My Bernina is Back!

Hi Everyone,

I finally got my Bernina back from the shop on Saturday!!  They called Thursday afternoon that it was done, but by then it was rush-hour traffic and on Friday I was busy having fun, so I was the first person at the shop door when they opened on Saturday.  It ended up being a bit of a repair--not just a cleaning and adjustment.  He said that the hand wheel was getting stripped from use.  "It looks like you use this machine a lot." (ha ha--truer words have never been spoken.)

Actually, there is a bit of a funny story about going to get it.  That morning my husband was planning to go to one of his favorite stores (Harbor Freight--a tool/hardware store) and I was going to Bernina.  HF is on the way to Bernina, so I asked him if  he wanted us to go together to both places or should we go separately.  (I was sort of pulling for separate because I don't really like the smell in HF.)  He thought it over and said he wouldn't mind going together if "all you do is go in, get the machine, pay, and leave, but I don't think that will happen."  (The Bernina shop is also a quilt store.)  I replied that I really didn't need anything and my plan was to do just that.  But then we realized that the Bernina shop didn't open for another hour (it was 9 AM at the time) so that clinched it:  we would go separately.  As he was leaving, he said "I will probably be home before you even leave."  I could not resist throwing his previous words right back at him, so I replied, "What, are you just going in to get the thing you need and pay and leave?"  He was stunned for a second, then laughed, and then added that no, he was probably going to have a good look-around. 

Once I was home again,  (and actually, I did look around and bought a few other things...) I excitedly brought the machine in from the car and just left it downstairs.   My sewing room was such a mess that I decided then and there to not take the machine upstairs until I thoroughly cleaned the entire room.  I dusted away cobwebs from the ceiling and floor, I vacuumed up all the threads and fuzz and bits of fabric from the floor.  I straightened the stuff on the shelves.  I purged some of the junk!  I cleaned off the cutting table (which had been piled with stuff.)  I had piles everywhere that I dealt with!  I hung some things on the wall that had been sitting around waiting.  I packed the poor Janome Jem in its box and put it in the back of the closet.  To do so, I had to take many things out of the closet, so I ended up purging and rearranging it and then putting everything back in. 

With my sewing surface mostly empty, I next tidied it up, putting away bobbins, etc.  Then I cleaned and scrubbed that surface.  Isn't it amazing how dusty/linty those areas can get in just a short amount of time?  Finally after about 2-3 hours of focused cleaning, the room was done!  I went down and grabbed "Bernie" (as I call him) and with some ceremony, took him to his rightful place!  As I was dealing with the cords, I came across another power cord and foot pedal.  It was the Janome's!!! Ugh.  I had packed away the machine but not the cord and foot pedal and it was all packed up buried in the back of my closet!!!!  I did not have the heart to go through the closet again so now the cords are separate from the machine.   I am keeping them visible, though, so the next time I go on an expedition to the far end of the closet, I will hopefully remember to return them to the box.

Remember what I just said--and feel free to remind me of it as I blog in a year or two that I got out my Jem and had no idea where the cord and foot pedal were!  Some times I can so clearly see the future!

Once everything was clean and ready, I delved right in working on all the things that have been requiring my attention--mostly the holiday sewing.  A clean room and a returned "friend" is a huge motivating factor in getting things accomplished!

Have a great day!
JoAnne