Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Frustration in Spades

I have been So frustrated that I haven't blogged or sewed much in the last 3 weeks. Where we left off was after I had ordered a new bobbin case, having decided that this was the cause of my thread breaking problems. I got the new case and was so happy about it. Then I looked at both cases together and they looked identical so I wasn't so happy any more about solving my problem so easily. Then it got worse. I put the new case in the machine and it turns out is was ever so slightly a tiny bit bigger than the existing case and didn't even let the thread under the thingies that held it in place. I played with it for ages, putting in the old one and watching how the threads moved and putting in the new one and watching how they got stuck.

I finally decided that I would eventually take the new case back as unfit for the purpose and started to sew again with the old case. Aaargh! Now the thread breaks even more often. I sewed two seams around an armscye today and the thread broke six times. So okay, I know something is wrong and I have to take the machine in for servicing.

My big problem is not having a car so I can't lug the machine easily to a repair person. And anyway, the last time I took the Singer in for servicing was some years ago when I had a thread tension problem but the Singer store doesn't exist any more so I don't even know where to go. I have actually contemplated taking a course on how to repair sewing machines so I can fix the wretched thing myself.

I am also thinking that I will buy an inexpensive but common brand of machine at a place like Sears so, when I Do need to take it in, I can get there easily enough, etc. I feel like I have been banging my head against the wall. And I think I feel that way because it is Just a thread breaking and I can't stand that I can't figure it out myself. Aargh again.

To add insult to injury, I am so un-enamoured with the boring grey flannel that I have been avoiding finishing it. I bought some fun purple and white stuff to make a tailored winter coat that will go to about -10C and I can't sew it because of my Rule (no new projects till the existing one is done). So blogging will be light until I make a decision about the old machine and possibly a new one.