♫ Getting to know you ♪

Heather the Featherweight has been feeling tense lately and can't bring herself to form the nice stitches that I know she is capable of producing so I had to take her to her doctor, aka sewing machine repair.

I was leaving the shop, having a glance at the used machines, like I always do, when we made eye contact. My heart skipped a beat, a Bernina! I have never seen a  used Bernina there before. I had a talk with the owner of the shop and after heming and hawing and sniveling and whining and I don't knowing, she lowered the price to one I could live with. I called The Husband and begged and told him he never had to buy me another gift (something I assume he will forget before Christmas, hi honey!) he immediately said to buy it (which reminded me why I married him).

this is Princess

and this is Princess's wardrobe

Princess is her name and she is a Bernina 1080 Special and she was born in 1992 and I love her. She came with all original everything, and 12 feet, almost everything that I use on a regular basis, thank goodness, cause those suckers cost $$$$.  I will probably buy one of those clever adapters for short shank feet for the feet that weren't included. I will keep and continue to use my old machine as it does a few things that Princess doesn't.

I was able to justify the adoption of Princess as I haven't been thrilled with the stitch quality of the old Kenmore. The tension has been a problem lately as well, sometimes it is okay, sometimes not so much at all. Servicing didn't really help. And strangely, I only noticed now that I never named her, hmm, that says something, doesn't it?

It is so much fun learning how to use a new sewing machine. I am going to have a blast for the next few weeks. I will post again once I have a whole day off to play with her.

Don't you just love new toys?

So now this song is playing in my head, and yes, I know it isn't Julie Andrews singing.

"do you sew"

Mini Rant On

Three times this week people have volunteered me to sew for them. Two of them I just met for the first time. Where do they get the nerve? I want to buy some. 

The conversation usually starts like this:

"you sew, right?"

"yes"

I know what's coming next, and I'm sure you do too. At this point my emotional response varies from suppressed rage to disbelief, depending on my blood sugar level.

"I should get you to make me a _______."

or 

"I should get some material and get you to make me a ________."

When someone uses the word material, it irritates the hell out of me. I have always managed to resist the urge to get them to elaborate on what kind of material they are referring to, reading material, insulation material, plastic material, absorbent material, roofing material etc. I refer you to the Merriam Webster Dictionary for details. The term is FABRIC or CLOTH. Let's all say it together, FABRIC OR CLOTH. 

Depending on how well I know the person, and how much I like them, my response varies. But one thing remains constant, I never ever ever say sorry or make any kind of apology. I don`t have to, it is my time and I own it.

"I don't have enough time to sew all the things I want to sew for myself"

or

"I don't sew for other people unless I am married to them or we have some shared DNA."

This one can take some time for some people to understand. Seriously. Sometimes you can actually smell smoke.

or

"I don't sew for other people, it makes me suffer from anxiety."

or 

I pretend I didn't hear them and ignore them, this is the easiest, but least satisfying.

or,  combined with one of the other responses 

"I will teach you to sew and you can make it yourself."

or

"sure, would love to, that will take me around 4 hours, I charge $20 per hour, the pattern will cost $15, and the fabric will cost anywhere from $10-$20 per meter and it will take 2 meters, for a total of over a $135 and it could be more depending on the pattern. When do you want to go shopping for the fabric?"

So far no one has taken me up on the two responses. Thank god.

Why do people always always assume sewing ability is something they should get for free? You wouldn't say to a carpenter, I should get some building material and get you to build me a house, or to a plumber, I should get some copper material and get you to upgrade my master bathroom, or to a mechanic, I should get you to fix my car, it's been making a funny sound. And assume that they would be happy to do it for nothing. Why is sewing so undervalued?

So far this year I have been asked four times to sew for other people. Actually that isn't accurate, it has been assumed by four people this year that I would sew for them. Assumed. My blood pressure is rising just thinking about it. 

How often are you asked to sew for someone else? 

How do you respond when people ask/demand/beg you to sew for them? I would love to know how other people deal with this issue. Tell me.