Kate vs. the Sewing Machine- Part One

So my arch nemesis and I met on the battlefield today to make curtains (an easier get back in the groove project than diapers).  Things were actually going quite well, then slowly but surely the machine got the upper hand.  Here's how it played out.

First, I was doing well getting my fabric for our curtains prepped and ready to go.  I was proud of myself.  As someone who cannot cut in a straight line, I really pulled it off.  Yay me.  Then I started sewing.  Now Mom had gotten the machine ready and had worked on it awhile.  I mean it's been sitting for about a year without any care.  She changed the needle and helped me oil it etc.  She even got the tension set and did some practice runs to make sure it was looking good (and it was).  Well, she had to leave and I was left alone...first clue that something was going to go wrong.  My first issue was keeping it straight.  I've never been good at keeping things even, other than baking...but on a whole my mistakes were sort of small and only noticeable to someone inspecting the work up close.  Hanging on the wall, not so much.  So while disappointed in myself, I thought it'll do or I'll fix it later.  I started my next one and disaster struck mid-way (and I was doing MUCH better this time).  My machine jammed.  I ripped out the seams, checked it and tried again.  Jammed again.  This continued...and continued...and finally I called Mom.  It seems something is wrong with the machine.  ARG!

Right before disaster struck.

At least I'm not a total failure, but it stopped working mid-way through curtain number two.  So now I have one valance and no way to finish until Mom can either fix the machine or let me borrow hers.  Now since she is making the baby's coming home outfit, it's looking like I need to get mine fixed.  I'd love to get a new one, as this one has been in our family for quite awhile.  It was my Mom's when she was younger, and then traveled to three more homes before reaching mine.  I'm afraid ever since reaching mine it's had some problems. But I know it's a good machine...and capable of everything I need (as a novice).  Plus it doesn't help that I can't justify dropping 200 on a sewing machine right now (I mean, I doubt I'll be sewing much more than curtains, diapers, and a few dresses for the girls in the coming months).  Or 400 for that matter, since if I was to buy one I'd want a Bernina like my mom.  Those are the Rolls-Royce of sewing machines.  You may say, 400 for a Rolls-Royce?  Sounds like a steal, right?  You are right.  That's a used one online from ebay.  A basic one brand new, no embroidery capabilities...try 800 (and boy, how cool would it be to have embroidery functions?).  Yep, it's looking like me and Mr. Kenmore need to get close and figure out what his deal is...well, really I need Mom's help on that one, but still you get the idea.

Probably the most irritating aspect of this whole thing, is knowing what I can do...I mean, 6 months ago I was performing brain surgery on rats almost everyday.  I'm a pro with a dremmel. That's right, I can pop through a skull and not bust through the dura.  To boot, I can construct an electrode using a microscope and a heat gun.  Even harder, I can cut a carbon fiber to 50 um, lodged in a micropipette without breaking the glass seal...all with a microscope and a scapel.  I can even remove a hippocampus so fast and trim it down under a dissecting microscope that the tissue survives.  But somehow, basic sewing machine care and function has escaped me.  Somewhere along the line I wasn't give the ability to cut straight...I mean, come on?!?  But I guess all these things come with practice...I mean it took me a month to cut an carbon fiber reliably.  I just hope it doesn't take me that long to remaster the straight seam. ;)  

Sewing machine- 1  Kate- 0