Recently my sewing machine has been acting up. It has a computer on board – doesn’t everything these days? It isn’t acting up in the “Machines are rising up to take over the world” sort of way, thankfully. More in the “You want me to do what?” sort of way. Many years ago, I had aspirations of quilting one day. Not right away as I told every dealer I encountered but one day. I visited a huge sewing show in Toronto which allowed me to visit all of the big manufacturers under one roof. Bonus! I know what you are thinking – how confusing! Actually as a newbie sewer, or sewist as I understand I should be saying, it was confusing. But by the time I was at the 3rd booth it was less confusing. In fact I was starting to feel a bit as if I knew what I was talking about – ah confidence, there you are! Anyway. After a full day, I had found my new baby and was walking out the door with the machine of my dreams (?) and full of confidence that I could figure it out. And figure it out I did! It was a brand-new Janome 2030 QDC. And then last year, I decided to start sewing with my handwovens. My lovely machine has been plodding dutifully along and doing a great job. Through purse after purse after purse. But now it is tired. It still wants to sew but it is plodding, and coughing (not literally but in weird unexpected ways). So I have been researching and comparing and calling and researching some more. And it turns out everyone is doing the same! The sewing machine stores are crazy busy. The first poor woman I called was almost breathless and did her best to quickly answer my questions all the while watching her orders pile up behind her. It seems everyone wants to make masks.

 I would like another Janome. I have loved my first one! But I need something stronger than my nearly entry level machine, something semi-professional, a workhorse to last for years and years. And now the kicker – pricey! I know what I want based on talking to other people who sew with handwovens, so I have started to save my pennies. Oh and I did try my hand at quilting. I think like beautiful gardens they will be always be something I can admire from afar, but my talents lie elsewhere. Happy creating, whatever it is you do that makes you happy.