Holiday Sewing, New Sewing Machine, Secret Handbags & The Birds and the BEES!

My new Christmas coffee table runner. 

I've been having some great fun with my new sewing machine. This is a cute and table runner I made from an old charm pack I got years ago.  All it needed was some binding and my Juki zipped through it like lightening.

Yes, that's right, I have another machine. My Pfaff Ambition 1.5 and I are on a break. That's right, the Brain has be kicked to the curb and designated "back up" machine. I know, our relationship is only 1 year old, but although I have heard raving reviews about the IDT, mine was not quilting great for me and it always pushed the top layer. So frustrating!! I changed the presser foot tension, I pinned and pinned AND spray basted at the same time. Still sliding. Also, being a bag maker, I needed a better motor that would go through anything and I got that with my new Juki TL2010Q. Love her!

Pinky and the Brain are still part of my life and will be used often. Pinky for heavy leather, the Brain for free arm, zig zag, button holes and every other stitch. But, after reading review after review about this great straight stitch, mechanical, Juki - I knew I had to have one.

Sara from Sew Sweetness's sewing machine review tipped me over the edge and put me on the google search war path. Yes, I am keeping up with the Joneses, or Saras. Being in Canada, I could not order from Sew Vac Direct, but after much searching, I did find a machine at Sewing and Embroidery Warehouse out of Winnipeg.  The call was made, and after requesting a discount and extra bobbins, the lovely ladies in sales sent me out the machine the same day and I had it from Winnipeg 3 days later. I have to say, my life has changed.  It just.. is.. wow!!

Secret Handbags:
After finally setting up my "Bag Makers Sewing Supplies" section in my website shop, I am finally able to get to some sewing today. I am working on a bag pattern for a Spring issue of a Canadian quilting magazine.  It's a bit of a secret.... and I'm pretty excited about it because: a) I love the bag and b) I am going to be in a magazine! Whoop!

I've already made one sample and I'm working on another to send while doing instructions.  Instructions will mostly be digital diagrams, so not too many photos to take and that's good because the lighting is terrible today. Here is poor quality teaser:

OH my gosh I have to tell you what happened this morning.  It's hard having a husband working away because I can't just run and tell him something when I want to, but this is cute so you will have to hear it.

I was working on this blog post this morning before my son woke up for school and after I got him up, I put it aside and got him off to school.  Now I am back at it, with a smile on my face because that kid is so darn funny and OH MY we need to teach him about the birds and the bees.  I am just NOT READY!

My girls are 21 and 23 and on their own and poor Jace (8) is on his own here. He was saying he wished he had a brother, because he is bored and this is the conversation that happened:

Me:    "Well hon, Daddy and I wanted you to have a brother or sister and we really tried but we just couldn't."  Immediately I knew that this was going to lead to more questions because I didn't phrase that one quite right.  I thought that it was time I was straight with him.  I need to provide him with a little more knowledge, but not too much quite yet.

Jace:  "Well why not?"
Me:    "Well, I was just too old to have more kids."
Jace:  "How do you make the baby anyway?"
Thoughts:  Crap, Crap... darn it... I am not ready for this 10 minutes before he is supposed to get on the school bus, or ever. Delay, delay... deal with this later.  Oh darn, I have put this off long enough!
Me:    "....stammer..... uh....uh... well the Mom and Dad make it together."
Thoughts:  Ooops bad, bad.  No time for this!! Ack.  Please don't ask, please don't ask!
Jace:   "Do you drink special baby juice?"
Me:     "What?!"  pause.... gulp.... "Drink it? No, you don't drink it."
Thoughts:  Why did I say that?
Jace:    "What?!"
Thoughts:  Oh my!  What am I going to say now?
Jace:    "Can I have an orange in my lunch? Can you peel it?"
Me:      "Yes, I'll send a Christmas napkin with it! How about cookies!"

I did not handle that well. Again.
Can any of you recommend an age appropriate reproduction book for me to read to him??  I can't do this!

Okay, I am going to fill my hardware orders and SEW!!