IT HAD BEEN LYING SULKING, tucked away from view in my sewing machine tool box since 1995, waiting to be discovered. You know the sort of thing I'm talking about - it looks useful and you always mean to check it out, but life throws up much more important things and it remains in its hidey hole.
Well, I was reading one of my favourite blogs, Flossie Teacakes, the other day (http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/) and there, under the heading of Gadgety Goodness, was the twin of my much neglected gadget. "Aha! So that's what it's for!" I said aloud. I can't begin to tell you what a difference it has made to my life. Prior to this, I had been measuring hems of hundreds of garments using my trusty old tape measure, continuously muttering under my breath, "Two and a half inches and a bit", or whatever obscure measurement I needed. Now, my mind is freed from the numbers mantra as I whiz around the bottom of garments with Super Gauge, which once set at a particular measurement, never lets me down.
And then the eureka moment came. I could also use it on buttonholes. My automatic buttonhole foot had a habit of dying and was revived by the sewing machine mechanic so many times that in the end I gave up. I had been using the manual buttonhole foot, but it was a minefield getting the exact same measurement on multiple buttonholes. Now all that is in the past. I set the gauge, line it up on the fabric to mark with a couple of pins, and away I go. Of course, you are probably well aware of the joys of Super Gauge, but to me it's almost as good as eating a cupcake with my morning coffee. Almost.
Flossy Teacakes also raved about the wonders of the quarter inch foot. At least I knew all about this little beauty, as I have used it for years making quilts. In fact, it is almost permanently attached to the machine and has earned its keep many times over.
Now if only I knew what this is for:
Perhaps I should look it up in the manual. I know it's lying around somewhere ...
I had sold a few dresses over the last couple of weeks, so it was time to get cracking on some new stock. I completed the first one using the Anna Maria Horner fabric which was crying out for attention. I decided it would look pretty as a sundress and made it in a size 4.
Next to grab my attention was the stash of Sandi Henderson's fabrics which I had recently purchased, and so I cut out two dresses. One is completed - size 5 ....
... and the other will have to wait a day or two.
I'm putting the left-over scraps into the challenge quilt which I have to complete by the end of the month. Well, I've made two blocks - but they're big blocks!
