Wednesday, October 01, 2008

My Trusty Elna sewing machine.

I've had the trusty elna sewing machine out in the past few weeks giving it a work out. I got inspired to sew again with the swap I joined and now the bug has bitten. It has been years since I have sewn anything but I'm back and loving it more than I did before. It has to be at least 15 years since the last time I sewed up a storm. I am finding I've got heaps more patients than before. I had to give my wonderful FIL a call twice to be my sewing machine repair man. The first time because the machine was making a CLUNK CLUNK noise that just didn't sound right, the second time because the foot pedal would only go full speed, and this was just too fast. But all is now fixed, and I'm sewing up a storm.

Here is a bit of history about this old baby, I got it as a 21st birthday present in 1984, and it was already at least 10 years old then. But with a little oil it is still working like a dream at 34 years old. It does all that I need it too.

I have been busy working on my Chrissy presents, I have decided to make all my presents this year. We'll see how this goes, I'm up to my 5th Apron, Here is a photo of the first one I made for Imogen. Imogen is 10 in December and she loves to bake. (thankyou to my model Nicky who proudly modelled my creation).


I have made 4 others but they aren't completely finished so I will show them off when they are. I still have to do the hand sewing on the front of them all.
I also want to make a couple of special little girls in my life a cloth doll each, below is my failed attempt. The head just wouldn't work for me so it is in the too hard basket for now until I work out what and how to do it. I downloaded the pattern from I cannot recall where, and it was a easy to follow pattern but the head was deformed, so it is a "Wednesday Adams" doll at he moment.

I went to Spotlight and picked up a vogue pattern, hopefully this will work better.

Bye for now

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely apron, Tracie. I hope the Vogue pattern is easier to use.

Cheryl@Gingerbread Crafts said...

It is a great apron Tracie.

I got a sewing machine for my 18th birthday, a Waltons Celestial: oops showing my age here, Waltons haven't been around for years. I would probably still have it but lent it to a neigbour just before I moved, I went back to get it and found they had moved too. Both of my sisters got a machine for our 18th, I'm the only who got any use out of mine.
I do like your Wednesday doll, I have a decapitated snowman that I've not gotten around to finishing, it's been 4 - 5 years that the poor thing and it's head have been lying around. Really must get it done this year.

Anonymous said...

I love the apron, but that is one scary doll!

Kate

white_lilly said...

Nice apron! how did you put Imogen's name on the front.
I picked up, for free a really old singer machine for my daughter at a garage sale, the only problem it makes also a clunk clunk noise when you sew, If yours was easy to fix this might be also.

Sue

Kristin-Homemaker@Heart said...

you've been tagged my dear. come to my blog for instructions.

Tracy said...

Funny you should mention ~ I enjoy sewing more now than I did when I was younger too.

I have a feeling it might be the inspiration of some wonderful sewing bloggers who post their sewing projects for me to peek at!

Cheryl@Gingerbread Crafts said...

Mum had an Elna machine, it was a nice little lightweight model, problem was she could never get it sew properly. After so much frustration she put it away and didn't sew for years. One day she decided to get it looked at and took it to her friend, an Elna Rep. The only thing was that wrong with it was a PEBCAM fault ( stands for Problem Exists Between Chair And Machine), apparently Mum had never threaded it right. As soon as it was threaded right it sewed beautifully.

Jess W said...

Hi, I have just seen your picture of your ELNA, and it is just the same as mine! could you tell me what 4 digit code your one has because i need to find out more about it. like it really would be helpful to get some instructions!
Jess, UK