Thursday 24 January 2008

Multi-tasking day

Spent most of today working on the paper bag pieces. Still not finished yet but stitching the edges on one of them led to fixing a problem.
I have some very unfriendly and difficult metallic machine threads - a cheap version of Madiera FX 20 but they are in pastel colours and more delicate than FS. I love them but they twist and tangle as they feed off the cop. I have tried them horizontal, vertical, and with a net over them but they still twist and tangle. To overcome this, I usually loop it round my finger to feed it off the cop. This means it is difficult to stitch trying to watch both so I suggested to my OH that I could do with something which would do the finger holding bit. He disappeared out to the garage and came back with some thin rod and tools and made me an attachment. It works brilliantly - not one single twist or tangle.He also made the block to feed off 3 cones and another block for large cones. They fit into the top of the machine. The metal loop coming from the bock to the front of the cop is the gadget he made me. It keeps the thread feeding at right angles. So simple but it solved the problem. He is sooooo handy. I've lost count of all the gadgets he has made for me to solve problems or just make things easier.

I printed out my book - all 80 pages of it but only on draft quality so that I can make the changes, inserts and move things around. I find it easier than flicking from page to page on screen. The publisher has my printed copy. I received more answers to queries I had today so I can get on with it now.
At one point during today I was machining, printing and trying to watch the ice skating all at the same time.

Need to do some colour matching for the paper bag pieces so will have to wait until daylight to get it right.
Still time to do a few more other things.

2 comments:

Purple Missus said...

What a brilliant idea Shirley. I have some threads like this and often I have got to the point of binning them! Husbands definitely are handy to have around :)
I'm still intrigued by the paper bag project - looking forward to seeing it finished now.

sharon young said...

Hi Shirley
Now that is a handy gadget, showed it to my OH and said "why don't you make me things like that", wrong thing to say, especially on his B-day,he just looked at me and said "I do'", of course I'd forgotten all those bizarre things he made for me when I was at college!! Felt very guilty!!
Looks like you're very organised re the book, don't think I'd be so up together.
Glad you liked the blog post, maybe we'll get to meet when we're up there again this June.