Handbag Inspiration

Inspired by the handbag we had just raffled off, I decided I wanted to sew another one of my own, so I dusted off my old Miss Singer sewing machine and have been taking her for a whirl. I had all of the fabric already in my stash and a few weeks ago had found a set of three hand embroidered doilies in a charity shop in Broadstairs. That's what you see as the babushka's tummy. I think the whole purse must have cost less than 3 pounds ($5). Bargain!

Have you made something recently that was a great value for money?

I bought a Vintage Sewing Machine!

I finally bought a sewing machine! It's a vintage one from 1966! I had to trek in the snow uphill and downhill over train tracks and through an industrial estate to the wonderful lady who sold me this wonderful machine. I will post the story tomorrow because for tonight, I need to go to bed as I woke up this morning unable to sleep like a child on Christmas morning. I have worn myself out on the expectation of fun and not a stitch has been sewn yet in its new home. Just wait for tomorrow!

To buy or not to buy - the sewing machine

I need to vent about what's driving me crazy right now. On Saturday, I went to see a man about a sewing machine. The exact same model I grew up learning to sew on - a 1960's Singer. The shop owner said he had two and that he was going to get them ready and call me. Has he called? Nooooooo! You would think that in such bad economic times, shops would follow up with their customers. Now, I'm probably going to have to trek back there on Saturday and see if he will oblige me by showing me a machine. Or what the heck, maybe I'll just go buy new. I'm fighting against that because it's not linked to the happy days of sewing with my mother in the basement which we turned (the entire thing) into a sewing room. I wonder - is a new sewing machine better than a reliable old one?