sewing the rows into blocks and he is in the back of my car right now. I am dropping him off at the machine shop on my way home from work tonight. And I will be able to get some cleaning done since I can't sew. Well, I'll keep telling myself that! :)