Happy Blog-a-versary to Me

Thanks everyone for a great first year of blogging.  I've really enjoyed the process and I'm looking forward to more years to come.  This blog has helped me focus on what was important and interesting to me artistically.  It has held me accountable to myself by creating a record of my artistic journey.  In this past year, I have gone further than I thought I could.  I'm looking forward to another year of daring greatly as an artist.  I hope you'll join me.

Meanwhile, my trusty White 2999 is in the shop for repairs to the feed dogs (is there any better term?)  So Ellis and I are rocking our vintage pink Homemark De Luxe Zig Zag 1620.  

She's pretty and she works pretty well for what she is.  Sarah and I picked her up at a garage sale in Pittsburgh for cheap, like possibly $5?  I learned to sew on it after having it serviced.  It was the first machine I sewed on with confidence.  I still love this machine, partially because it's pink and and partially because it was the beginning of so much for me.

Ellis and I had a good time practicing together.  I confess, it took me awhile to remember how to work it.  Although I do have the manual somewhere, it's not with the machine (mistake).  An hour into the process, I figured out how to zig zag, and we were off.  Ellis can't reach the pedal, so I controlled the speed and he did the steering.

Please note that he has wrapped an old machine belt around his neck.  Very punk rock, no?

I'm not sure when my new machine is coming back and I'm really wanting to get some work done.  I'm going to try to stitch a towel with the Homemark in the meantime.

I must say, the Homemark's zigzag creates a more interesting line than the White.  If I can get the precision from it, these towels will be really cool.