My new toy

Alright, Polly and Sandy. You can stop using your intellectual cattle
prods on me. I have finally crossed over into the realm of the serious
quilter. I just got back from my Bernina Dealer with a lovely little
box 8" x 6" x2" in size. You already know it is too small to house a
new sewing machine, so what could it be? Well silly you, It is a
Bernina BSR stitch regulator foot. Yes, I know I said I didn't think
that I would ever buy one, but I am a weak and lustful man, when it
comes to toys. I have tried to do background quilting, freehand, but
the results were, at best, not up to my standards: whatever they are.
This little box of joy should elevate my efforts into the realm of the
sublime; or at least acceptable. I can't wait to fire this bad boy up
and see if I can quilt like the big boys, or girls, do. No more stitch
in the ditch for me. From now on, it is Katy bar the door and full
speed ahead. Well maybe not no more stitch in the ditch, but only when
it is appropriate to the design.
The other thing I have come across, in my fevered wanderings over the
internet, is free motion machine embroidery. Specifically sites by
Allison Holt, and Doreen Currran. These 2 gals, separately, turn the
sewing machine into a paint brush. They both use a mechanical sewing
machine with just the needle to turn out the most amazing floral and
landscape embroidery. By manipulation of the width setting by constant
adjustment during the embroidery process, they are able to paint a
picture with thread. I realize that they have only been at it for
about 25 years, but the results are stunning. So I said, heck I have a
Bernina mechanical with a rotary dial, so why not give it a try. I did
and you know what, the first effort was not half bad. I think with
practice and lots of it, you can learn to coordinate the 2 hands into
one fluid motion of embroidery creativity. I am going to leave the
1008 set up for just this sort of thing and practice it as much as I
can, I ordered a couple of books by these gals, and when they do get
here, there should be plenty to learn from them. There is always a new
direction that this whole sewing business takes me. It is an endless
pool of new and exciting experience, and I am happily exploring as
much of It as I can. So Sandy and Polly, you only have yourself to
blame for launching me on this dizzying spiral upward into the higher
reaches of quilting. And, all I can say to you is , Thanks.

John