It has arrived!

Just as the title indicates, the beast has arrived!

The portable case is AMAZING.  Look at that burled wood pattern!  I have a feeling that the wood sewing machine cases used to be actual wood, instead of just wallpaper on a substrate, but who knows?  I did see this type of case in a YouTube video about the sewing machine, so mine is not a one-off thing!

The wood paper is coming off - I think I may find something from work to use instead.

Now about the sewing machine itself.  It definitely is a child of its time (if I could figure out what time that was).  I've read that "Dressmaker" only made sewing machines in the 50's/60's/70's, so this machine is at least 40 years old.  Also, based on the controls, and the belts and motor being on the OUTSIDE of the machine, I think it may be even older.

The color is definitely of 40-50 years ago. Bleh.

The machine itself is a "Dressmaker Deluxe Zig Zag 133", and it was made in Japan.  I have not been able to find this machine on the Internet.  I learned that back then, a lot of machines were made in Japan, sent over here, and then a manufacturer would stamp their name on it.  I did find this machine also under the "Universal" brand name.  Since the machine didn't come with a book, I scoured the internet and found the book for the "Deluxe Zig-Zag Sewing Machine", with no manufacturer's tag on it.  It looks like the machine I have, so I've been following those directions.

The machine only has straight and zig zag stitch, and two controls are required to set the zig zag: you turn the control to the width you want, then you lock it in place with the other knob!  The machine also has a button on the front to control the feed dogs - the settings are "normal", "silk", and "embroidery".  That's definitely new to me, and something to play with!  Also interesting about the machine is the needle and the base plate.  The needle is on the left side of the foot (not centered in the middle), and it threads from left to right.  Also, the plate has no seam allowance markings on it, so I guess I will have to make my own!!  I wonder if I could perhaps find a plate for it that does have the allowances.  Close to my apartment we do have a sewing machine and vacuum repair shop, so I'm thinking of heading up there one day to ask some questions and perhaps get it cleaned up.  I also want to get some re-wiring done on the machine - the coating is a bit thin in some places.  I'd rather figure out how to do it myself, but we'll see if I actually do that.

I do have some projects I want to get started with on this machine.  First, dinner napkins.  I know, I know, super simple - but I want to figure out stitches and if I can do a straight line and if the tension is correct!  I also would like to make another ditty bag, as well as pillowcases for our existing pillows.  Check out our two fabric options:

We love foxes in this house!

Please note giant zucchini in the background.  Approximately the size of a human baby.

They are exceptionally different from one another, so I've pinned them up and put them in the living room to see how we like them.  I'm leaning towards the non-foxy one. It's blue, not black, but I think it's not too garish for our space.  It'll take me a while to get to it, I don't even have any zippers yet!

In knitting news, I did a couple of rows on my Honey Cowl, so it looks about the same.  I've also been asked to make some coasters for a friend, so I need to get on that since she's leaving in a few weeks.

That's about it for this week, see you next time!

The answer to last time's post is "no"

I'm baaack!  For today!  Who knows how long this will last!  Hopefully more than once every six months.  I do have some exciting news - I finished my Braid Shawl!  yayyyy!  My mom really liked it, but, uh, a wool shawl in Houston - not my best idea.  Hopefully she can use it once a year.  I think if I make her something again, I'll go with silk or cotton.

The shawl itself is a non-complicated knit, but I did get distracted periodically and not decrease at the right time, or I'd forget which row i was on in the pattern, so there are a few errors, probably only noticeable by me.  I think I would make the shawl taller next time, to wrap just a little bit more of the body.  I think I made it too long as well.  Plus, this is the first time I've blocked anything so big, so it was pretty hilarious.  I do love the color, and the Sweet Georgia yarn is great to work with.  The yarn was really even and consistent in quality.  The color variations were subtle and there were no drastic color changes once the shawl was completed.

Since then, I have started working on a Honey Cowl, in this beautiful super-variagated yarn from the Mineville Wool Project.  This yarn is sooo soft, and such a rich color, I had to use it in something that showed it off!  I think I cast on 150 stitches, because I wanted the color pattern to be continuous all the way around.  I am using size 7 Karbonz circulars, and a 20" cord (maybe?).  I am a little concerned about the project tho - won't it just curl at the top and bottom because it's all stockinette there?  Mine is definitely curling right now!

In other news - I've started a new hobby - sewing.  Woo!  I have taken two classes and made something last time I went home.  In the sewing classes, I made a small ditty bag (that I use every day to hold my phone, keys, and Smartcard as I walk to work), and some pajama shorts (also worn everyday).  The shorts are out of a non-stretchy cotton, and had a super high waist, so as they were first completed, I had to do a beautiful wiggle to get into the shorts.  Once I went home, I cut the top of the shorts off, and now they are too small in the back.  I need to learn how human body shapes work, lol.

The final project is a lunchbag I made at home with some fabric found in the house and a reusable grocery bag my BF got from his insurance company.  It was supposed to be the Purl Soho Button Lunch Bag, but since I was using two layers of fabric, and one layer was a plastic, it got too thick for me, and I ended up making it really simple.  I haven't yet added a closure method.  Either velcro or a snap-button I think.  The lunchbag fits my lunch perfectly - a 2-cup glass pyrex bowl, an apple, a boiled egg, and a Babybel cheese.  Pretty much what I eat every single day.

I can't sew right now, as I don't have a sewing machine, and I don't want to buy one of the new plastic ones.  However, talking about your dilemma sometimes brings solutions!  I will be getting a sewing machine today!  My boyfriend's parents are giving me their old Dressmaker.  I've not heard of the company (we have a Kenmore in my family).  Apparently it is a 40lb behemoth, and it has an amazing box with a whorled wood pattern.  Oh yeah, gotta love the 70s!

I'm also loving reading new-to-me sewing blogs: Closet Case Files (a great small business story, plus she always writes about other cool projects on the web on Sundays), lladybird (so many projects, with entertaining descriptions), While She Naps (really liking this for it's small business and blogging information! She also has a podcast that I listen to on my commute), Miss Maddy Sews (also many projects, even though she's young and in medial school! I feel so unaccomplished), and a few others.  I've been reducing my screen time recently, so I'm mostly emptying the sewing book shelves at my local library instead.

Alright, for not writing for months, I think this post is a pretty good one.  Hopefully I will write more often and show prettier pictures of finished objects!