lately, part 2: making and remaking

my old friend (the macbook) and my new pal (with the freearm sewing set-up)

isn't she lovely?

my first project came from this book

in progress (completed picture to come when it's, well, completed)

&

Inspired by New Dress a Day, this...

minus this...

plus a belt I had became this:

Now the only thing left to do is iron my new tunic top & steam my new dress.

Both were made for the combined total of a few dollars--literally, a few dollars.

and this, friends, is why I love my new sewing machine.  You can expect a gushy post about how much I love it later (maybe, probably not). I don't know how it is with longevity, but I've read good, good things about Janomes, and picked this one because it's a slightly older, factory refurbished model and got good reviews from people who've had the same kind for a couple of years.  I do know that it keeps thread tension well, is easy to thread, and that I really, really like having the free arm (i.e. open underneath) design.  The machine is also pretty quiet and doesn't make to much of that pounding sound that older machines do.  Plus it's lightweight, so I no longer feel like I'm dragging out the sewing machine.

And there you have a gushy post about how much I adore my new sewing machine.