My recent crafting...

Okay I had a birthday.... and so I came across this sewing machine in a magazine that I thought a bargain for all that it does. I had a free arm machine before moving here, but with the move and all I left it behind, besides the electrics aren't the same. So finally after 12 or so years, I finally got a new sewing machine. I did buy an older used machine when I first moved here and it is still a good machine and now my back up machine, but it doesn't have a free arm or any fancy stitches other than straight and zig zag. But it is still a machine worth hanging onto. But this post is about my new machine.....

It is a Toyota. I know they make good cars. And after using this machine they make great sewing machines too!!!! I bought mine from this website. http://www.home-sewing.com/
And it was delivered in a few days time. It not only has the lovely free arm but has a preprogrammed button hole settings. And and and!!!! it does the over locking stitch!!! I was really really excited about this. I had looked at over locking machines and admired them and dreamed that maybe one day I might get one. But really couldn't see why I coveted a machine that only did one type of stitch. So put off getting one. Now my new sewing machine does it and alot more!!! There is one down fall to this machine that I have found, but really if all said and done, to me it isn't really, is that it has no way of changing stitch size. The stitches are preset to a dial. You have a straight stitch but there are three straight stitches. Only three nothing in between. I can live with that. There is also a great mending stitch and I have used that for several projects that have been patiently waiting attention. I now have jeans that are in fashion again, with mended patches and our bed throws from the pouncing cats to ward off the bed mice have all been mended. The one that was beyond mending has now been made into everyday napkins. A great way to save on using kitchen towels. And also made into two laundry bags as our old cat scratched laundry hamper has now seen it's last days.
I have plans for this new machine!!! Little outfits for my grand daughter, and back to sewing quilts and making bags and all sorts of useful things for the home. So watch this space.

On the card making side of things I have been busy with a contest again on my ebay group. We made cards for the Marie Curie Charity. And had a little contest between ourselves with the cards going to Marie Curie. This card is one of the extra cards I made to send along.

And these two are cards I made for the competition.

I didn't win this time. The ones that did were superb!!!! All the cards were very clever and cute and I know will make good money for the charity. Now to get back to making some cards for me to send out again and for my friend who looks after all the critters down there in Cornwall. :)